Highlights • The quality of standing balance of community-dwelling elderly was associated with age • Older age was associated with poorer balance, both in single and dual task conditions • Standing ...balance was worse while performing a concurrent cognitive task • Differences in balance between single and dual task were not influenced by age
Graphical abstract Estimated marginal means and standard errors of the centre of pressure (CoP) based parameters in each condition and for the individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) and controls.
The cleats-surface interaction has been described as a possible risk factor for lateral ankle sprain. However, their interaction is still unknown in individuals with chronic ankle instability. The ...purpose of this study was to determine the influence of different soccer cleats on kinematic, kinetic and neuromuscular ankle variables on artificial grass in soccer players with and without chronic ankle instability.
Eighty-two amateur athletes divided in two groups: 40 with chronic ankle instability and 42 without chronic ankle instability. All subjects performed 2 series of 6 consecutive crossover jumps with dominant foot, each one with one of the four models of cleats (Turf, Artificial grass, Hard and Firm ground). Cleat and group main effect and interactions of kinematic, kinetic and neuromuscular variables were analyzed according to factorial repeated measures ANOVA.
No statistically significant cleat and group main effect and interactions were identified in kinematic, kinetic and electromyographic magnitude of the peroneal muscles. A main effect of the group was observed for peroneus longus activation time for TF model (p = 0.010).
In soccer players, the contributor variables for ankle sprain were not influenced by the kind of soccer cleat used in a functional jump test on artificial grass. However, players with chronic ankle instability present delayed postural adjustments in peroneus longus with the TF model compared to players without chronic ankle instability.
•The cleat model doesn't interfere with ankle sprain predisposing factors.•Turf cleats delayed peroneal activation in ankle instability athletes compared to controls.•These results should be only considered in dry 3rd generation artificial grass conditions.
•Reliable functional electrical stimulation parameters assisted the drinking task;•Functional electrical stimulation parameters presented high to very high repeatability;•Upper limb kinematics ...presented moderate to very high repeatability.
No specific guidelines for the management of functional electrical stimulation (FES) parameters in post stroke patients have been defined yet, despite its frequent use. The purpose of this study is to characterize the optimal FES parameters that assist the reaching phase of drinking task (“drinking task - reaching phase”) on post stroke subjects and to analyze the related upper limb (UL) movement quality indicators repeatability.
An observational study with a test and re-test design involving ten post stroke subjects with UL dysfunction was performed. End-point and joint kinematics of contralesional UL were assessed during the “drinking task - reaching phase” with FES through a test and retest design. FES parameters were adjusted to improve UL function according to a consensus between physiotherapists and patients’ perspective.
It was possible to establish reliable FES parameters that assisted the “drinking task - reaching phase”. All FES parameters presented high to very high repeatability and led to moderate to very high repeatability in almost UL movement quality indicators during the “drinking task - reaching phase”.
These findings show that the main characteristics of FES parameters that improves patient perception of change are quite stable, which facilitate its implementation in clinical practice by allowing consistence between intervention sessions.
The authors' purpose was to evaluate bilateral ankle intrinsic stiffness in subcortical poststroke subjects. Ten subcortical poststroke subjects and 10 healthy controls participated in this study. ...The ankle passive stiffness at 3 different speeds and the electromyographic activity of the soleus, the gastrocnemius, and the tibialis anterior muscles of poststroke contralesional (CONTRA) and ipsilesional (IPSI) limbs and of one limb of healthy subjects were assessed. Ankle electromyographic activity was collected to ensure that reflexive or voluntary muscle activity was not being elicited during the passive movements. A significant interaction was observed between the effects of the limb (IPSI vs. CONTRA vs. control) and ankle position, F(4, 28) = 3.285, p = .025, and between the effects of the limb and the velocity of stretch, F(2, 14) = 4.209, p = .037. While increased intrinsic stiffness was observed in the CONTRA limb of poststroke subjects at ankle neutral position when the passive stretch was applied with a velocity of 1°/s (p = .021), the IPSI limb of poststroke subjects presented increased stiffness at 20º of plantar flexion when the stretch was applied with a velocity of 5°/s (p = .009) when compared to healthy group. Subcortical poststroke subjects present increased intrinsic stiffness in both the CONTRA and IPSI limbs in specific ankle amplitudes.
