Berg balance scale as a tool for choosing the walking aid for patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome or polyneuropathy.

Berg balance scale (BBS) is a widely used outcome measure in rehabilitation. We wanted to check if it can discriminate among levels of use of walking aid in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome or polyneuropathy. A retrospective audit of 109 such patients (aged 16-85 years) who had completed inpatient rehabilitation in the period 2012-2017 was conducted. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to estimate the thresholds that optimise the prediction of the patient's walking aid. Statistically, significant threshold BBS score was estimated for the ability to walk without walking aid (≥49 points, yielding 88% sensitivity, 68% specificity and 83% classification accuracy) and the necessity to walk with a walker (≤37 points, yielding 62% sensitivity, 83% specificity and 78% classification accuracy). BBS score thresholds can therefore help clinicians choose the appropriate walking aid for patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome or polyneuropathy undergoing rehabilitation.

Foot-floor contact pattern in children and adults with Dravet Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Dravet Syndrome (DS) is a developmental and epileptic encephalopathy characterized by severe drug-resistant seizures and associated with cognitive and motor impairments. Walking problems are frequently observed. As the foot plays a key role during walking, compromised foot function can be a feature of deviant gait. AIM: To investigate foot function in DS by characterizing foot-floor contact patterns using pedobarography. METHODS: A total of 31 children and adults were included in the DS group (aged 5.2-32.8 years, 17 female, 174 steps) and 30 in the control group (aged 6.0-32.9, 16 female, 180 steps). The foot-floor contact pattern was evaluated based on progression, length and smoothness (spectral arc length) of the center of pressure (CoP). Linear mixed models were used to identify differences between non-heel strikes and heel strikes and between the DS and control group. RESULTS: Fifteen participants with DS showed inconsistency in the type of foot-floor contact (heel strikes and non-heel strikes). Heel strikes of participants with DS had significantly reduced time of CoP under the hindfoot and increased time under the midfoot region compared to the control group. Significant time and age effects were detected. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Deviant foot-floor contact patterns were observed in DS. Possible gait immaturity and instability as well as implications for interventions are discussed.

The Influence of Clinical, Functional, and Psychosocial Factors on Walking Time in Individuals With Chronic Low Back Pain.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether clinical, functional, and psychosocial factors are associated with walking time in patients with chronic low back pain. METHODS: This study included patients aged ≥18 years with low back pain for at least 3 months who visited our outpatient clinic between October 2017 and February 2018. We used the following scales/questionnaires: International Physical Activity Questionnaire for self-reported walking time, Numerical Pain Rating Scale for pain intensity, self-report assessing symptom duration, Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire for disability, Patient-Specific Functional Scale for function, Pain Catastrophizing Scale for pain catastrophizing, and screening questions to assess depression and anxiety. Odds ratios (ORs) with their respective 95% CIs were obtained using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Neither clinical nor functional factors were associated with the total walking time. Among psychosocial factors, only anxiety showed a negative association with the total walking time (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.06-0.82)-an association that persisted even after adjusting for confounders (OR 0.15, 95% CI 0.03-0.77). CONCLUSION: Anxiety was shown to be associated with the total walking time in patients with CLBP. No clinical or functional factors seem to be associated with walking in this study sample.

The impact of shod vs unshod walking on center of pressure variability.

BACKGROUND: The variability of center of pressure (COP) is a measure of stability commonly examined during quiet standing. While more recent research has examined the variability of COP during walking, an adequate comparison between shod and unshod walking conditions has yet to be made. RESEARCH QUESTION: What is the influence of athletic footwear on the variability of COP displacement during walking? METHODS: In this intervention study, twenty healthy women (age 18-30 years) completed 2, 10-min walking trials, 1 shod and 1 unshod, during which ground reaction forces (GRF) and COP movement were collected by an instrumental treadmill. COP displacement was examined in the medial-lateral (ML) and anterior-posterior (AP) directions after being divided into quadrants based on the peaks and trough of each steps associated vertical GRF. A single MANOVA was used to determine effects of footwear and limb for each quadrant with the probability of a Type I error set at 0.05. RESULTS: Significant differences in variability were seen between footwear conditions in all quadrants in the AP direction and quadrants one and four in the ML direction. These results may be due to the structure of footwear, including midsole cushioning, altering the dynamics of the foot during walking. SIGNIFICANCE: The results of this study suggest that on average, athletic footwear reduces the variability of COP displacement in ML and AP directions. This may have implications for populations for whom variability of COP is determined to be undesirable.

