RESUMO
Slip-induced falls, responsible for approximately 40% of falls, can lead to severe injuries and in extreme cases, death. A large foot-floor contact angle (FFCA) during the heel-strike event has been associated with an increased risk of slip-induced falls. The goals of this feasibility study were to design and assess a method for detecting FFCA and providing cues to the user to generate a compensatory FFCA response during a future heel-strike event. The long-term goal of this research is to train gait in order to minimize the likelihood of a slip event due to a large FFCA. An inertial measurement unit (IMU) was used to estimate FFCA, and a speaker provided auditory semi-real-time feedback when the FFCA was outside of a 10-20 degree target range following a heel-strike event. In addition to training with the FFCA feedback during a 10-min treadmill training period, the healthy young participants completed pre- and post-training overground walking trials. Results showed that training with FFCA feedback increased FFCA events within the target range by 16% for "high-risk" walkers (i.e., participants that walked with more than 75% of their FFCAs outside the target range) both during feedback treadmill trials and post-training overground trials without feedback, supporting the feasibility of training FFCA using a semi-real-time FFCA feedback system.
Assuntos
Acidentes por Quedas , Marcha , Acidentes por Quedas/prevenção & controle , Fenômenos Biomecânicos , Estudos de Viabilidade , Retroalimentação , Marcha/fisiologia , HumanosRESUMO
Postural control impairments have been reported in adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Balance relies on the integration of multisensory cues, a process that requires attention. The purpose of this study was to determine if the influence of attention demands on sensory integration abilities relevant for balance partially contributes to postural control impairments in ASD. Young adults with ASD (N = 24) and neurotypical participants (N = 24) were exposed to sensory perturbations during standing. An established dual-task paradigm was used, requiring participants to maintain balance in these sensory challenging environments and to perform auditory information processing tasks (simple reaction time task and choice reaction time task). Balance was assessed using sway magnitude and sway speed, and attention demands were evaluated based on the response time in the auditory tasks. While young adults with ASD were able to maintain balance in destabilizing sensory conditions, they were more challenged (greater sway speed) than their neurotypical counterparts. Additionally, when exposed for an extended amount of time (3 min) to the most challenging sensory condition included in this study, adults with ASD exhibited a reduced ability to adapt their postural control strategies (sway speed was minimally reduced), demonstrating a postural inflexibility pattern in ASD compared to neurotypical counterparts. Finally, the impact of performing an auditory information processing task on balance and the dual-task cost on information processing (response time) was similar in both groups. ASD may disrupt temporal adaptive postural control processes associated with sensory reweighting that occurs in neurotypicals.
Assuntos
Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Equilíbrio Postural , Adaptação Fisiológica , Humanos , Tempo de Reação , Transtornos de Sensação/etiologia , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Ergonomic modelling programmes such as the Three Dimensional Static Strength Prediction Programme (3DSSPP) are valuable tools for assessing strength capabilities and risk assessment. These tools rely on accurate, representative inputs in the form of body segment parameters (BSPs). The upcoming version of 3DSSPP will employ BSPs for the torso, split into thoracic, lumbar and pelvis segments in order to more precisely determine spinal forces and injury risks. This study determines the impacts of age, body mass index and the estimated seated height to stature ratio (SHS) on these full and split torso parameters in a sample of working American adults. The results show that all of these metrics have significant relationships with the BSPs of interest, indicating that they must be accounted for when determining these parameters. A sensitivity analysis performed in 3DSSPP demonstrates that varying the parameters inputs will have large effects on L5/S1 compression force calculations. Practitioner Summary: Current anthropometric data sets for ergonomic applications do not account for wide ranges of age, BMI and overall body shape on segment parameter calculations. This study quantifies the associations of age, BMI and the seated height to stature ratio on full and split torso segment parameters. Abbreviations: 3DSSPP: Three-Dimensional Static Strength Prediction Program; BMI: body mass index; BSP: body segment parameter; BW: body weight; COM: centre of mass; DXA: dual energy x-ray absorptiometry; RG: radius of gyration; SHS: seated height to stature ratio; SL: segment length.
