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Characterization And Personalization Of Botulinum Toxin Type A Therapy For Upper Limb Tremor In Parkinson Disease And Essential Tremor Patients Using Multi-Sensor Kinematic Technology, Olivia Samotus

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Tremor commonly affects the upper extremities in essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson disease (PD) patients where many experience functional disability and ultimately seek therapy. As ET and PD tremor features overlap and clinical assessment is challenging due to its highly complex nature, misdiagnosis is common resulting in unsuitable therapies and prognosis. Current treatment options for ET and PD tremor include pharmacotherapy, focal therapy with botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) injections, and surgical interventions which provide modest relief of tremor. However, such therapies are commonly associated with significant adverse events and lack long-term efficacy and tolerability. Hence lack of standardized, objective …

Markerless Radiostereogammetry Of The Shoulder Joint In Humans: Comparisons Of Scapulohumeral Kinematics Between Individuals With Healthy And Supraspinatus-Impaired Shoulders, Ashley N. Hannon

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this collection of studies was to further develop the knowledge of shoulder motion in order to better understand joint function through direct measurement of 3D scapulohumeral joint kinematics using a technique of high accuracy. Markerless, bi-planar fluoroscopic radiostereometric analysis using a generic shoulder model was developed in this thesis, reducing the amount of radiation exposure to subjects. The studies compared kinematic data of the scapulohumeral joint in six degrees of freedom with a precise, in-vivo measuring technique. Data were collected on young and older healthy individuals, individuals with a torn supraspinatus and post-surgical intervention.

Although this generic …

The Effects Of A Hip Flexor Stretching Program On Running Kinematics In Individuals With Limited Passive Hip Extension, Jeff H. Mettler

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

INTRODUCTION: Tightness of the hip flexor muscle group may contribute to altered sagittal plane kinematics of the lumbo-pelvic-hip (LPH) complex during dynamic movements. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of a three-week home-based stretching program on passive hip extension (PHE), as well as on active hip extension (AHE), anterior pelvic tilt (APT), and lumbar spine extension (LSE) when running. METHODS: Twenty healthy subjects with limited PHE underwent a 3D gait analysis both prior (PRE) and following (POST) a three-week static hip flexor stretching program. RESULTS: Following the stretching program, peak PHE increased significantly (P < 0.001), while no significant improvements were reported in AHE, APT, or LSE. In addition, no relationship was found between the change in PHE with either the change in AHE, APT, or LSE. Finally, a high relationship was observed between AHE and APT during running (r = 0.83, p < 0.001), and low relationships were observed between APT and LSE (r = -0.41, p = 0.08) and AHE and LSE (r = -0.34, p = 0.15). CONCLUSION: A three-week static stretching program of the hip flexor musculature resulted in an increase in PHE, but the sagittal plane kinematics of the LPH complex during running remained unchanged. The correlations observed between AHE, APT, and LSE suggest there is a kinematic relationship between the hip, pelvis, and spine.

Reliability Of A Multisegment Foot Model In Shod Running, Austin Coupe

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to determine kinematic and marker placement reliability of the Leardini multisegment foot model (LMFM) for tracking foot kinematics during barefoot and shod running without alteration of footwear. Eleven participants, five males (25.6±5 yrs, 73±15.8 kg, 1.75±0.05m) and six females (22.5±2.9 yrs, 66.6±7.2 kg, 1.71±0.05 m) granted institutionally approved written consent to participate. Three-dimensional motion capture (10 Vicon T40-S cameras) was used to capture kinematic data at 200Hz. Kinetic data was captured with an in-ground force platform (Kistler Instruments AG, Switzerland Model 9281B 60x40cm, 2000Hz). Participants were instructed to run at 3.5m/s ±5%. Velocity was …

Changes In Sprint Kinetics Or Kinematics Following Static Or Dynamic Stretching, Kristyne Bartel