Effectiveness of 6-Week Nordic Walking Training on Functional Performance, Gait Quality, and Quality of Life in Parkinson's Disease.

Background and objectives: Motor rehabilitation improves physical mobility and quality of life in Parkinson's disease (PD). As specialized rehabilitation is expensive and resource-consuming, there is a need for simpler, cost-effective methods. The purpose of the study was to determine whether Nordic Walking (NW) training may support the management of motor disability in PD. Materials and Methods: Forty patients (median age 64.0 years, range 50-75 years) with idiopathic PD, Hoehn and Yahr stages II-III, were randomly assigned to NW or standard rehabilitation (SR) programs, comprising twelve rehabilitation sessions conducted bi-weekly throughout the 6-week study period. Results: Median Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part III scores were significantly reduced with NW, by 8.5, and with SR, by 6.0 points (both p < 0.001), with significantly greater improvement with NW than with SR (p = 0.047). Gait quality and balance control, measured using the Dynamic Gait Index, improved with NW by a median of 8.0 and with SR by 5.5 points (both p < 0.001), with slightly greater improvement with NW, compared to the SR group (p = 0.064). Quality of life, assessed using the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39), improved with NW by a median of 15 and with SR by 12 points, p = 0.001 and p = 0.008, respectively. Conclusions: The 6-week Nordic Walking program improves functional performance, quality of gait, and quality of life in patients with PD and has comparable effectiveness to standard rehabilitation.

Automatic Calibration of the Step Length Model of a Pocket INS by Means of a Foot Inertial Sensor.

All non-foot-mounted inertial localization systems have a common challenge: the need for calibrating the parameters of the step length model. The calibration of the parameters of a step length model is key for an accurate estimation of the pedestrian's step length, and therefore, for the accuracy of the position estimation. In a previous work, we provided a proof of concept on how to calibrate step length models with a foot inertial navigation system (INS), i.e., an INS based on an inertial measurement unit (IMU) mounted on the upper front part of the foot. The reason is that the foot INS does not require calibration thanks to the implementation of the strapdown algorithm. The goal of this article is to automatically calibrate the parameters of a step length model of the pocket INS by means of the foot INS. The step length model of the pocket INS has two parameters: the slope and offset of a first-order linear regression that relates the amplitude of the thigh pitch with the user's step length. Firstly, we show that it is necessary to estimate the two parameters of the step length model. Secondly, we propose a method to automatically estimate these parameters by means of a foot INS. Finally, we propose a practical implementation of the proposed method in the pocket INS. We evaluate the pocket INS with the proposed calibration method and we compare the results to the state of the art implementations of the pocket INS. The results show that the proposed automatic calibration method outperforms the previous work, which proves the need for calibrating all the parameters of the step length model of the pocket INS. In this work, we conclude that it is possible to use a foot INS to automatically calibrate all parameters of the step length model of the pocket INS. Since the calibration of the step length model is always needed, our proposed automatic calibration method is a key enabler for using the pocket INS.

Oito semanas de intervenção coordenativa é capaz de modular a variabilidade da frequência cardíaca em idosos? / Eight weeks of coordination intervention is able to modify the heart rate variability in elderly?