The aim of this study was to analyze the efficacy of cognitive-motor dual-task training compared with single-task training on balance and executive functions in individuals with Parkinson's disease. ...Fifteen subjects, aged between 39 and 75 years old, were randomly assigned to the dual-task training group (n = 8) and single-task training group (n = 7). The training was run twice a week for 6 weeks. The single-task group received balance training and the dual-task group performed cognitive tasks simultaneously with the balance training. There were no significant differences between the two groups at baseline. After the intervention, the results for mediolateral sway with eyes closed were significantly better for the dual-task group and anteroposterior sway with eyes closed was significantly better for the single-task group. The results suggest superior outcomes for the dual-task training compared to the single-task training for static postural control, except in anteroposterior sway with eyes closed.
Background
Falls among the elderly are an important clinical and health problem due to their high incidence and their functional and social repercussions. The aim of this study was to examine the ...effects of a combined strength and aerobic exercise program (EP) on the fall risk (FR) in older adults by use of a measure of postural stability.
Material and methods
Sixty-two elderly people (69.0 ± 4.3 years, 39 females and 23 males) were assigned to an experimental group (EG) or a control group (CG) and tested using the Biodex Balance System in order to obtain a fall-risk score at baseline (M1), after 4.5 months (M2), and 9 months (M3). Measures of physical activity (use of accelerometers for 7 consecutive days) as well as socio-economic status, clinical problems, and medication were also taken; these factors were identified as potential confounders. The EG underwent a 9-month, three times a week, combined training program consisting of 1-hour sessions of strength (once a week) and aerobic exercise (twice a week).
Results
The combined training program had a large and significant effect on FR (EG vs. CG) (F(2,120) = 4.519; p = 0.013; ηp2 = 0.07; statis-tical power (π) = 0.76). This was more pronounced from M1 to M2 than from M2 to M3, with a significant improvement (p < 0.001) in FR from M1 to M3. In the CG, there was a slight but non-significant functional decline (p = 0.92) between M1 and M3.
Conclusions
A 9-month combined EP may have beneficial effects on FR of elderly men and women as a result of improved postural stability.
Wprowadzenie
Upadki wśród osób starszych są ważnym problemem klinicznym i zdrowotnym ze względu na ich częstość występowania oraz reperkusje funkcjonalne i społeczne. Celem tego badania było sprawdzenie wpływu połączonego programu ćwiczeń siłowych i aerobo-wych (EP) na ryzyko upadku (FR) u starszych osób dorosłych za pomocą pomiaru stabilności postawy.
Materiał i metody
Grupa eksperymentalna (EG) i kontrolna (CG) obejmowała sześćdziesiąt dwie osoby w podeszłym wieku (69,0 ± 4,3 lata, 39 kobiet i 23 mężczyzn). Testy prowadzono przy użyciu Biodex Balance System w celu uzyskania oceny ryzyka upadku na początku badania (M1), po 4,5 miesiącach (M2) i po 9 miesiącach (M3). Sprawdzano również aktywność fizyczną (stosowanie akcelerometrów przez 7 kolejnych dni), a także status społeczno-ekonomiczny, problemy zdrowotne i przyjmowane leki; czynniki te zostały zidentyfikowane jako potencjalne czynniki zakłócające. Grupa EG została poddana 9-miesięcznemu, trzy razy w tygodniu, połączonemu programowi treningo-wemu, który składał się z 1-godzinnych sesji siłowych (raz w tygodniu) i ćwiczeń aerobowych (dwa razy w tygodniu).
Wyniki
Połączony program treningowy miał duży i znaczący wpływ na FR (EG vs. CG) (F (2120) = 4,519; p = 0,013; ηp2 = 0,07; moc statystyczna (π) = 0,76). Było to wyraźniejsze w zestawieniu M1 do M2 niż z M2 do M3, ze znaczną poprawą (p <0,001) w zakresie FR między M1 a M3. W grupie CG nastąpił niewielki, ale nieistotny spadek czynnościowy (p = 0,92) między M1 a M3.
