Kinesiology Commons^™

Lower Extremity Kinematics During Walking And Elliptical Training In Individuals With And Without Traumatic Brain Injury, Thad Buster, Judith Burnfield, Adam P. Taylor, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

Background and Purpose: Elliptical training may be an option for practicing walking-like activity for individuals with traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Understanding similarities and differences between participants with TBI and neurologically healthy individuals during elliptical trainer use and walking may help guide clinical applications incorporating elliptical trainers.

Methods: Ten participants with TBI and a comparison group of 10 neurologically healthy participants underwent 2 familiarization sessions and 1 data collection session. Kinematic data were collected as participants walked on a treadmill or on an elliptical trainer. Gait-related measures, including coefficient of multiple correlations (a measure of similarity between ensemble joint movement profiles; …

Comparisons Between Swing Phase Characteristics Of Race Walkers And Distance Runners, Laura C. Smith, Brian Hanley

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 6(4) : 269-277, 2013. The aim of this study was to analyze swing characteristics during race walking and to compare these with distance running. The rules of race walking demand that no visible flight time should occur and the stance leg must be straightened from initial contact to midstance. Previous research has not examined whether these rules also have an effect on swing and what consequences might arise. Ten male race walkers and ten male distance runners walked or ran respectively on an instrumented treadmill for 10 km with two in-dwelling force plates. Trials lasted …

Examining Quantitative Differences In Gait Between The Pvc Prosthesis Design And The Traditional Prosthesis, David Chinn, Dr. Matt Seeley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Our purpose in conducting research was to evaluate a novel, below-knee PVC prosthesis (Figure 1) relative to traditional below-knee prostheses. We aimed to collect data from the biomechanical gait analysis of amputees using the PVC prosthesis. Our desire is to help those in developing nations who have remained immobile after amputation due to lack of funds or technology in their country. This leg only costs $25.00 to manufacture, and if it is found to be similar to traditional prostheses it could help a lot of people. Since the outset of this project we have had successes and failures. Through the …

Temporal Structure Of Variability Reveals Similar Control Mechanisms During Lateral Stepping And Forward Walking, Shane R. Wurdeman, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

Previous research exploring a lateral stepping gait utilized amount of variability (i.e. coefficient of variation) in the medial-lateral (ML) and anterior-posterior (AP) direction to propose that the central nervous system’s active control over gait in any direction is dependent on the direction of progression. This study sought to further explore this notion through the study of the temporal structure of variability which is reflective of the neuromuscular system’s organization of the movement over time. The largest Lyapunov exponent (LyE) of the reconstructed attractors for the foot’s movement in the AP and ML was calculated. Results revealed that despite the obvious …

Changes In The Dynamics Of Postural And Locomotor Control As A Result Of Varying Task Demands, Kathleen Sherry Thomas

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The aim of this study was to examine changes in postural and locomotor control under varying task demands. Three experiments were designed to address the impact that fast walking had on standing posture over time, slow walking had on gait dynamics over time, and the extent to which gait speed interacts with the ability to walk randomly.

For experiment I, the aim was to identify the time course in which postural adaptation occurred while walking at faster than preferred speeds. Postural motion was assessed at specific intervals over a 35-min walking trial. Findings revealed that walking at a faster speed …

Transtibial Amputee Joint Motion Has Increased Attractor Divergence During Walking Compared To Non-Amputee Gait, Shane R. Wurdeman, Sara A. Myers, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

The amputation and subsequent prosthetic rehabilitation of a lower leg affects gait. Dynamical systems theory would predict the use of a prosthetic device should alter the functional attractor dynamics to which the system self-organizes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the largest Lyapunov exponent (a nonlinear tool for assessing attractor dynamics) for amputee gait compared to healthy non-amputee individuals. Fourteen unilateral, transtibial amputees and fourteen healthy, non-amputee individuals ambulated on a treadmill at preferred, self-selected walking speed. Our results showed that the sound hip (p = 0.013), sound knee (p = 0.05), and prosthetic ankle …