RESUMO Diversas intervenções têm sido relatadas na literatura com intuito de modular o comportamento da Variabilidade da Frequência Cardíaca (VFC) em idosos. Entretanto a maioria deles são focados em capacidades físicas condicionantes. Pouco se sabe sobre os efeitos que um treinamento coordenativo estruturado em circuitos pode promover na VFC de idosos. O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar o efeito de 8 semanas de uma intervenção coordenativa sob aspectos autonômicos de idosos. 26 sujeitos foram divididos em dois grupos. Um grupo (N=13) com Abordagem Coordenativa em Circuito (GACC) e outro grupo (N=13) que realizou Caminhada Recreacional (GCR). Para a mensuração da VFC foi utilizado um cardiofrequencímentro. Para avaliação motora foi utilizado um Circuito Motor Modelo que consistiu em 8 exercícios de coordenação. Para avaliação da aptidão física funcional foi utilizada a bateria de Fullerton. Após 8 semanas de intervenção tanto as variáveis da VFC como as variáveis motoras não diferiram entre os grupos. Porém quando observado os momentos pré e pós intervenção foi encontrado, apenas no GCR um aumento na variável High Frequency, 5 minutos após Circuito Motor Modelo. Nossos resultados indicaram que oito semanas de uma intervenção coordenativa não foi suficiente para gerar alterações no comportamento da VFC dos idosos.

ABSTRACT Several studies were registered in the literature to modulate the Heart Rate Variability (HRV) in the elderly. However they are focused on the physical ability of conditioners. Little is known about the effects that structured coordinative training in circuits can promote in the HRV of the elderly. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of 8 weeks of a coordinative intervention under autonomic aspects of the elderly. 26 subjects were divided into two groups. One group (N = 13) with the Coordination Approach in Circuit (CACG) and the other group (N = 13) with the Recreational Walk (RWG). To measure HRV, a cardiofrequencimeter was used. Motor Circuit Model was used for the motor evaluation, which consisted of 8 coordinative exercises. For the evaluation of functional physical fitness, the Fullerton battery was used. After 8 weeks of intervention, both HRV variables and motor variables did not differ between groups. However, when the pre and post intervention moments were observed, only in the RWG was an increase in the variable High Frequency, 5 minutes after Motor Circuit Model. Our results indicated that eight weeks of a coordinative intervention was not sufficient to generate changes in the HRV behavior of the elderly.

Cognitive functioning enhancement in older adults: is there an advantage of multicomponent training over Nordic walking?

INTRODUCTION: We compared Nordic walking training (NW) to a multicomponent training (MCT) program of an equivalent intensity, in older adults. Our main hypothesis was that MCT would result in larger effects on cognitive processes than NW. METHODS: Thirty-nine healthy older adults, divided into two groups (NW and MCT), took part in the study (17 males, 22 females, mean age =70.8±0.8 years). They were tested for cardiovascular fitness, motor fitness and cognitive performance during the two weeks preceding and following the 12-week training session (3 times/week), respectively. For both the NW and MCT interventions, the training sessions were supervised by a trainer. Heart rate of participants was monitored during the sessions and then used to make training loads as similar as possible between the two groups (TRaining IMPulse method). RESULTS: Results showed that training resulted in better performance for cardiovascular and motor fitness tests. Among these tests, only two revealed a significant difference between the two groups. The NW group progressed more than the MCT group in the 30 Seconds Chair Stand test, while in the One Leg Stance test, the MCT group progressed more. For the cognitive assessment, a significant effect of training was found for executive functions, spatial memory score, and information processing speed response time, with no differences between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The study confirmed that physical exercise has a positive impact on cognitive processes with no advantage of MCT intervention over NW training. A possible reason is that NW intervention not only improved cardiovascular capacities, but also motor fitness, including coordination capacities.

Ambulatory status after surgical and nonsurgical treatment for spinal metastasis.

BACKGROUND: Decisions for operative or nonoperative management remain challenging for patients with spinal metastases, especially when life expectancy and quality of life are not easily predicted. This study evaluated the effects of operative and nonoperative management on maintenance of ambulatory function and survival for patients treated for spinal metastases. METHODS: Propensity matching was used to yield an analytic sample in which operatively and nonoperatively treated patients were similar with respect to key baseline covariates. The study included patients treated for spinal metastases between 2005 and 2017 who were 40 to 80 years old, were independent ambulators at presentation, and had fewer than 5 medical comorbidities. It evaluated the influence of operative care and nonoperative care on ambulatory function 6 months after presentation as the primary outcome. Survival at 6 months and survival at 1 year were secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Nine hundred twenty-nine individuals eligible for inclusion were identified, with 402 (201 operative patients and 201 nonoperative patients) retained after propensity score matching. Patients treated operatively had a lower likelihood than those treated nonoperatively of being nonambulatory 6 months after presentation (3% vs 16%; relative risk [RR], 0.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.06-0.46) as well as a reduced risk of 6-month mortality (20% vs 29%; RR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.49-0.98). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that in a group of patients with similar demographic and clinical characteristics, those treated operatively were less likely to lose ambulatory function 6 months after presentation than those managed nonoperatively. For patients with spinal metastases, our data can be incorporated into discussions about the treatments that align best with patients' preferences regarding surgical risk, mortality, and ambulatory status.