Assuntos
Antropometria/métodos , Estatura/fisiologia , Índice de Massa Corporal , Ergonomia/métodos , Tronco/fisiologia , Absorciometria de Fóton , Adulto , Fatores Etários , Idoso , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Saúde Ocupacional , Tronco/diagnóstico por imagem , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Assessing footwear slip-resistance is critical to preventing slip and fall accidents. The STM 603 (SATRA Technology) is commonly used to assess footwear friction but its ability to predict human slips while walking is unclear. This study assessed this apparatus' ability to predict slips across footwear designs and to determine if modifying the test parameters alters predictions. The available coefficient of friction (ACOF) was measured with the device for nine different footwear designs using 12 testing conditions with varying vertical force, speed and shoe angle. The occurrence of slipping and the required coefficient of friction was quantified from human gait data including 124 exposures to liquid contaminants. ACOF values varied across the test conditions leading to different slip prediction models. Generally, a steeper shoe angle (13°) and higher vertical forces (400 or 500 N) modestly improved predictions of slipping. This study can potentially guide improvements in predictive test conditions for this device. Practitioner Summary: Frictional measures by the STM603 (SATRA Technology) were able to predict human slips under liquid contaminant conditions. Test parameters did have an influence on the measurements. An increased shoe-floor testing angle resulted in better slip predictions than test methods specified in the ASTM F2913 standard.
Assuntos
Acidentes por Quedas/prevenção & controle , Desenho de Equipamento , Fricção , Sapatos , Caminhada , Adolescente , Adulto , Fenômenos Biomecânicos , Feminino , Pisos e Cobertura de Pisos , Humanos , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Caminhada/fisiologia , Adulto JovemRESUMO
When defining trunk body segment parameters, such as segment length, mass, center of mass location, and radius of gyration, it is necessary to understand and define consistent, anatomically relevant segment boundaries. In addition to the differences in reported trunk parameters due to different data collection and analysis methods (such as cadaver studies and imaging methods), many previous publications have also used differing definitions of the trunk segment. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of differences in trunk segment definitions and obesity on the calculated mass, center of mass, and radius of gyration using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry anthropometry calculations. Twenty-three participants were recruited in normal weight and morbidly obese body mass index categories. A frontal plane dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan was taken of each participant, and 3 trunk segment delineations used by Chambers, de Leva, and Zatsiorsky were used to calculate the trunk parameters. The results showed statistically significant effects of segmentation definition and obesity on the trunk parameters calculated. Because of the potential impacts on static modeling and inverse dynamics calculations, it is important to determine which trunk segmentations are most appropriate for specific applications and to account for the impact of obesity within individuals.
Assuntos
Absorciometria de Fóton , Antropometria/métodos , Obesidade Mórbida , Tronco/fisiologia , Adulto , Peso Corporal , Feminino , Humanos , MasculinoRESUMO
Vision impairments such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and glaucoma are among the top risk factors for geriatric falls and falls-related injuries. AMD and glaucoma lead to loss of the central and peripheral visual fields, respectively. This study utilized a custom contact lens model to occlude the peripheral or central visual fields in healthy adults, offering a novel within-subject approach to improve our understanding of the etiology of balance impairments that may lead to an increased fall risk in patients with visual field loss. Two dynamic posturography tests, including an adapted version of the Sensory Organization Test and a virtual reality environment with the visual scene moving sinusoidally, were used to evaluate standing balance. Balance stability was quantified by displacement and time-normalized path length of the center of pressure. Nine young and eleven older healthy adults wore visual field occluding contact lenses during posturography assessments to compare the effects of acute central and peripheral visual field occlusion. The results found that visual field occlusion had greater impact on older adults than young adults, specifically when proprioceptive cues are unreliable. Furthermore, the results suggest that both central and peripheral visions are important in postural control; however, peripheral vision may be more sensitive to movement in the environment.
