Kinesiology Commons^™

Determining The Validity Of The Nintendo Wii Balance Board As An Assessment Tool For Balance, Sabrina Mae Deans

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Context. Application of the Nintendo Wii-fit balance board and its games have been used in Physical Therapy clinics, showing success in individuals with neurological disorders, and has been recommended as a minimum baseline assessment of a symptoms checklist and standardized cognitive and balance assessments for concussion management by the NCAA. However, it still faces challenges of being considered a reliable and consistent tool for producing normative data in the allied healthcare. Because there is little to no evidence for the Wii-fit balance board as a valid balance assessment tool for clinical and/or research usage, the significance of this study is …

Effectiveness Of Group Kickboxing As A Means To Improve Gait And Balance In Individuals With Ms, Kurt Jackson, Kimberly Edginton Bigelow, Christina Cooper, Harold L. Merriman

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

In recent years, there has been a particular emphasis on identifying and delivering appropriate therapeutic interventions that address the significant balance and gait impairments that affect individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Group interventions implemented in community settings have been especially of interest, including tai chi classes. Recently, the authors conducted a preliminary study to examine whether group kick-boxing, which requires more vigorous movements, might be a feasible intervention. Initial findings showed promise and led the authors to pursue a more rigorous follow-up study, with the objective of determining whether a 5-week group kickboxing class improved clinical measures of balance and …

Interview With Adam Boesel, Green Micro Gym, 2011 (Audio), Adam Boesel

All Sustainability History Project Oral Histories

Interview of Adam Boesel by Teresa Celestine at Green Micro Gym Portland, Oregon on July 29th, 2011.

The interview index is available for download.

Muscle Contributions To Frontal And Transverse Plane Whole-Body Angular Momentum, Richard R. Neptune, Craig P. Mcgowan, Allison Kinney

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to build upon previous work by analyzing how gravity and individual muscles contribute to frontal and traverse plane whole-body angular momentum. Identifying which muscles are responsible for generating angular momentum has important implications for the diagnosis and treatment of movement disorders.

A Novel Exercise Device For Users In Wheelchairs: A Study Of Abdominal Muscle Activation, Rebecca Jo Campbell

Master's Theses

This study evaluates the use of a wheelchair balance board. The balance board was created as a sensory stimulation tool for users with various disabilities. It was originally designed to create vestibular stimulation for the person after they were loaded on.  This study was used as a way to test if the balance board could be used for other things such as physical therapy and exercise.  Ten able-bodied individuals were used to show the functionality of the device.  They were asked to perform six different abdominal exercises while the muscle activity of their rectus abdominis and external obliques was measured …

Finite Element Reconstruction Of Real World Aortic Injury In Near-Side Lateral Automotive Crashes With Conceptual Countermeasures, Aditya Neelakanta Belwadi

Wayne State University Dissertations

Traumatic rupture of the aorta (TRA) remains the second most common cause of death associated with motor vehicle crashes after brain injury. On an average, nearly 8,000 people die annually in the United States due to blunt injury to the aorta. It is observed that more than 80% of occupants who suffer an aortic injury die at the scene due to exsanguination into the chest. With the advent of more accurate and established human body finite element (FE) models, FE crash reconstruction methods may become a valuable tool when assessing crash scenarios and occupant injury mechanisms.

The current study is …

A Multi-Species Analysis Of Biomechanical Responses Of The Head To A Shock Wave, Richard Bolander

Wayne State University Dissertations

Shock wave induced brain injury remains a field of research that has great consequences for the rehabilitation of soldiers and civilians that are exposed to an explosion. As such, for the research to be successful in developing strategies to mitigate the effects of these injuries, appropriate research methods need to be developed. Animal models are currently employed to understand the brain's response to a shock wave exposure. Unfortunately no criteria have been established that indicates in what way the mechanical inputs that the cells in an animal's brain are subjected to are similar to a human. The purpose of this …

Computational Simulation Of Skull Fracture Patterns In Pediatric Subjects Using A Porcine Model, Christina Devito Wagner

Wayne State University Dissertations

In cases of suspected child abuse with skeletal trauma, it is often the role of the injury biomechanist, forensic pathologist, clinical radiologist, and forensic anthropologist to determine the mechanism of injury when the child victims cannot speak for themselves. This is a challenging task, especially for the head, as comprehensive biomechanical data on skull fracture in infants and children do not currently exist, and frequently the determination regarding cause of injury is based on anecdotal evidence from the medical literature and unsubstantiated eyewitness accounts. The current process may result in unreliable autopsy interpretation and miscarriages of justice due to a …