Self-Managed Strength Training for Active Duty Military With a Knee Injury: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Knee injuries among active duty military are one of the most frequent musculoskeletal injuries and are often caused by exercise or intense physical activity or combat training. These injuries pose a threat to force readiness. Our objective was to assess feasibility (including recruitment and retention rates) of three self-managed strengthening strategies for knee injuries and determine if they resulted in improvements in lower extremity strength, function, pain, and activity compared to usual physical therapy (PT) in military members. METHODS: A pilot study using a randomized controlled trial was conducted at three outpatient military medical treatment facilities. After baseline testing, 78 active duty military members with a knee injury were randomized to 1-4 trial arms: (1) neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) applied to the quadriceps muscle; (2) graduated strength walking using a weighted vest (WALK); (3) combined NMES with strength walking (COMBO); (4) usual PT alone. All groups received usual PT. The primary outcome was the rates of change in knee extensor and flexor strength over 18 weeks. Secondary outcomes explored the rates of change in functional performance, pain, and activities of daily living scale (ADLS). The primary analysis for the endpoints used repeated measures, linear mixed-effects models. This study was approved by Institutional Review Boards at all facilities. RESULTS: The randomized sample (N = 78) included 19 participants in the PT-only, 20 in the WALK, 19 in the NMES and 20 in the COMBO groups. At baseline, there were no group differences. Fifty of the participants completed the 18-week study. The completers and non-completers differed at baseline on injury mechanism, with more completers injured during sports (45% vs 29%), and more non-completers during military training (36% vs 18%). Also, they differed in uninjured knee extension (completers 28% weaker), and uninjured knee flexion (completers 22% weaker). Adherence for self-reported daily step logs showed that the WALK group was 15% below goal and COMBO group 6% below goal. The 300 PV muscle stimulator showed the NMES group completed 34% of recommended stimulation sessions and the COMBO group 30%.Knee extension strength in the injured knee found only the COMBO group having a statistically higher improvement compared to PT-only (Change over 18 weeks: 10.6 kg in COMBO; 2.1 kg in PT-only). For the injured knee flexion changes, only the COMBO showed significant difference from PT-only (Change over 18 weeks: 7.5 kg in COMBO; -0.2 kg in PT-only). Similarly, for the uninjured knee, only the COMBO showed significant difference from PT-only in knee extension (Change over 18 weeks: 14.7 Kg in COMBO; 2.7 kg in PT-only) and knee flexion (Change over 18 weeks: 6.5 kg in COMBO; -0.2 kg in PT-only). Overall pain improved during the study for all groups with no significant group differences. Similarly, function and ADLS significantly improved over 18 weeks, with no significant group differences. CONCLUSIONS: Knee extensor strength improvements in the COMBO group were significantly higher compared to usual PT. Pain, functional measures, and ADLS all improved during the study with no group differences. Further research is required to confirm these findings.

Reliability of mobility measures in older medical patients with cognitive impairment.