Kinematic And Kinetic Analysis Of Planned And Unplanned Gait Termination In Children, Sarah T. Ridge, John Henley, Kurt Manal, Freeman Miller, James G. Richards

Faculty Publications

Gait termination is a task which requires people to alter momentum and stabilize the body. To date, many of the kinematic and kinetic characteristics of gait termination have not been reported, making it difficult for clinicians to design interventions to improve the ability to terminate gait quickly and efficiently. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe the lower body mechanics of healthy children as they performed walking trials, planned stopping trials, and unplanned stopping trials. Kinematic and kinetic data were collected from 15 healthy children between the ages of 11 and 17 years (14.3 ± 2.1 years). The …

Changes In The Activation And Function Of The Ankle Plantar Flexor Muscles Due To Gait Retraining In Chronic Stroke Survivors, Brian A. Knarr, Trisha M. Kesar, Darcy S. Reiman, Stuart A. Binder-Macleod

Journal Articles

Background

A common goal of persons post-stroke is to regain community ambulation. The plantar flexor muscles play an important role in propulsion generation and swing initiation as previous musculoskeletal simulations have shown. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that simulation results quantifying changes in plantar flexor activation and function in individuals post-stroke were consistent with (1) the purpose of an intervention designed to enhance plantar flexor function and (2) expected muscle function during gait based on previous literature.

Methods

Three-dimensional, forward dynamic simulations were created to determine the changes in model activation and function of the paretic ankle …

Prosthesis Preference Is Related To Stride-To-Stride Fluctuations At The Prosthetic Ankle, Shane R. Wurdeman, Sara A. Myers, Adam L. Jacobsen, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between stride-to-stride fluctuations and prosthesis preference. Thirteen individuals with unilateral, transtibial amputation consented to participate. Individuals walked on a treadmill for 3 min with their prescribed and an alternate prosthesis. Stride-to-stride fluctuations were quantified with the largest Lyapunov exponent (LyE) of each joint flexion/extension time series. The change in the LyE was calculated for each major lower-limb joint for both conditions. Participants indicated preference between the prostheses on a continuous visual analog scale. The change in the LyE was correlated with the degree of preference between the two prostheses at …

External Work Is Deficient In Both Limbs Of Patients With Unilateral Pad, Shane R. Wurdeman, Sara A. Myers, Jason Johanning, Iraklis Pipinos, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

External work was utilized to measure differences between the unaffected and the affected limb in patients with unilateral peripheral arterial disease compared to healthy controls. Patients with unilateral peripheral arterial disease have shown deficits in peak joint powers during walking in the unaffected and affected legs. However, no research has detailed the amount of work that is being performed by each leg compared to healthy controls even though such an analysis would provide valuable information on the energy output from the affected and the unaffected legs. Two hypotheses were tested: a) the unaffected and affected leg would perform less work …

Sensitivity Of The Wolf’S And Rosenstein’S Algorithms To Evaluate Local Dynamic Stability From Small Gait Data Sets: Response To Commentaries By Bruijn Et Al., Fabien Cignetti, Leslie M. Decker, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

Assessing gait stability using the Largest Lyapunov Exponent (λ₁) has become popular, especially because it may be a key measure in evaluating gait abnormalities in patient populations. However, clinical settings usually involve having small gait data sets and accurate determination of λ₁ estimates from such sets is difficult. In an effort to address this issue, Cignetti et al.2 recently identified that λ₁ estimates using the algorithm of Wolf et al.9 (W-algorithm) were more sensitive than those using the algorithm of Rosenstein et al.7 (R-algorithm) in order to capture age-related …

Peripheral Arterial Disease Affects The Frequency Response Of Ground Reaction Forces During Walking, Denise Mcgrath, Timothy N. Judkins, Iraklis Pipinos, Jason Johanning

Journal Articles

Background—Walking is problematic for patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency domain of the ground reaction forces during walking to further elucidate the ambulatory impairment of these patients.

