Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Pressure Distribution Over The Palm During Falls On The Outstretched Hands, Woochol J. Choi, Stephen N. Robinovitch

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

"Over 90% of wrist fractures are caused by falls on the outstretched hands (Palvanen et al., Osteoporos Int, 2000). Along with bone strength, fracture risk depends on the magnitude and distribution of force to soft and hard tissues during impact. In the current study, we examined how pressure distribution over the palm during a fall is affected by impact configuration, body mass index (BMI), palmer soft tissue thickness, and a 5 mm thick foam pad (simulating a protective glove)."

Portable, Non-Invasive Fall Risk Assessment In End Stage Renal Disease Patients On Hemodialysis, Thurmon Lockhart, Adam T. Barth, Xiaoyue Zhang, Rahul Soangra, Emaad Abdel-Rahman, John Lach

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Patients with end stage renal diseases (ESRD) on hemodialysis (HD) have high morbidity and mortality due to multiple causes, one of which is dramatically higher fall rates than the general population. The mobility mechanisms that contribute to falls in this population must be understood if adequate interventions for fall prevention are to be achieved. This study utilizes emerging noninvasive, portable gait, posture, strength, and stability assessment technologies to extract various mobility parameters that research has shown to be predictive of fall risk in the general population. As part of an ongoing human subjects study, mobility measures such as postural and …

The Impact Of Left Hemisphere Stroke On Force Control With Familiar And Novel Objects: Neuroanatomic Substrates And Relationship To Apraxia, Amanda M. Dawson, Laura J. Buxbaum, Susan V. Duff

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Fingertip force scaling for lifting objects frequently occurs in anticipation of finger contact. An ongoing question concerns the types of memories that are used to inform predictive control. Object-specific information such as weight may be stored and retrieved when previously encountered objects are lifted again. Alternatively, visual size and shape cues may provide estimates of object density each time objects are encountered. We reasoned that differences in performance with familiar versus novel objects would provide support for the former possibility. Anticipatory force production with both familiar and novel objects was assessed in six left hemisphere stroke patients, two of whom …

Performance Of A Hip Protector Depends On Its Position During A Fall, Woochol J. Choi, Joaquin A. Hoffer, Stephen N. Robinovitch

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

"Hip protectors are designed to attenuate and redistribute the force applied to the hip region during a fall, and thereby reduce risk for hip fracture [1]. However, little information exists on the effectiveness of hip protectors in achieving these goals, and how this is altered by displacement of the hip protector relative to the greater trochanter (GT). In the current study, we tested these issues."

Gastrocnemius-Soleus Muscle Tendon Unit Changes Over The First 12 Weeks Of Adjusted Age In Infants Born Preterm, Marybeth Grant-Beuttler, Robert J. Palisano, Debra P. Miller, Barbara Reddien Wagner, Carolyn B. Heriza, Patricia A. Shewokis

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Background and Purpose: Differences in the gastrocnemius-soleus muscle and tendon have been documented shortly after birth in infants born preterm compared with infants born at term. Knowledge of muscle tendon unit lengths at term age to 12 weeks of age in infants born preterm may be useful in understanding motor development.

Participants and Method: Gastrocnemius-soleus muscle tendon unit lengths were compared at term age, at 6 weeks of age, and at 12 weeks of age (preterm adjusted age) in 20 infants born full term and 22 infants born preterm.

Results: Significant differences were found between the 2 groups on taut …

Author Response To Invited Commentary By Heathcock [Commentary For: Gastrocnemius/Soleus Muscle Tendon Unit Changes Over The First 12 Weeks Of Adjusted Age In Infants Born Preterm], Marybeth Grant-Beuttler, Robert J. Palisano, Debra P. Miller, Barbara Reddien Wagner, Carolyn B. Heriza, Patricia A. Shewokis

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

"We thank Heathcock for taking the time to write her commentaryregarding our study. Her comments are interesting, and our subsequent investigation into these ideas has led us to uncover some enlightening evidence in relation to the topics raised in the commentary. We will attempt to review each of the topics raised and the evidence associated with these topics."