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of static or dynamic stretching on hip kinematics and kinetics during intermittent sprinting. To achieve this aim, intermittent sprint athletes were asked to complete either a static or dynamic stretch, followed by a repeated-sprint protocol. Hip joint kinematics and performance measures were evaluated during the sprint, including changes that occurred in these variables over the course of the sprint protocol. In addition, hip flexion torque was measured with an isokinetic dynamometer. Ten male (age = 25±2.3 years, 175±3.2 cm, 76.2±2.7 kg) and female (age = 20±1 years, 166±1.3 cm, 60±1.1 …

Examination Of Lower Extremity Mechanics During Three Landing Tasks And Injury Prediction Ability Of Those Models As Compared To A Functional Test, Timothy G. Coffey

Theses and Dissertations

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures are one of the most common knee ligament injuries suffered by both male and female athletes. These injuries are severe in nature and also have long-term impacts on activities of daily living. Significant research has been conducted utilizing a drop landing task to attempt to better understand the mechanics behind the injury and to help identify at-risk athletes for targeted intervention. However, there have not been any published standards for the height of the drop landing activity, and previous researchers have also raised some concerns about the ability of a drop landing task to replicate …

Biomechanical Analysis Of Race Walking Compared To Normal Walking And Running Gait, Jaclyn D. Norberg

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Human locomotion is phenomenon that is extraordinarily complex. It is evident that a complete description of locomotion involves consideration of kinematics, kinetics, and muscle activity of the extremities in all of their various movements. Race walking (RW) is a form of upright locomotion that differs from normal walking and running by its form dictated by the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF). Despite the similarities to both normal walking (NW) and running (RU), RW has not been the subject of equally intensive investigations.

This study explores the comprehensive biomechanics of race walking and how it compares to NW and RU. A …

Effects Of Reduced Muscular Strength On Running Kinematics Relating To The Planus Foot, Adam D. Froats

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The potential for injury is present in all forms of physical activity, particularly events involving repetitive motion. In attempt to identify kinematic changes following running induced reductions in muscular strength, 15 participants completed recorded treadmill runs before and after an outdoor run. Kinematics were recorded using a Vicon motion capture system and processed using 3D GAIT custom software. Using repeated measures ANCOVA with side (dominant and non-dominant) and time (pre-run and post-run) as within subject factors, and strength and arch height as covariates, no statistically significant differences were obtained. Using Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficients to compare successive strides, post-run reductions …

The Effect Of Fixation Plate Length On Spinal Instability Following Anterior Cervical Plate Fixation For The Repair Of In Vitro Flexion-Distraction Injuries, Abdulaziz J. Al-Kuwari

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Abstract:

The Effect of Fixation Plate Length on Spinal Instability Following Anterior Cervical Plate Fixation for the Repair of in Vitro Flexion-Distraction Injuries

Introduction: Anterior cervical decompression and fusion with a plate (ACDFP) is a commonly performed treatment following a traumatic injury to the subaxial cervical spine. The purpose of the presented work was to determine the biomechanical effect of plate length on cervical spine kinematic stability following ACDFP stabilization for a simulated traumatic injury.

Methods: Eleven fresh-frozen cadaveric C5-C6 and C6-C7 motion segments were examined in this study. To assess kinematics, flexibility testing was performed on each specimen …

An Evaluation Of Kinematic Variables During Stance Phase Of A Training Endurance Run, Joshua Paul Bailey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of the study was to evaluate kinematics of the lower extremity during the stance phase of an endurance training run. Fifteen participants (8 male, 7 female; 30.5 ± 8.4 years; 71.8 ± 11 kg; 1.73 ± 0.07 m) reported that they were currently signed up for, or planned on signing up for, an endurance race within the next six months of participation in the study (9 half marathon, 3 marathon, 1 triathlon, 2 21k trail run). All had a weekly running mileage greater than 20 miles (23.8 ±4.6 miles). Participants were required to complete the 15–kilometer training run …

Determination Of The Functional Relationship Between Lumbar Lordosis And Pelvic Tilt, Casey Tyler Hebert