Longissimus Muscle Fatigue And Injury Response Due To Electrical Stimulation With Varied Work/Rest Ratios, Peter Wawrow

Wayne State University Dissertations

LONGISSIMUS MUSCLE FATIGUE AND INJURY RESPONSE DUE TO ELECTRICAL STIMULATION WITH VARIED WORK/REST RATIOS

BY

PETER WAWROW

May 2011

Advisor: John Cavanaugh, MD

Major: Biomedical Engineering

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

The estimated yearly cost of lost-time work injuries and illnesses is $140 billion. The average cost of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) exceeds all other claims. These injuries persist in spite of ergonomic interventions addressing known risk factors. Work/rest ratios have not received a significant amount of attention, particularly in low back disorders, and it is hypothesized that the lack of adequate rest within a work cycle may contribute to muscle fatigue …

Regulation Of Cell Adhesion Strength By Spatial Organization Of Focal Adhesions, Kranthi Kumar Elineni

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cell adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) is critical to various cellular processes like cell spreading, migration, growth and apoptosis. At the tissue level, cell adhesion is important in the pathological and physiological processes that regulate the tissue morphogenesis. Cell adhesion to the ECM is primarily mediated by the integrin family of receptors. The receptors that are recruited to the surface are reinforced by structural and signaling proteins at the adhesive sites forming focal adhesions that connect the cytoskeleton to further stabilize the adhesions. The functional roles of these focal adhesions extend beyond stabilizing adhesions and transduce mechanical signals at the …

Universal Play Frame Vi, Justin Bazant, Cullen Crackel, Anthony Franceschi

Mechanical Engineering

This design report details the design process utilized by Adaptive Exercise Designs (AED) in creating the sixth design of the Universal Play Frame (UPF). The UPF is an adaptive frame which supports a variety of devices that allows athletes in wheelchairs with limited range of motion to participate in physical activity. The past five frame designs do not meet the needs of the Friday Club due to complications with function and time constraints. To ensure all of Fridays Club's needs were met, the problem was better defined by converting the customer requirements into engineering specifications. The design process our team …

Development Of Software To Estimate Pressures On The Residual Limbs Of Amputees By Means Of A Pylon Mounted Transducer, Malli K. Yalamanchili

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The alignment of prosthesis has been recognized as one of the main factors that determine successful prosthetic outcomes for trans-tibial amputees. Alignment is defined as the relative position and orientation of the prosthetic components. Misalignment can result in changes in the position and orientation of the joints of the leg and moments experienced by them during gait, increases in energy use, and discomfort or even tissue breakdown at the socket/stump interface. Hence it is very important to align the prosthesis in correct manner. Gait analysis can be used to examine the effects of incorrect alignment of the prosthesis during gait. …

Pre-Swing Deficits In Forward Propulsion, Swing Initiation And Power Generation By Individual Muscles In Hemiparetic Walking, Carrie L. Peterson, Allison Kinney, Steven A. Kautz, Richard R. Neptune

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Clinical studies of hemiparetic walking have shown pre-swing abnormalities in the paretic leg suggesting that paretic muscle contributions to important biomechanical walking subtasks are different than those of non-disabled individuals. Three-dimensional forward dynamics simulations of two representative hemiparetic subjects with different levels of walking function classified by self-selected walking speed (i.e., limited community=0.4–0.8 m/s and community walkers=>0.8 m/s) and a speed-matched control were generated to quantify individual muscle contributions to forward propulsion, swing initiation and power generation during the pre-swing phase (i.e., double support phase proceeding toe-off). Simulation analyses identified decreased paretic soleus and gastrocnemius contributions to forward propulsion …

Relationships Between Muscle Contributions To Walking Subtasks And Functional Walking Status In Persons With Post-Stroke Hemiparesis, Allison Kinney, Carrie L. Peterson, Steven A. Kautz, Richard R. Neptune

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Walking speed is commonly used to predict stroke severity and assess functional walking status (i.e., household, limited community and community walking status) post-stroke. The underlying mechanisms that limit walking speed (and functional walking status by extension) need to be understood to improve post-stroke rehabilitation. Previous experimental studies have shown correlations between paretic plantarflexor output during the pre-swing phase and walking speed and suggest that the paretic hip flexors can compensate in some hemiparetic subjects. Modeling and simulation studies of healthy walking have shown that the ankle plantarflexors, soleus (SOL) and gastrocnemius (GAS), and uniarticular hip flexors (IL) are essential contributors …