BACKGROUND: Mobility is a key indicator of physical functioning in older people, but there is limited evidence of the reliability of mobility measures in older people with cognitive impairment. This study aimed to examine the test-retest reliability and measurement error of common measurement instruments of mobility and physical functioning in older patients with dementia, delirium or other cognitive impairment. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed in a geriatric hospital. Older acute medical patients with cognitive impairment, indicated by a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of ≤24 points, were assessed twice within 1 day by a trained physiotherapist. The following instruments were applied: de Morton Mobility Index, Hierarchical Assessment of Balance and Mobility, Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment, Short Physical Performance Battery, 4-m gait speed, 5-times chair rise test, 2-min walk test, timed up and go test, Barthel Index mobility subscale and Functional Ambulation Categories. As appropriate, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), Cohen's kappa, standard error of measurement, limits of agreement and minimal detectable change (MDC) values were estimated. RESULTS: Sixty-five older acute medical patients with cognitive impairment participated in the study (mean age: 82 ± 7 years; mean MMSE: 20 ± 4, range: 10 to 24 points). Some participants were physically or cognitively unable to perform the gait speed (46%), 2-min walk (46%), timed up and go (51%) and chair rise (75%) tests. ICC and kappa values were above 0.9 in all instruments except for the gait speed (ICC = 0.86) and chair rise (ICC = 0.72) measures. Measurement error is reported for each instrument. The absolute limits of agreement ranged from 11% (de Morton Mobility Index and Hierarchical Assessment of Balance and Mobility) to 35% (chair rise test). CONCLUSIONS: The test-retest reliability is sufficient (> 0.7) for group-comparisons in all examined instruments. Most mobility measurements have limited use for individual monitoring of mobility over time in older hospital patients with cognitive impairment because of the large measurement error (> 20% of scale width), even though relative reliability estimations seem sufficient (> 0.9) for this purpose. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German Clinical Trials Register ( DRKS00005591 ). Registered 2 February 2015.

Normative Peak 30-Min Cadence (Steps per Minute) Values for Older Adults: NHANES 2005-2006.

Walking cadence (steps per minute) is associated with the intensity of ambulatory behavior. This analysis provides normative values for peak 30-min cadence, an indicator of "natural best effort" during free-living behavior. A sample of 1,196 older adults (aged from 60 to 85+) with accelerometer data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2006 was used. Peak 30-min cadence was calculated for each individual. Quintile-defined values were computed, stratified by sex and age groups. Smoothed sex-specific centile curves across the age span were fitted using the LMS method. Peak 30-min cadence generally trended lower as age increased. The uppermost quintile value was >85 steps/min (men: 60-64 years), and the lowermost quintile value was <22 steps/min (women: 85+). The highest 95th centile value was 103 steps/min (men: 64-70 years), and the lowest 5th centile value was 15 steps/min (women: 85+). These normative values may be useful for evaluating older adults' "natural best effort" during free-living ambulatory behavior.

Six minute walk distance and reference values in healthy Italian children: A cross-sectional study.

The 6-minute walking test (6MWT) is a simple assessment tool to evaluate exercise capacity. The result of the test is the distance that a subject can walk at a constant and normal pace within 6 minutes (6MWD) and reflects the aerobic/fitness performance related to walking function. Use of 6MWT has been relevant to assess exercise tolerance either in healthy children or in patients with, heart, lung and metabolic diseases. Our aim was to find 6MWT reference values in healthy Italian children. The 6MWT was performed in 5614 children aged 6-11 years recruited from primary Italian schools. Age related reference percentiles of the covered distance were gender-modeled. A linear and quadratic regression model was used to predict 6MWT performance. Males walked longer distances than females, respectively 598.8±83.9 m vs 592.1±77.6 m (p = 0.0016). According to the regression analysis, 6MWD was positively related to age, gender and height, while it was negatively related to body weight [(6MWD = -160.16 + 93.35× age (years) -4.05× age2 (years) +7.34× gender (m) +2.12× weight (kg) -2.50× height (cm)]. Reference values were established for the 6MWT in healthy children. The age related 6MWD percentiles provided a useful tool in the assessment of capacity in 6-11 year children, in fact they may be helpful to evaluate the effect of a given treatment or rehabilitation program and represent a feasible measure as to prevention within the primary school context. It was found a substantial difference from other countries for 6mwd values. In our study, factors such as age, weight and height were relevant for the prediction of 6MWD, similarly to other studies. Therefore, these variables should be taken into account in context of exercise performance.

Different reliability of instrumented gait analysis between patients with unilateral hip osteoarthritis, unilateral hip prosthesis and healthy controls.