Assuntos
Envelhecimento/fisiologia , Fenômenos Biomecânicos/fisiologia , Percepção de Movimento/fisiologia , Equilíbrio Postural/fisiologia , Campos Visuais/fisiologia , Percepção Visual/fisiologia , Adulto , Fatores Etários , Idoso , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Realidade Virtual , Adulto JovemRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Altered sensorimotor function is a common feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As a result, spatiotemporal walking patterns are typically affected. Attentional processes relevant for locomotion may be altered in people with ASD. This study assessed the extent to which gait alterations observed under sensory challenging conditions are due to reduced attention-related processes in young adults with ASD. METHODS: Twenty-one adults with ASD and 21 age- and sex-matched neurotypical participants walked at a self-selected pace on a 10-m walkway under 12 sensory/attention conditions: hard or carpet flooring; well-lit or dim lighting; no attention task, an auditory choice-reaction time information-processing task, or a simple reaction time information-processing task. Gait data were collected with a 12-marker motion capture set and a trunk accelerometer. Spatiotemporal characteristics of gait were derived and compared between the two groups across gait conditions. RESULTS: Floor/light conditions impacted gait speed, average step length, average stance time, average step width, and step width variability similarly in both groups (p<0.05). The information processing tasks impacted average step length, gait speed, and step length variability (p<0.05). Group differences were found in step length metrics: the ASD group had decreased average step length during the simple reaction time information-processing task and neurotypical participants did not (p=0.039); the ASD group had increased variability on carpet compared to hard floor and the neurotypical group had no change in variability due to floor (p=0.015). SIGNIFICANCE: These results suggest that attentional set-shifting and somatosensory inputs may play an important role in ASD-related gait alterations. Step length metrics appear to be sensitive to group differences between ASD and neurotypical adults during sensory challenging conditions.
Assuntos
Atenção , Transtorno do Espectro Autista , Marcha , Humanos , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/fisiopatologia , Masculino , Feminino , Atenção/fisiologia , Adulto Jovem , Adulto , Marcha/fisiologia , Tempo de Reação , Estudos de Casos e ControlesRESUMO
Importance: Standard exercise interventions targeting underlying physiologic system impairments have limited success in improving walking. Augmenting standard interventions with timing and coordination training, which incorporates the principles of motor learning and integrates multiple systems, may be more successful. Objective: To determine whether a standard strength and endurance program incorporating timing and coordination training (standard-plus) improves gait speed more than strength and endurance training alone. Design, Setting, and Participants: The Program to Improve Mobility in Aging (PRIMA) study was an assessor-blinded, randomized, 2-group intervention trial that included a 12-week intervention and 24-week follow-up period. The trial was conducted at a university research clinic from 2016 to 2020. Participants included 249 community-dwelling older adults (aged ≥65 years) with gait speed between 0.60 and 1.20 m/s. Statistical analysis was performed from December 2020 to March 2021. Interventions: Participants were randomized to standard strength and endurance (n = 125) or standard-plus, including timing and coordination training (n = 124), 50 to 60 minutes, twice a week for 12 weeks. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcome of gait speed and secondary outcomes representing components of the intervention (leg strength and power, 6-minute walk test, chair sit-and-reach test, and figure of 8 walk test) and activity and participation (Late Life Function and Disability Instrument and daily physical activity measured by accelerometry) were measured at 12, 24, and 36 weeks. Results: Among 249 randomized participants, 163 (65.5%) were female, 22 (8.8%) were Black, 219 (88.0%) were White; mean (SD) age was 77.4 (6.6) years; mean (SD) gait speed was 1.07 (0.16) m/s; and 244 (98.0%) completed the intervention. The 2 groups did not have significantly different improvements in gait speed or secondary outcomes representing the components of the intervention at any time point. For gait speed, individuals in the standard-plus group had a mean (SD) improvement of 0.079 (0.135) m/s over 12 weeks, 0.065 m/s (0.141) over 24 weeks, and 0.059 (0.150) m/s over 36 weeks; individuals in the standard group improved gait speed by 0.081 (0.124) m/s over 12 weeks, 0.051 (0.129) m/s over 24 weeks, and 0.065 (0.148) m/s over 36 weeks. Conclusions and Relevance: This randomized clinical trial found no difference in gait speed change between the standard and standard-plus intervention groups, and both groups showed sustained improvements in mobility 24 weeks after the intervention. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02663778.
