Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Effect Of Dual Tasking On Walking Over Even And Uneven Surfaces In Functionally Independent Community Older Adults, Olajide L. Kolawole

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

While several studies have reported a decrement in performance by older adults while walking and concurrently performing a dual task on even surfaces, to date the effects of dual tasking while walking on uneven surfaces commonly found in the community has received less attention. Thus, we sought to test the hypothesis that an incremental decrement in gait parameters will be observed, when walking on an uneven versus an even surface and furthermore, that this decrement would be dependent upon the concurrent performance of a secondary cognitive and/or motor task in functionally independent-living-community older adults.

Dynamic Gait Index assessed the subject’s …

Identification Of Functional Parameters For The Classification Of Older Female Fallers And Prediction Of ‘First-Time’ Fallers, Niklas König Ignasiak

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Falls remain a challenge for ageing societies. Strong evidence indicates that a previous fall is the strongest single screening indicator for a subsequent fall and the need for assessing fall risk without accounting for fall history is therefore imperative. Testing in three functional domains (using a total 92 measures) were completed in 84 older women (60–85 years of age), including muscular control, standing balance, and mean and variability of gait. Participants were retrospectively classified as fallers (n = 38) or non-fallers (n = 42) and additionally in a prospective manner to identify first-time fallers (FTFs) (n = 6) within a …

Stride Length-Speed Relationship During Body Weight Supported Running, Carmen Chona

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to determine if body weight support influences the stride length-speed relationship. Additionally, the purpose was to determine if impact characteristics of running are influenced by body weight support and speed. Subjects (n=10; 6 female, 4 male) volunteered to participate in this study. All subjects were injury free and were comfortable running on a treadmill for 30 minutes. Subjects ran on a lower body positive (LBPP, Alter-G, G-Trainer) treadmill for 4 conditions of body weight (100, 40, 30 and 20% of body weight) and 4 running speeds (100, 110, 120 and 130% of the preferred …

The Influence Of Visual Cueing On Freezing Of Gait Among Individuals With Parkinson's Disease, L. Keltie Brigham

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Freezing of gait (FOG) is a distressing symptom of Parkinson’s disease with a significant impact on fall risk and quality of life. Although medication improves some of the symptoms of slowness and rigidity, it is only minimally effective in treating FOG. Therefore, a better understanding of alternative treatment strategies is needed to manage this symptom. To investigate the effectiveness of visual cueing in the management of FOG, and to determine if visual cueing is dependent upon the spatial location of cue presentation. Six individuals with Parkinson’s disease who experience FOG were asked to complete the Timed Up and Go test …

The Stroke-Related Effects Of Hip Flexion Fatigue On Over Ground Walking, Megan M. Rybar, Eric R. Walker, Henry Kuhnen, Daniel R. Ouellette, Reivian Berrios, Sandra K. Hunter, Allison Hyngstrom

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Individuals post stroke often rely more on hip flexors for limb advancement during walking due to distal weakness but the effects of muscle fatigue in this group is not known. The purpose of this study was to quantify how stroke affects the influence of hip flexor fatigue on over ground walking kinematics and performance and muscle activation. Ten individuals with chronic stroke and 10 without stroke (controls) participated in the study. Maximal walking speed, walking distance, muscle electromyograms (EMG), and lower extremity joint kinematics were compared before and after dynamic, submaximal fatiguing contractions of the hip flexors (30% maximal load) …

Classifying Lower Extremity Muscle Fatigue During Walking Using Machine Learning And Inertial Sensors, Jian Zhang, Thurmon Lockhart, Rahul Soangra

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Fatigue in lower extremity musculature is associated with decline in postural stability, motor performance and alters normal walking patterns in human subjects. Automated recognition of lower extremity muscle fatigue condition may be advantageous in early detection of fall and injury risks. Supervised machine learning methods such as Support Vector Machines (SVM) have been previously used for classifying healthy and pathological gait patterns and also for separating old and young gait patterns. In this study we explore the classification potential of SVM in recognition of gait patterns utilizing an inertial measurement unit associated with lower extremity muscular fatigue. Both kinematic and …

Concurrent Validity Of Accelerations Measured Using A Tri-Axial Inertial Measurement Unit While Walking On Firm, Compliant, And Uneven Surfaces, Michael H. Cole, Wolbert Van Den Hoorn, Justin K. Kavanagh, Steven Morrison, Paul W. Hodges, James E. Smeathers, Graham K. Kerr

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Although accelerometers are extensively used for assessing gait, limited research has evaluated the concurrent validity of these devices on less predictable walking surfaces or the comparability of different methods used for gravitational acceleration compensation. This study evaluated the concurrent validity of trunk accelerations derived from a tri-axial inertial measurement unit while walking on firm, compliant and uneven surfaces and contrasted two methods used to remove gravitational accelerations; i) subtraction of the best linear fit from the data (detrending); and ii) use of orientation information (quaternions) from the inertial measurement unit. Twelve older and twelve younger adults walked at their preferred …

The Influence Of Hip Strength On Lower-Limb, Pelvis, And Trunk Kinematics And Coordination Patterns During Walking And Hopping In Healthy Women, Jo Armour Smith, John M. Popovich, Kornelia Kulig

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Study Design

Cross-sectional laboratory study.

Objectives

To compare peak lower-limb, pelvis, and trunk kinematics and interjoint and intersegmental coordination in women with strong and weak hip muscle performance.

Background

Persons with lower extremity musculoskeletal disorders often demonstrate a combination of weak hip musculature and altered kinematics during weight-bearing dynamic tasks. However, the association between hip strength and kinematics independent of pathology or pain is unclear.

Methods

Peak hip extensor and abductor torques were measured in 150 healthy young women. Of these, 10 fit the criteria for the strong group and 9 for the weak group, representing those with the strongest …