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Americans are undergoing spinal fusion surgery (SFS) at an ever increasing rate; in 2008 over 400,000 Americans underwent SFS with a national cost of approximately $33.9 billion. During SFS it is difficult for the surgeon to properly align the spine’s s-shape, as viewed from the patient’s side. Abnormal alignment of the spine then alters the position of the pelvis and hip joints, which may impact the function and hip contact patterns. Several studies have shown that patients with spinal pathology, such as arthritis, often have a coexisting hip pathology or subsequently develop hip pathology, and it is estimated that 18% …

An Investigation Of Technique And Equipment Factors Associated With Clubhead Speed In Golf, Christopher Joyce

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

If golfers achieve long hitting distances whilst maintaining their accuracy they will gain a competitive advantage. To increase hitting distance, faster clubhead speed is required and this can potentially be achieved through a number of factors. Firstly, anthropometric factors such as height and physical factors such as trunk rotational power have been previously considered to be of importance. However, biomechanical factors such as; the X-factor (separation of the trunk-pelvis alignment when viewed in the transverse plane), have been a major focus of recent research. Further, the interaction of the golfer with the implement they hit with i.e. the golf club …

Development And Application Of A Biorobotic Simulation Of Stance Phase Gait To Study Foot And Ankle Kinematics, Kelly N. Salb

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Ankle instantaneous axis of rotation (IAR) measurements represent a more complete parameter for characterizing joint motion. However, few studies have implemented this measurement to study normal, injured, or pathological foot-ankle biomechanics. Additionally, while load is suggested to play a major role in ankle biomechanics, including influences on articular surfaces, bony motion, and formation of the arches, studies concerning the effects of joint loading are limited.

A novel testing protocol was developed to simulate in vivo mechanics of the foot-ankle complex during early stance phase gait in a human cadaveric model. Two studies were conducted. The first study was to assess …

Knee Biomechanics Of Older Adults During Common Recreational And Daily Activities, Julie Lynn Pfeiffer

Masters Theses

Among older adults, socialization is a key motivating factor for participation in physical activity. In order to develop evidence-based physical activity recommendations for older adults with knee pathologies a better understanding of knee biomechanics during social recreational activities is needed. The purpose of this study was to determine knee joint kinematics and kinetics in healthy older adults during golf and bowling. Knee biomechanics during these recreational activities were also compared to those experienced during activities of daily living. Motion analysis data were collected as subjects performed walking, stair ascent, stair descent, and either golf or bowling. Knee angles, peak knee …

Kinetic And Kinematic Evaluation Of Compensatory Movements Of The Head, Pelvis And Thoraco-Lumbar Spine Associated With Asymmetrical Weight Bearing Of The Pelvic Limbs In Dogs, David Alan Hicks

Doctoral Dissertations

The purposes of this dissertation were to 1) determine ground reaction forces of dogs with mild asymmetrical weight-bearing of the pelvic limbs while trotting and 2) use three-dimensional motion analysis to identify compensatory vertical motion of the head and pelvis, and lateral motion of the thoraco-lumbar spine in dogs with mild asymmetrical weight-bearing of the pelvic limbs while trotting, and 3) use this information to introduce a subjective grading system for the pelvic limbs in dogs. Our hypotheses were that dogs with asymmetric weight bearing demonstrate compensatory motions of the head, pelvis and thoraco-lumbar spine while trotting, and that these …

Comparison Of Vo2 And Body Kinematics For Three Cycling Modes, Andrew I. Miller

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Cycling research in a laboratory has an advantage of being more tightly controlled compared to field studies; however, consideration must be given to ecological validity for the results to be best applied to its target population and environment. This was clearly demonstrated by Jones and Doust (8) where they reported treadmill running to be metabolically lower (p < 0.05) then outdoor running at the same velocity and incline. Cycling research is often targeted towards high-level cyclists interested in understanding cycling physiology and improving performance. Therefore, research results are most applicable when utilizing methods that best mimic conditions of the target population while still maintaining the control advantages that the laboratory offers