Assuntos
Exercício Físico , Vida Independente , Idoso , Exercício Físico/fisiologia , Terapia por Exercício , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Caminhada/fisiologia , Velocidade de CaminhadaRESUMO
The goal of this study was to quantify the association between sensory integration abilities relevant for standing balance and disease stage in glaucoma. The disease stage was assessed using both functional (visual field deficit) and structural (retinal nerve fiber layer thickness) deficits in the better and worse eye. Balance was assessed using an adapted version of the well-established Sensory Organization Test (SOT). Eleven subjects diagnosed with mild to moderate glaucoma stood for 3 min in 6 sensory challenging postural conditions. Balance was assessed using sway magnitude and sway speed computed based on center-of-pressure data. Mixed linear regression analyses were used to investigate the associations between glaucoma severity and balance measures. Findings revealed that the visual field deficit severity in the better eye was associated with increased standing sway speed. This finding was confirmed in eyes open and closed conditions. Balance was not affected by the extent of the visual field deficit in the worse eye. Similarly, structural damage in either eye was not associated with the balance measures. In summary, this study found that postural control performance was associated with visual field deficit severity. The fact that this was found during eyes closed as well suggests that reduced postural control in glaucoma is not entirely attributed to impaired peripheral visual inputs. A larger study is needed to further investigate potential interactions between visual changes and central processing changes contributing to reduced balance function and increased incidence of falls in adults with glaucoma.
Assuntos
Glaucoma/diagnóstico , Glaucoma/fisiopatologia , Equilíbrio Postural , Adaptação Fisiológica , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Feminino , Glaucoma/etiologia , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Postura , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , Campos VisuaisRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Commonly used statistical models to predict body fat percentage currently rely on skinfold measures, anthropometric measures, or some combination of the two but do not account for the wide ranges of age and body mass index (BMI) present in the American adult population. The objective of this study was to develop a statistical regression model to predict in vivo body fat percentage (dual energy X-ray) in men and women across significant age and obesity ranges. METHODS: This study included 228 adults between the ages of 21 and 70, with BMI between 18.5 and 40.0 kg m-2. The study population was split into training (n = 163) and validation (n = 65) groups, which were used to develop and validate the prediction models. The models were developed on the training group using a backwards stepwise regression analysis, with the initial predictors including age, BMI, and several anthropometric and skinfold measurements. RESULTS: The final statistical regression models included age, BMI, anthropometric measures, and skinfold measures with significant effects following the stepwise process. The models predicted body fat percentage in the testing group with average errors of less than 0.10% body fat in males and females, while the four previously existing methods (Durnin, Hodgdon, Jackson, and Woolcott) significantly underestimated or overestimated body fat in both genders, with errors ranging between 2% and 10%. CONCLUSIONS: The final models included hand thickness, and the female model was dependent on waist circumference and two of the skinfold measures, while the male model used hip and thigh circumferences, along with three skinfold measures. By including the skinfold measurements separately, instead of only as sums like previous models have done, these models can account for the different relative contributions of each site to total body fat.
RESUMO
Available coefficient of friction (ACOF) is a common metric of footwear traction performance. ACOF is the ratio of friction to normal force, often averaged over a time-interval. The time-interval needed to achieve repeatable and valid ACOF is unknown. A post-hoc analysis was performed on nine shoe-floor-contaminant combinations to assess the repeatability and bias of data averaged across 4 time-intervals (2â¯ms, 50â¯ms, 100â¯ms, 200â¯ms) after the target normal force was reached. The ability to predict human slips was assessed for ACOF across these intervals. Differences in repeatability and validity across the four intervals were small. However, statistically significant differences were observed for the shortest compared with the longest interval (lower repeatability yet modestly improved predictive ability). Given the limited impact of time-interval on the results, a shorter interval of 50â¯ms is recommended to enable testing of smaller floor samples.