Methods—Nineteen bilateral peripheral arterial disease patients and nineteen controls were included in this study. Subjects were matched for age and gait speed. Participants walked over a force plate sampling at 600Hz. PAD patients were tested before (pain-free condition) after the onset of claudication symptoms (pain). We calculated median frequency, frequency bandwidth, and frequency containing 99.5% of the signal for the vertical and …

Biomechanical Effects Of Obesity On Balance, Hannah Del Porto, Celia Pechak, Darla Smith, Rebecca Reed-Jones

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 5(4) : 301-320, 2012. The objective of this review was to analyze the current literature related to the effects of obesity on balance. These effects were observed during conditions of static balance, perturbed balance and dynamic balance during gait. The literature review included studies focused on the biomechanical effects of obesity, the relationship between weight loss and balance, and the relative efficacy of weight loss as a balance intervention. The older adult population, which faces increased risk of falls and related injuries, was highlighted where targeted research was available. The existing literature provides evidence for …

Path Integration: Effect Of Curved Path Complexity And Sensory System On Blindfolded Walking, Panagiotis Koutakis, Mukul Mukherjee, Srikant Vallabhajosula, David J. Blanke, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

Path integration refers to the ability to integrate continuous information of the direction and distance traveled by the system relative to the origin. Previous studies have investigated path integration through blindfolded walking along simple paths such as straight line and triangles. However, limited knowledge exists regarding the role of path complexity in path integration. Moreover, little is known about how information from different sensory input systems (like vision and proprioception) contributes to accurate path integration. The purpose of the current study was to investigate how sensory information and curved path complexity affect path integration. Forty blindfolded participants had to accurately …

Patients With Peripheral Arterial Disease Exhibit Reduced Joint Powers Compared To Velocity-Matched Controls, Shane R. Wurdeman, Panagiotis Koutakis, Sara A. Myers, Jason Johanning, Iraklis Pipinos, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

Previous studies have shown major deficits in gait for individuals with peripheral arterial disease before and after the onset of pain. However, these studies did not have subjects ambulate at similar velocities and potential exists that the differences in joint powers may have been due to differences in walking velocity. The purpose of this study was to examine the joint moments and powers of peripheral arterial disease limbs for subjects walking at similar self-selected walking velocities as healthy controls prior to onset of any symptoms. Results revealed peripheral arterial disease patients have reduced peak hip power absorption in midstance ( …

Patients With Peripheral Arterial Disease Exhibit Reduced Joint Powers Compared To Velocity-Matched Controls, Shane Wurdeman, Panagiotis Koutakis, Sara Myers, Jason Johanning, Iraklis Pipinos, Nicholas Stergiou

Journal Articles

Previous studies have shown major deficits in gait for individuals with peripheral arterial disease before and after the onset of pain. However, these studies did not have subjects ambulate at similar velocities and potential exists that the differences in joint powers may have been due to differences in walking velocity. The purpose of this study was to examine the joint moments and powers of peripheral arterial disease limbs for subjects walking at similar self-selected walking velocities as healthy controls prior to onset of any symptoms. Results revealed peripheral arterial disease patients have reduced peak hip power absorption in midstance ( …

A Method Of Altering Coronal Plane Prosthetic Foot Stiffness For Studying Its Effect On Amputee Gait, Courtney E. Shell, Glenn K. Klute, Richard R. Neptune

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

In an effort to understand the effects of prosthetic foot stiffness on amputee gait and mobility, it is useful to produce prototype prosthetic feet that differ in stiffness. While many commercial prosthetic feet are made out of carbon fiber, the manufacturing process is ill-suited to design experimentation as it is expensive, time consuming and requires tooling modifications to produce design changes. In order to facilitate a study of the effects of coronal plane prosthetic foot stiffness on amputee maneuvering gait, we are manufacturing custom prosthetic feet using a form of additive manufacturing, selective laser sintering (SLS), that was developed at …

Do Horizontal Forces Matter For Horizontal Running?, Kenneth P. Clark, Laurence J. Ryan, Peter G. Weyand

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

DO HORIZONTAL FORCES MATTER FOR HORIZONTAL RUNNING?