Kinematic And Spatiotemporal Analysis Between Sprint Drills And Maximal Sprinting, Julianne Cappadona

PTHMS Undergraduate Publications

Purpose: To determine if any kinematic differences exist between two common sprint drills (A- and B-drills) and maximal sprinting. Methods: 12 collegiate sprinters (19.17±1.11 y/o) granted informed consent were filmed performing two 40-meter sprints, A-skips, and B-skips. Three-dimensional motion analysis tracked the coordinates of 24 reflective markers and resulting joint kinematics were computed. Results: Statistical analysis revealed that sprinting yielded a significantly lower maximum hip flexion (p=0.015) but a significantly higher minimum ankle angular velocity (p=0.012) and step rate (p=0.000) value than A-drills. When compared to B-drills, sprinting values were significantly lower in maximum hip flexion (p=0.047), minimum knee flexion …

Effects Of Increased Step Width On Knee Joint Biomechanics In Healthy And Knee Osteoarthritis Older Adults During Stair Descent, Maxime Robert Paquette

Doctoral Dissertations

Stair negotiation is one of the most challenging tasks for older adults especially for those suffering from knee osteoarthritis (OA). To date, no studies have investigated the effects of increased step width (SW) on knee joint biomechanics. The purpose of Study One was to investigate the effects of increased SW on peak internal knee abduction moment and other lower extremity variables during stair descent in healthy older adults. The purpose of Study Two was to investigate the effects of increased SW on peak internal knee abduction moment, knee pain and other lower extremity variables during stair descent in medial compartment …

The Use Of Motion Analysis Technology As An Alternative Means Of Assessing Spinal Deformity In Patients With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis, Matthew J. Solomito

Master's Theses

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is a three dimensional deformity of the spine that causes abnormal curvatures in the coronal and sagittal planes and abnormal vertebral rotations. The gold standard for diagnosing and tracking the progression of the deformity is through the use of repeated radiography and a patient can receive upwards of fifteen radiographic series over the course of treatment, which exposes this population to an increased risk of radiation-dependent complications.

This thesis presents the necessary calculations and the marker set required to make the motion capture technology a viable alternative to radiographs, in an effort to reduce the patient’s …

The Effects Of Isolated Hamstring Fatigue On Jump Landing In Healthy Recreational Athletes, Kristen Anne Phillips

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The musculature of the lower extremity provides dynamic stability during daily and athletic tasks. In landing tasks, the lower extremity absorbs forces and reduces excessive stresses and motions that are placed upon the body. Neuromuscular fatigue has been linked to an increase in injury and altered kinematics during jump landing tasks. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of hamstring fatigue on knee and hip kinematics pre and post hamstrings fatigue while landing from a box drop of 30cm height, during the stop-jump phase. The study aimed to quantify the kinematic data of the hip and knee …

A Kinematics-Based Testing Protocol To Study The Mechanics Of The Human Lumbar Spine, Nephi A. Zufelt

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The objective of this work was to develop a new kinematics-based testing protocol to quantify the axial and shear force components and rotational moment properties of the human cadaveric lumbar motion segment unit (MSU) in response to specific kinematic inputs. Modern, non-fusion spinal devices claim to treat degenerative disc disease better than traditional fusion surgery. Though there have been many biomechanical studies completed on these devices, there is still a debate over their efficacy. Conventional testing methods provide insight into the rotational properties of the MSU but lack the sensitivity or capacity to quantify lumbar MSU’s mechanical properties including shear …

Visual Contributions To The Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex During Balance Recovery Tasks, Mark D. Diehl

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: The Vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) is quantified by computing the ratio of head angular velocity and eye angular velocity (VOR Gain). This measure only includes head angular movements; linear translations are not accounted for. These investigations postulate an alternative method of VOR quantification, one that assesses retinal image stability during head angular and linear movements (Foveal fixation (FF)). This method was used to assess the role of vision in balance reactions. Methods: Experiment 1 : Ten Young subjects were fitted with an eye tracker linked to an EM kinematic recording system. This allowed for the recording of head, trunk and …