Assuntos
Pisos e Cobertura de Pisos , Sapatos , Acidentes por Quedas , Fenômenos Biomecânicos , Fricção , Humanos , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Propriedades de Superfície , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
Walking difficulty is a common and costly problem in older adults. A potentially important yet unaddressed strategy to enhance walking ability through exercise intervention is to add a timing and coordination component in gait training (i.e. task specific timing and coordination exercise intervention) to the usual strength, endurance, and flexibility training. We describe the methods and rationale of a randomized single-blind, physical therapist supervised, exercise intervention trial to compare the effects of a standard strength, endurance, and flexibility program to a standard plus timing and coordination program in community-dwelling older adults walking slower than the desired gait speed of 1.2â¯m/s. Exercise sessions are twice weekly for 12â¯weeks. Participants are assessed at baseline, 12â¯weeks (post intervention), 24â¯weeks and 36â¯weeks. The primary outcome is gait speed, secondary outcomes represent components of the interventions (strength, endurance, flexibility, timing and coordination), and tertiary outcomes are measure of activity and participation (Late Life Function and Disability Instrument and physical activity). The findings of this trial will (1) establish if a standard-plus task specific timing and coordination program is superior to a standard strength and endurance program in improving mobility, activity and participation and (2) determine if the improvements are sustained over time. The information derived from this project will provide valuable insight into the prevention and management of walking difficulty, which is so common in older Americans.
Assuntos
Promoção da Saúde/organização & administração , Caminhada/fisiologia , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Exercício Físico/fisiologia , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Força Muscular , Resistência Física/fisiologia , Desempenho Físico Funcional , Projetos de Pesquisa , Método Simples-Cego , Participação Social , Velocidade de CaminhadaRESUMO
Body segment parameters such as segment mass, center of mass, and radius of gyration are used as inputs in static and dynamic ergonomic and biomechanical models used to predict joint and muscle forces, and to assess risks of musculoskeletal injury. Previous work has predicted body segment parameters (BSPs) in the general population using age and obesity levels as statistical predictors (Merrill et al., 2017). Estimated errors in the prediction of BSPs can be as large as 40%, depending on age, and the prediction method employed (Durkin and Dowling, 2003). Thus, more accurate and representative segment parameter inputs are required for attempting to predict modeling outputs such as joint contact forces, muscle forces, and injury risk in individuals. This study aims to provide statistical models for predicting torso, thigh, shank, upper arm, and forearm segment parameters in working adults using whole body dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan data along with a set of anthropometric measurements. The statistical models were developed on a training data set, and independently validated on a separate test data set. The predicted BSPs in validation data were, on average, within 5% of the actual in vivo DXA-based BSPs, while previously developed predictions (de Leva, 1996) had average errors of up to 60%, indicating that the new models greatly increase the accuracy in predicting segment parameters. These final developed models can be used for calculating representative BSPs in individuals for use in modeling applications dependent on these parameters.
Assuntos
Antropometria/métodos , Braço/anatomia & histologia , Antebraço/anatomia & histologia , Perna (Membro)/anatomia & histologia , Modelos Estatísticos , Coxa da Perna/anatomia & histologia , Tronco/anatomia & histologia , Absorciometria de Fóton , Adulto , Idoso , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Obesidade , Análise de Regressão , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Body segment parameters (BSPs) such as segment mass, center of mass, and radius of gyration are required in many ergonomic tools and biomechanical models to estimate injury risk, and quantify muscle and joint contact forces. Currently, the full effects of age and obesity have not been taken into account when predicting BSPs. The goal of this study is to quantify the impact of body mass index (BMI) and age on BSPs, in order to provide more representative measures necessary for modeling inputs. A whole body dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan was collected for 280 working men and women with a wide range of BMI and aged 21 to 70â¯years. Established DXA processing methods were used to determine in-vivo estimates of the mass, center of mass, and radius of gyration for the upper arm, forearm, torso, thigh, and shank for males and females. Regression models were used to determine if age and BMI terms, as well as their interactions, were associated with these BSPs. The variability in BSPs explained by BMI alone ranged from 4 to 51%, and age explained an additional 3-19%. Thus, BMI and age are significant correlates of BSPs, and need to be taken into account when predicting certain BSPs in order to obtain accurate and representative results in biomechanical models.