BACKGROUND: The gait pattern varies within the population and between patient groups with different musculoskeletal diseases. It also varies over time due to various reasons. Three-dimensional gait analysis (3DGA) is frequently used to measure these changes, but the precision of this methodology may vary. METHODS: We primarily aimed to study the repeatability of hip motion measurements in patients with unilateral osteoarthritis (OA), patients with unilateral total hip arthroplasty (THA) and healthy controls. A secondary aim was to delineate any differences in hip motion during walking between these groups. Ten males and 10 females in each group were recruited. All patients underwent gait assessments using 3DGA recorded by 2 examiners. Data was analysed with comparison of variance and linear regression. RESULTS: The variability of the extension-flexion recordings was smallest in healthy controls (SD < 7.7°), increased in patients with THA (SD < 11.1°) and was most pronounced in the OA patients (SD < 12.2°). The degree of hip extension-flexion turned out to be the variable that most effectively could separate the controls from the 2 patient groups and the patient groups from each other. One to 2 years after THA the gait pattern was improved but still differed comparing a group of THA from a group of healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with hip osteoarthritis showed the poorest repeatability between gait recordings collected by different examiners, as compared to patients operated with a THA and healthy controls. The walking pattern after THA still differed from healthy controls 1-2 years after the operation.

Stress experiences in neighborhood and social environments (SENSE): a pilot study to integrate the quantified self with citizen science to improve the built environment and health.

BACKGROUND: Identifying elements of one's environment-observable and unobservable-that contribute to chronic stress including the perception of comfort and discomfort associated with different settings, presents many methodological and analytical challenges. However, it also presents an opportunity to engage the public in collecting and analyzing their own geospatial and biometric data to increase community member understanding of their local environments and activate potential environmental improvements. In this first-generation project, we developed a methodology to integrate geospatial technology with biometric sensing within a previously developed, evidence-based "citizen science" protocol, called "Our Voice." Participants used a smartphone/tablet-based application, called the Discovery Tool (DT), to collect photos and audio narratives about elements of the built environment that contributed to or detracted from their well-being. A wrist-worn sensor (Empatica E4) was used to collect time-stamped data, including 3-axis accelerometry, skin temperature, blood volume pressure, heart rate, heartbeat inter-beat interval, and electrodermal activity (EDA). Open-source R packages were employed to automatically organize, clean, geocode, and visualize the biometric data. RESULTS: In total, 14 adults (8 women, 6 men) were successfully recruited to participate in the investigation. Participants recorded 174 images and 124 audio files with the DT. Among captured images with a participant-determined positive or negative rating (n = 131), over half were positive (58.8%, n = 77). Within-participant positive/negative rating ratios were similar, with most participants rating 53.0% of their images as positive (SD 21.4%). Significant spatial clusters of positive and negative photos were identified using the Getis-Ord Gi* local statistic, and significant associations between participant EDA and distance to DT photos, and street and land use characteristics were also observed with linear mixed models. Interactive data maps allowed participants to (1) reflect on data collected during the neighborhood walk, (2) see how EDA levels changed over the course of the walk in relation to objective neighborhood features (using basemap and DT app photos), and (3) compare their data to other participants along the same route. CONCLUSIONS: Participants identified a variety of social and environmental features that contributed to or detracted from their well-being. This initial investigation sets the stage for further research combining qualitative and quantitative data capture and interpretation to identify objective and perceived elements of the built environment influence our embodied experience in different settings. It provides a systematic process for simultaneously collecting multiple kinds of data, and lays a foundation for future statistical and spatial analyses in addition to more in-depth interpretation of how these responses vary within and between individuals.

Are clinic-based walking measures associated with community walking activity in children with cerebral palsy?

PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between clinic-based walking capacity measures and community-based walking activity in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy (CP). METHODS: A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional cohort was employed at tertiary care children's hospital; n= 128, ages 2-9 years, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) I-III. Walking capacity was captured with 1- and 6-minute walk tests (1MWT, 6MWT), Gross Motor Function Measure-walk/run/jump score (GMFM-E), and Activity Scale for Kids performance version (ASKp-30). Walking activity performance in the community was quantified by StepWatch (SW). RESULTS: Moderate correlations were documented for 6MWT to SW outputs of walking level, moderate high intensity, 60-minute peak and peak activity index (r= 0.55-0.58, p< 0.01). GMFM-E correlated with all SW outputs (r= 0.55-0.69, p< 0.01) except 1-minute peak walking rate. Per regression modeling, GMFM-E was associated with walking level and intensity (p< 0.02) and 6MWT related to high intensity walking (p< 0.4, R=2 0.28-0.48). CONCLUSION: 6MWT and GMFM-E have the strongest associations with level, amount and intensity of walking in daily life. Results suggest that the 6MWT and GMFM-E can be employed to estimate community walking activity in ambulatory children with CP. Future studies should focus on environmental and personal factors that influence community walking performance.