Kenneth P. Clark, Laurence J. Ryan, and Peter G. Weyand

Southern Methodist University, Locomotor Performance Laboratory, Department of Applied Physiology and Wellness, Dallas, TX 75206

Classification of First Author: Doctoral Student

Introduction: The application of ground force is widely recognized as the critical determinant of running speed. At maximal speeds, 90-98% of the total force applied is directed vertically into the running surface while horizontal (fore-aft) contributions are relatively small. Despite their small magnitude, horizontal forces are clearly essential for balance and may be important for other reasons. However, the pattern of horizontal …

Wearing A Safety Harness During Treadmill Walking Influences Lower Extremity Kinematics Mainly Through Changes In Ankle Regularity And Local Stability, Leslie M. Decker, Fabien Cignetti, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

Background: Wearing a harness during treadmill walking ensures the subject’s safety and is common practice in biomedical engineering research. However, the extent to which such practice influences gait is unknown. This study investigated harness-related changes in gait patterns, as evaluated from lower extremity kinematics during treadmill walking.

Findings: Healthy subjects (n = 10) walked on a treadmill at their preferred speed for 3 minutes with and without wearing a harness (LiteGait®, Mobility Research, Inc.). In the former condition, no weight support was provided to the subjects. Lower extremity kinematics was assessed in the sagittal plane from the mean (meanRoM), standard …

The Clinical Usefulness Of Vector Coding Variability In Female Runners With And Without Patellofemoral Pain, Tommy Joseph Cunningham

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

It has been suggested that Patellofemoral Pain (PFP) may be the result of a coordinate state which exhibits less joint coordination variability. The ability to relate joint coordination variability to PFP pathology could have many clinical uses; however, evidence to support clinical application is lacking. Vector coding’s coupling angle variability (CAV) has been introduced as a possible analysis method to quantify joint coordination variability. The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical usefulness of CAV measures from a dynamical systems perspective. This involved establishing the precision limits of CAV measures when physiological conditions are held constant, altering control …

Variability Of Gait Is Dependent On Direction Of Progression: Implications For Active Control, Shane R. Wurdeman, Neil B. Huben

Journal Articles

Typical healthy walking displays greater variability in the mediolateral direction compared to the anteroposterior direction. This greater variability is thought to represent increased uncertainty in movement. As a result, it has been postulated that the mediolateral direction of gait requires more active control by the central nervous system while the anteroposterior direction is controlled through passive actions. However, this theory has only been tested on gait where progression occurs in the anteroposterior direction. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate how the amount of variability is affected if progression occurs in the mediolateral direction using a lateral stepping …

African Elephants Change Gaits When Walking Downhill, Robert H.I. Dale, Robert Warren, Brock Ward, Eric Noble

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Abstract from the International Elephant and Rhino Conservation and Research Symposium, Rotterdam, NL, October 10-14, 2011.

Real-Time Feedback As A Method Of Monitoring Walking Velocity During Gait Analysis, Sarah T. Ridge, James G. Richards

Faculty Publications

When quantifying the mechanics of gait, it is important to ensure that subjects maintain a consistent walking velocity during gait analysis trials. Most methods of measuring walking velocity do not produce data until after the subject has completed the trial. This often results in discarding completed trials from analysis because the subject's velocity was not within an acceptable range. Real-time feedback of position data can be used to help subjects adjust their walking velocity during the trial, when necessary. Results from 14 subjects who participated in gait analysis using real-time feedback to monitor their walking velocity show that they were …

Walk-Run Transition Speed And The Relevance Of Loading, Muscular Fatigue, And Human Kinematics: A Comparison Of Human Gait Patterns, Callie Elizabeth Gunderson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: The walk-to-run transition (WRT) typically occurs at a preferred transition speed (PTS) of 1.9-2.1ms^-1. Previous research has focused on potential triggers for this transition such as leg length, muscular fatigue, loading rates (LR), and vertical ground reaction forces (VGRFs). Rather than focus on mechanisms responsible for the transition, the purpose of the current study was to determine if basic anthropometrics or gait characteristics are predictive of the WRT. METHODS: Thirty participants were recruited for the current study (n = 13 male, 17 female; n = 11 normal weight, n = 10 overweight, n = …