Assuntos
Envelhecimento , Antropometria , Índice de Massa Corporal , Absorciometria de Fóton , Adulto , Idoso , Composição Corporal , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Glaucoma is the world's leading cause of irreversible blindness, and falls are a major public health concern in glaucoma patients. Although recent evidence suggests the involvements of the brain toward advanced glaucoma stages, the early brain changes and their clinical and behavioral consequences remain poorly described. This study aims to determine how glaucoma may impair the brain structurally and functionally within and beyond the visual pathway in the early stages, and whether these changes can explain visuomotor impairments in glaucoma. Using multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging, glaucoma patients presented compromised white matter integrity along the central visual pathway and around the supramarginal gyrus, as well as reduced functional connectivity between the supramarginal gyrus and the visual occipital and superior sensorimotor areas when compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, decreased functional connectivity between the supramarginal gyrus and the visual brain network may negatively impact postural control measured with dynamic posturography in glaucoma patients. Taken together, this study demonstrates that widespread structural and functional brain reorganization is taking place in areas associated with visuomotor coordination in early glaucoma. These results implicate an important central mechanism by which glaucoma patients may be susceptible to visual impairments and increased risk of falls.
Assuntos
Encéfalo/fisiopatologia , Conectoma , Glaucoma/fisiopatologia , Desempenho Psicomotor , Encéfalo/diagnóstico por imagem , Feminino , Glaucoma/diagnóstico por imagem , Humanos , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , PosturaRESUMO
Measuring the available coefficient of friction (ACOF) of a shoe-floor interface is influenced by the choice of normal force, shoe-floor angle and sliding speed. The purpose of this study was to quantify the quality of slip prediction models based on ACOF values measured across different testing conditions. A dynamic ACOF measurement device that tests entire footwear specimens (Portable Slip Simulator) was used. The ACOF was measured for nine different footwear-contaminant combinations with two levels of normal force, sliding speed and shoe-floor angle. These footwear-contaminant combinations were also used in human gait studies to quantify the required coefficient of friction (RCOF) and slip outcomes. The results showed that test conditions significantly influenced ACOF. The condition that best predicted slip risk during the gait studies was 250â¯N normal force, 17° shoe-floor angle, 0.5â¯m/s sliding speed. These findings can inform footwear slip-resistance measurement methods to improve design and prevent slips.
Assuntos
Pisos e Cobertura de Pisos , Fricção , Sapatos , Acidentes por Quedas , Adolescente , Adulto , Desenho de Equipamento , Feminino , Marcha , Glicerol , Humanos , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Modelos Teóricos , Óleo de Brassica napus , Propriedades de Superfície , Água , Adulto JovemRESUMO
This paper quantified the heel kinematics and kinetics during human slips with the goal of guiding available coefficient of friction (ACOF) testing methods for footwear and flooring. These values were then compared to the testing parameters recommended for measuring shoe-floor ACOF. Kinematic and kinetic data of thirty-nine subjects who experienced a slip incident were pooled from four similar human slipping studies for this secondary analysis. Vertical ground reaction force (VGRF), center of pressure (COP), shoe-floor angle, side-slip angle, sliding speed and contact time were quantified at slip start (SS) and at the time of peak sliding speed (PSS). Statistical comparisons were used to test if any discrepancies exist between the state of slipping foot and current ACOF testing parameters. The main findings were that the VGRF (26.7 %BW, 179.4â¯N), shoe-floor angle (22.1°) and contact time (0.02â¯s) at SS were significantly different from the recommended ACOF testing parameters. Instead, the testing parameters are mostly consistent with the state of the shoe at PSS. We argue that changing the footwear testing parameters to conditions at SS is more appropriate for relating ACOF to conditions of actual slips, including lower vertical forces, larger shoe-floor angles and shorter contact duration.