Development Of A Technique To Diagnose Subtalar Joint Instability, Ajaya Dhakal

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Most patients escape diagnosis of subtalar joint instability for years before treatment. Therefore, a clinically relevant technique to diagnose subtalar joint instability will improve its management. Towards this goal, a six degree of freedom positioning and loading device was developed to apply physiologic loads to the hindfoot. Because the ideal loading configuration to detect subtalar joint instability is unknown, the device was designed to apply rotational and translational forces simultaneously. Specifically, plantarflexion/dorsiflexion, inversion/eversion, and internal/external rotation can be applied individually or as coupled motions along with an anterior/posterior drawer. Kinematic data were collected from calcaneus, talus and tibia using a …

Experimental Analysis And Modeling Validation Of A Knee Brace In Shock Mitigation, Manish Prakash Dhekane

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

An experimental setup simulating the dynamic environment in a high sea state is developed for the lower extremities to study the mitigation of shock impact. A single degree of freedom machine is equipped with six linear induction motors to produce impact acceleration ranging from 0.5G to 4G. The experiments are carried out along the dummy leg by using two configurations, one without a knee brace and one with a knee brace. Force and acceleration data is collected using a data acquisition system.

To develop the analytical model of the same experimental setup, the knee brace and dummy leg were scanned …

Fabrication Of Ankle-Foot Orthoses Using Selective Laser Sintering Technology, Allison Kinney, M. C. Faustini, Richard R. Neptune, R. H. Crawford, S. J. Stanhope

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Passive dynamic ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) are often prescribed to improve gait performance for those with various neuromuscular disorders. Designs and materials used for AFOs range from simple polypropylene braces to advanced custom carbon fiber dynamic AFOs that passively store and release mechanical energy during gait. AFO designs vary in the shape and length of the foot component as well as the stiffness and length of the tibial component, depending on the desired functional outcomes. However, the current fabrication technology is not ideally suited for refined customization of AFO characteristics to optimize performance, or for rapid lowcost, high volume manufacturing and …

Development And Analysis Of A Software Package To Quantify In Vivo Polyethylene Wear After Total Hip Arthroplasty, Allison Kinney, Catherine G. Ambrose

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Since the first total hip arthroplasty (THA) in 1938, THA evolved and developed into one of the major concentrations of orthopaedic research. The typical hip implant device used today incorporates a femoral and an acetabular component that serve to replicate the anatomical and mechanical functions of the natural hip joint. However, several problems exist that can effect the function of the implant device. Wear in the polyethylene liner of the acetabular component of the total hip replacement device is known as one of the major factors that affects the longevity of total hip replacement devices. Both manual and computer-aided techniques …

Microscale Investigation Of Thermo-Fluid Transport In The Transition Fil, Region Of An Evaporating Capillary Meniscus Using A Microgravity Environment, Kenneth D. Kihm, Jeffrey S. Allen, Kevin P. Hallinan, David M. Pratt

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

In order to enhance the fundamental understanding of thin film evaporation and thereby improve the critical design concept for two-phase heat transfer devices, microscale heat and mass transport is to be investigated for the transition film region using state-of-the-art optical diagnostic techniques. By utilizing a microgravity environment, the length scales of the transition film region can be extended sufficiently, from submicron to micron, to probe and measure the microscale transport fields which are affected by intermolecular forces. Extension of the thin film dimensions under microgravity will be achieved by using a conical evaporator made of a thin silicon substrate under …

Optimization Of The Seating Position In A Human-Powered Vehicle, Y. Lei, Mohamed Trabia, D. Too

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

Until recently, most of the human-powered vehicles (HPV) were designed focusing solely on its aerodynamics characteristic. In many of these HPV designs, the rider seating position was arbitrarily chosen without consideration of its effect on the rider's comfort and cycling effectiveness. Also, there is no guarantee that the seating position is related to maximum power output. Too (1991) used an experimental approach to determine that the rider will produce the maximum anaerobic power when the seat tube angle of a bicycle is at 75° whereas Hull and Gonzalez (1990) used an engineering approach to optimize the cycling biomechanics. However several …

The Effects Of A Kinesthetic Training Program On The Acquisition Of Industrial Skills Among University Students, John V. Mockler

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Training workers for specific jobs is receiving much attention in industry. The demand for skilled workers is increasing constantly and as this happens newer and more efficient methods of training are sought In the psychomotor/sensory area. skills that appear to offer a wide amount of transferability are those dealing with fine sensitivity, manual dexterity, and coordination. Even though these skills lend themselves well to training, this area is somewhat deficient in current educational and training programs (Sjogren, 1977, p.23). Presently, on-the-job training is widely used for training workers in the actual tasks they will perform during their job.

The process …