The Influence Of Visual Perception Of Self-Motion On Locomotor Adaptation To Unilateral Limb Loading, Mukul Mukherjee, K.-C. Siu, Dimitrios Kastavelis, Pierre B. Fayad, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

Self-perception of motion through visual stimulation may be important for adapting to locomotor conditions. Unilateral limb loading is a locomotor condition that can improve stability and reduce abnormal limb movement. In the present study, the authors investigated the effect of self-perception of motion through virtual reality (VR) on adaptation to unilateral limb loading. Healthy young adults, assigned to either a VR or a non-VR group, walked on a treadmill in the following 3 locomotor task periods—no load, loaded, and load removed. Subjects in the VR group viewed a virtual corridor during treadmill walking. Exposure to VR reduced cadence and muscle …

Multiple Sclerosis Affects The Frequency Content In The Vertical Ground Reaction Forces During Walking, Shane R. Wurdeman, Jessie M. Huisinga, Mary Filipi, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

Background: Multiple sclerosis is a progressive neurological disease that results in a high incident of gait disturbance. Exploring the frequency content of the ground reaction forces generated during walking may provide additional insights to gait in patients with multiple sclerosis that could lead to specific tools for differential diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in the frequency content of these forces in an effort to contribute to improved clinical management of this disease.

Methods: Eighteen patients and eighteen healthy controls walked across a 10 meter long walkway. The anterior–posterior and vertical ground reaction forces generated …

Walking Abnormalities Are Associated With Copd: An Investigation Of The Nhanes Iii Dataset, Jenna M. Yentes, Harlan Sayles, Jane Meza, David M. Mannino, Stephen I. Rennard, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

Research on the peripheral effects of COPD has focused on physiological and structural changes. However, different from muscular weakness or decreased physical activity, mechanical abnormalities of the muscular system, e.g. walking, have yet to be investigated. Our purpose was to utilize the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) dataset to determine whether walking abnormalities are associated with COPD severity. To determine if walking abnormalities were independently associated with COPD severity, our analysis aimed to investigate the association of physical activity levels with COPD severity and with walking abnormalities. The NHANES III dataset that contains data for 31,000 persons that …

The Effect Of Joint Mobilization On Functional Outcomes Associated With Chronic Ankle Instability, Matthew C. Hoch

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Ankle sprains are among the most common injuries sustained by physically active individuals. Although ankle sprains are often considered innocuous in nature, a large percentage of individuals experience repetitive sprains, residual symptoms, and recurrent ankle instability following a single acute sprain; otherwise known as chronic ankle instability (CAI). In addition to repetitive ankle trauma, those with CAI experience reductions in functional capacity over the life span. This indicates that current intervention strategies for CAI are inadequate and require further investigation.

The objective of this dissertation was to explore differences in walking and running gait parameters between individuals with and without …

Impact Of Resistance Training On Balance And Gait In Multiple Sclerosis, Mary Filipi, M. Patricia Leuschen, Jessie M. Huisinga, Lorene Schmaderer, Jeanna Vogel, Daryl Kucera, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an incurable neurodegenerative disease whose symptoms are only partially relieved by pharmaceutical intervention. Disability due to this disease process can impede activities of daily living and decrease quality of life, both for MS patients and for their care partners and families. A nonrandomized, nonblinded prospective cohort study of 45 patients with MS was undertaken to investigate the impact of an exercise program emphasizing resistance training on balance and gait. This article presents data for the first 33 participants to complete the study protocol. The exercise program consisted of twice-weekly 50-minute sessions for 6 months. At 3 …

Identifying Central Patterns Of Motor Control In Pathological Gait, John S. Ward

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Introduction: The central pattern generator (CPG) for walking is an open loop system that drives lower limb movements in a relatively rhythmic fashion once motion has started with minimal need for additional afferent input. The role of the CPG in the pathological gait of Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury (ISCI) and Parkinson’s Disease (PD) has not been studied thoroughly. Understanding how the CPG contributes to motor control in these special populations will serve as a standard upon which to compare new treatments to improve gait function. The purpose of this study was to identify the expression of CPG patterns in individuals …