Assuntos
Acidentes por Quedas , Fenômenos Mecânicos , Movimento , Sapatos , Adulto , Fenômenos Biomecânicos , Pisos e Cobertura de Pisos , Fricção , Humanos , Cinética , Masculino , PressãoRESUMO
Falls precipitated by slipping are a serious public health concern especially in the elderly. Muscular responses generated during slipping have not been investigated during gait on contaminated floors. This study compared slip-related muscular responses (reactive and proactive) in young and older adults and examined if characteristics of muscular activation patterns during normal gait impact slip severity on contaminated floors. Electromyographic recordings were made from the major shank and thigh muscles in the stance leg of 11 young and nine older adults. Three experimental conditions were included: (1) known dry floors (baseline), (2) unexpected contaminated floor, (3) alert dry (subjects uncertain of the floor's contaminant condition). Muscular responses to unexpected slips, similar in both age groups, included the activation of the Medial Hamstring (approximately 175 ms) followed by the onset of the Vastus Lateralis (approximately 240 ms). The power and duration of responses were scaled to slip severity. The Vastus Lateralis latency was delayed in severe slips. When experiencing a severe slip, young adults demonstrated a longer, more powerful response compared to older adults. Subjects who normally walk with greater ankle muscle co-contraction were predisposed to experience less severe slips when encountering an unexpected slippery floor. Finally, anticipation of a slippery surface resulted in more powerful muscular activity and muscle co-contraction at the ankle and knee compared to baseline gait, as well as earlier onsets and longer durations in the posterior muscles' activation. These findings may provide a greater understanding of the higher incidence of falls in the elderly.
Assuntos
Acidentes por Quedas , Perna (Membro)/fisiologia , Músculo Esquelético/fisiologia , Tempo de Reação/fisiologia , Caminhada/fisiologia , Adulto , Idoso , Eletromiografia , Pisos e Cobertura de Pisos , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Contração Muscular/fisiologia , Análise de Regressão , Propriedades de SuperfícieRESUMO
UNLABELLED: The dopaminergic system of the basal ganglia has been implicated in the integration of sensory information important for balance based on studies in patients with Parkinson's disease. Striatal dopaminergic activity decreases with normal aging. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between regional striatal dopaminergic denervation and sensory information integration important for balance in middle-aged and older adults. METHODS: Community-dwelling subjects (N=35; age 41-83) with no clinical diagnoses of conditions affecting balance underwent dynamic posturography testing (Sensory Organization Test/SOT) and C-11-beta-CFT dopamine transporter positron emission tomography. RESULTS: Reduced ventral striatal dopamine was significantly correlated with increased anterior-posterior sway in three SOT conditions. Specifically, during quiet standing (SOT Conditions #1, 2) and when repeatedly to sway-referenced visual environments (SOT Condition #3, Trial #3), pre-synaptic dopaminergic denervation in the anteroventral striatum explained over 20-25% of the variability in sway magnitude above and beyond that explained by age (pAssuntos
Envelhecimento/fisiologia
, Gânglios da Base/metabolismo
, Dopamina/metabolismo
, Percepção/fisiologia
, Equilíbrio Postural/fisiologia
, Sensação/fisiologia
, Acidentes por Quedas
, Adulto
, Idoso
, Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais
, Denervação
, Feminino
, Humanos
, Modelos Lineares
, Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética
, Masculino
, Pessoa de Meia-Idade
, Compostos Radiofarmacêuticos
, Tomografia Computadorizada de Emissão
, Percepção Visual/fisiologia
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Although there has been extensive research about the kinematics of the neck, arm, and wrist during computer keyboarding, there is almost no information concerning the kinematics of the fingers, thumbs, and hands. The purpose of this descriptive study was to establish normative values of the kinematics of the fingers and hands during computer keyboard use. METHODS: This study describes the angles, angular velocities, and angular accelerations of the metacarpophalangeal joints and proximal interphalangeal joints for the right and left hands of 20 computer keyboard users during a word-processing task. A new kinematic variable for computer keyboard use, hand/wrist displacement, is also defined and examined. Hand/wrist displacement refers to the translational movements of the hands in which the entire hand is repositioned to strike the keys. Kinematics of both hands of the keyboard users were captured using a three-dimensional motion capture system. FINDINGS: Metacarpophalangeal joint kinematics in flexion/extension and abduction/adduction are reported during typing. Proximal interphalangeal joint kinematics in flexion/extension are also reported. The means and standard deviations for finger postures, velocities and acceleration were generally not significantly different between the right and left hands, with the exception of the 1st digit (thumb). Hand/wrist displacement was significantly different between the right and left hands for side to side movements. Differences in kinematics among the fingers are discussed in view of their potential to be a risk factor for musculoskeletal disorders. INTERPRETATION: This study establishes baseline understanding of the kinematics of computer keyboard use. This information will be useful in future studies of potential risk factors associated with keyboard use.