Kinesiology Commons^™

Peripheral Arterial Disease Affects Ground Reaction Forces During Walking, Melissa Scott-Pandorf, Nikolaos Stergiou, Jason Johanning, Leon Robinson, Thomas G. Lynch, Iraklis Pipinos

Journal Articles

Objective: Claudication is the most common manifestation of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), producing significant ambulatory compromise. The gait of claudicating patients has been evaluated using primarily temporal and spatial parameters. With the present study, we used advanced biomechanical measures to further delineate the ambulatory impairment of claudicating patients. We hypothesized that the claudicating legs of PAD patients have an altered kinetic gait pattern compared with normal legs from control subjects.

Methods: Ambulation kinetics (ground reaction forces) were evaluated in claudicating patients and compared with age-matched healthy controls. Forces were analyzed in the vertical, anterior–posterior, and medial–lateral directions. Time from heel …

Do Horizontal Propulsive Forces Influence The Nonlinear Structure Of Locomotion?, Max J. Kurz, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

Background: Several investigations have suggested that changes in the nonlinear gait dynamics are related to the neural control of locomotion. However, no investigations have provided insight on how neural control of the locomotive pattern may be directly reflected in changes in the nonlinear gait dynamics. Our simulations with a passive dynamic walking model predicted that toe-off impulses that assist the forward motion of the center of mass influence the nonlinear gait dynamics. Here we tested this prediction in humans as they walked on the treadmill while the forward progression of the center of mass was assisted by a custom built …

Differential Neuromuscular Training Effects On Acl Injury Risk Factors In"High-Risk" Versus "Low-Risk" Athletes, Gregory D. Myer, Kevin R. Ford, Jensen L. Brent, Timothy E. Hewett

Kinesiology and Health Promotion Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Neuromuscular training may reduce risk factors that contribute to ACL injury incidence in female athletes. Multi-component, ACL injury prevention training programs can be time and labor intensive, which may ultimately limit training program utilization or compliance. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of neuromuscular training on those classified as "high-risk" compared to those classified as "low-risk." The hypothesis was that high-risk athletes would decrease knee abduction moments while low-risk and control athletes would not show measurable changes.

METHODS: Eighteen high school female athletes participated in neuromuscular training 3x/week over a 7-week period. Knee kinematics and …

Medicine Meets Virtual Reality 15, James D. Westwood, Matthew J. Fieldler, Shing-Jye Chen, Timothy N. Judkins, D. Oleynikov, Nikolaos Stergiou

Faculty Books and Monographs

Chapter, Virtual Reality for Robotic Laparoscopic Surgical Training, co-authored by Nicholas Stergiou, UNO faculty member.

Our culture is obsessed with design. Sometimes designers can fuse utility and fantasy to make the mundane appear fresh—a cosmetic repackaging of the same old thing. Because of this, medicine—grounded in the unforgiving realities of the scientific method and peer review, and of flesh, blood, and pain—can sometimes confuse “design” with mere “prettifying.” Design solves real problems, however. This collection of papers underwrites the importance of design for the MMVR community, within three different environments: in vivo, in vitro and in silico. in vivo: we …

Maximize Muscle Mechanical Output During The Stretch-Shortening Cycle--The Contribution Of Preactivation And Stretch Load, Mianfang Ruan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

It is well documented that the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC), the most common muscle behavior, enhances muscle mechanical output. Stretch load and muscle preactivation level have been suggested as the two important factors regulating mechanical output. The purpose of this series studies is to systematically examine influences of the preactivation and the stretch load on muscle mechanical output during SSC. In the First study, a two dimensional lower extremity dynamic model was used to evaluate the influence of the approach on mechanical output. The peak summed power during the push-off phase demonstrated a quadratic trend across heights and appeared to be …