Nonlinear Time Series Analysis Of Knee And Ankle Kinematics During Side By Side Treadmill Walking, Jeff A. Nessler, Charles J. De Leone, Sarah Gilliland

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Nonlinear time series analysis was used to estimate maximal Lyapunov exponents of select ankle and knee kinematics during three different conditions of treadmill walking: independent, side by side, and side by side with forced synchronization of stepping. Stride to stride variability was significantly increased for the condition in which individuals walked side by side and synchronized unintentionally when compared to the conditions of forced synchronization and independent walking. In addition, standard deviations of three kinematic variables of lower extremity movement were significantly increased during the condition in which unintentional synchronization occurred. No relationship was found between standard deviation and estimates …

Electromyographic Data Do Not Support A Progressive Recruitment Of Muscle Fibers During Exercise Exhibiting A Vo2 Slow Component, Daniel T. Cannon, Fred W. Kolkhorst, Daniel Cipriani

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

The origin of the slow component (SC) of oxygen uptake kinetics, presenting during exercise above the ventilatory threshold (VT), remains unclear. Possible physiologic mechanisms include a progressive recruitment of type II muscle fibers. The purpose of this study was to examine alterations in muscle activity through electromyography (EMG) and mean power frequency (MPF) analysis during heavy cycling exercise. Eight trained cyclists (mean±S.E.; age=30±3 years, height=177±4 cm, weight=73.8±6.5 kg, VO2max=4.33±0.28lmin−1) completed transitions from 20 W to a workload equaling 50% of the difference between VT and VO2max. VO2 was monitored using a breath-by-breath measurement system, and EMG data were gathered from …

Influence Of A Functional Knee Brace And Exercise On Lower Extremity Kinematics During Jogging, Brian M. Campbell, Daniel Cipriani, James A. Yaggie

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

ABSTRACT Context: Functional knee braces (FKB) are used prophylactically and in rehabilitation to aide in the functional stability of the knee joint. Objective: To determine if alterations in sagittal plane lower extremity kinematics remain evident throughout a one hour period in healthy individuals. Design: 2X5 repeated measures design. Setting: Biomechanics Laboratory. Subjects: Twenty subjects (14 male and 6 female, mean age 26.5±7 yrs; height 172.4±13 cm; weight 78.6±9 kg), separated into braced (B) and no brace (NB) groups. Intervention: A one-hour exercise program divided into three 20 minute increments. Main Outcome Measures: Synchronized three-dimensional …

Does Motor Lateralization Have Implications For Stroke Rehabilitation?, Robert L. Sainburg, Susan V. Duff

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Recent findings on motor lateralization have revealed consistent differences in the control strategies of the dominant and nondominant hemisphere/limb systems that could have implications for hemiplegic stroke patients. Studies in stroke patients have demonstrated deficiencies in the ipsilesional arm that reflect these distinctions; patients with right-hemisphere damage tend to show deficits in positional accuracy, and patients with left-hemisphere damage show deficits in trajectory control. Such deficits have been shown to impede functional performance; yet patients with severe dominant-side hemiplegia must often use the nondominant arm as the primary manipulator for activities of daily living. Nevertheless, the nondominant arm may not …

The Role Of Lower Leg Muscle Activity In Blood Pressure Maintenance Of Older Adults, Michelle M. Masterson, Amy L. Morgan, Christine E. Multer, Daniel Cipriani

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose. Age-associated muscle weakness, postural instability, and orthostatic hypotension have been identified as contributing factors to falls , but the relationships among them are not clear. Therefore, the purpose of this study, a two-way factorial design, was to investigate the differences in lower extremity (LE) muscle activity, blood pressure (BP), and heart rate (HR) between young and older individuals in an upright position. Methods. Ten young males (20-24 yrs.) and 10 older males (65-82 yrs.) stood for 15 minutes while BP, HR, and LE electromyography (EMG) were recorded at one minute intervals . A two-way ANOVA was used …

Safe At The Shoulder, Daniel Cipriani

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

The key to preventing shoulder injuries is understanding the anatomy of the shoulder complex and how the body's other muscles affect the throwing motion