Wnioski
Łączony 9-miesięczny program EP może mieć korzystny wpływ na FR starszych mężczyzn i kobiet w wyniku poprawy stabilności postawy.
After a stroke in middle cerebral artery territory, there is a high probability of dysfunction of the ventromedial pathways, mainly related with postural control mechanisms such as the anticipatory ...postural adjustments (APAs). According to neuroanatomical knowledge, these pathways have a predominant ipsilesional disposition, which justifies a bilateral postural control dysfunction, often neglected in rehabilitation. In order to assess this bilateral postural control dysfunction, electromyography activity was assessed in eight post-stroke and 10 healthy individuals in the anterior deltoids, the superior and lower trapezius, and the latissimus dorsi as they reached for a bottle with both upper limbs separately at a self-selected velocity and fast velocity while standing associated with trunk kinematics analysis. Through this analysis it was possible to compare the timing of APAs in scapular muscles between sides in post-stroke and with healthy individuals, and to verify if there is a relation between the timing and the displacement of the trunk in the temporal window of the APAs. Indeed, post-stroke individuals show a delayed activation of APAs on scapular girdle muscles on both ipsilesional and contralesional sides, which were not reflected in the trunk displacement.
Purpose: Because walking is highly recommended for prevention and treatment of obesity and some of its biomechanical aspects are not clearly understood for overweight people, we compared the absolute ...and normalized ground reaction forces (GRF), plantar pressures, and temporal parameters of normal-weight and overweight participants during overground walking. Method: A force plate and an in-shoe pressure system were used to record GRF, plantar pressures (foot divided in 10 regions), and temporal parameters of 17 overweight adults and 17 gender-matched normal-weight adults while walking. Results: With high effect sizes, the overweight participants showed higher absolute medial-lateral and vertical GRF and pressure peaks in the central rearfoot, lateral midfoot, and lateral and central forefoot. However, analyzing normalized (scaled to body weight) data, the overweight participants showed lower vertical and anterior-posterior GRF and lower pressure peaks in the medial rearfoot and hallux, but the lateral forefoot peaks continued to be greater compared with normal-weight participants. Time of occurrence of medial-lateral GRF and pressure peaks in the midfoot occurred later in overweight individuals. Conclusions: The overweight participants adapted their gait pattern to minimize the consequences of the higher vertical and propulsive GRF in their musculoskeletal system. However, they were not able to improve their balance as indicated by medial-lateral GRF. The overweight participants showed higher absolute pressure peaks in 4 out of 10 foot regions. Furthermore, the normalized data suggest that the lateral forefoot in overweight adults was loaded more than the proportion of their extra weight, while the hallux and medial rearfoot were seemingly protected.
The aims of this study were to test the effects of two pressure relief insoles developed for backpackers and obese people on the ground reaction forces (GRF) and plantar pressure peaks during gait; ...and to compare the GRF and plantar pressures among normal-weight, backpackers, and obese participants. Based on GRF, plantar pressures, and finite element analysis two insoles were manufactured: flat cork-based insole with (i) corkgel in the rearfoot and forefoot (SLS1) and with (ii) poron foam in the great toe and lateral forefoot (SLS2). Gait data were recorded from 21 normal-weight/backpackers and 10 obese participants. The SLS1 did not influence the GRF, but it relieved the pressure peaks for both backpackers and obese participants. In SLS2 the load acceptance GRF peak was lower; however, it did not reduce the plantar pressure peaks. The GRF and plantar pressure gait pattern were different among the normal-weight, backpackers and obese participants.
•Backpackers and obese subjects were benefited by using pressure relief insoles.•One of the insoles better distributed the plantar pressures during the loaded gait.•The vertical ground reaction force was decreased when one of the insoles was used.•Different materials in the insoles influenced the plantar pressures and forces.•Gait biomechanics is different among normal-weight, backpackers and obese subjects.
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