Sustainability of a nurse-driven early progressive mobility protocol and patient clinical and psychological health outcomes in a neurological intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVES: To determine sustainable impact of an early progressive mobility protocol on mobility level and clinical outcomes. DESIGN/METHODS: Prospective, longitudinal, comparative study using three time points (pre-, immediate post-intervention and 12-month post-intervention sustainability). Analyses included comparative statistics and multivariable modelling. Data were collected by clinical nurses, from administrative databases. Psychological health data were collected using a valid, reliable tool. SETTING: Patients treated in a 22-bed Neurological Intensive Care Unit of a quaternary-care medical centre. OUTCOME MEASURES: Highest mobility level, length of stay, mortality, discharge disposition, quality metrics and psychological profile including depression, anxiety, and hostility. RESULTS: Amongst 260 pre-intervention, 377 post-implementation, and 480 twelve-month post-implementation patients (N = 1117) walking increased post-implementation and was sustained at the eight-month assessment, p < .001. After multivariable adjustment, unit and hospital length of stay and psychological distress were reduced compared to the pre-early mobility programmes (all p < .001). There were no differences in discharge disposition (i.e., home vs skilled nursing facility), mortality or quality metrics. CONCLUSION: Ongoing implementation of an early mobility programme in a neurological intensive care environment led to sustained improvement in patients' level of mobility, length of unit and hospital stay, depression, anxiety and hostility levels.

Minimum Performance on Clinical Tests of Physical Function to Predict Walking 6,000 Steps/Day in Knee Osteoarthritis: An Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE: Evidence of physical function difficulties, such as difficulty rising from a chair, may limit daily walking for people with knee osteoarthritis (OA). The purpose of this study was to identify minimum performance thresholds on clinical tests of physical function predictive to walking ≥6,000 steps/day. This benchmark is known to discriminate people with knee OA who develop functional limitation over time from those who do not. METHODS: Using data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative, we quantified daily walking as average steps/day from an accelerometer (Actigraph GT1M) worn for ≥10 hours/day over 1 week. Physical function was quantified using 3 performance-based clinical tests: 5 times sit-to-stand test, walking speed (tested over 20 meters), and 400-meter walk test. To identify minimum performance thresholds for daily walking, we calculated physical function values corresponding to high specificity (80-95%) to predict walking ≥6,000 steps/day. RESULTS: Among 1,925 participants (mean ± SD age 65.1 ± 9.1 years, mean ± SD body mass index 28.4 ± 4.8 kg/m2 , and 55% female) with valid accelerometer data, 54.9% walked ≥6,000 steps/day. High specificity thresholds of physical function for walking ≥6,000 steps/day ranged 11.4-14.0 seconds on the 5 times sit-to-stand test, 1.13-1.26 meters/second for walking speed, or 315-349 seconds on the 400-meter walk test. CONCLUSION: Not meeting these minimum performance thresholds on clinical tests of physical function may indicate inadequate physical ability to walk ≥6,000 steps/day for people with knee OA. Rehabilitation may be indicated to address underlying impairments limiting physical function.

Online versus in-person comparison of Microscale Audit of Pedestrian Streetscapes (MAPS) assessments: reliability of alternate methods.

BACKGROUND: An online version of the Microscale Audit of Pedestrian Streetscapes (Abbreviated) tool was adapted to virtually audit built environment features supportive of physical activity. The current study assessed inter-rater reliability of MAPS Online between in-person raters and online raters unfamiliar with the regions. METHODS: In-person and online audits were conducted for a total of 120 quarter-mile routes (60 per site) in Phoenix, AZ and San Diego, CA. Routes in each city included 40 residential origins stratified by walkability and SES, and 20 commercial centers. In-person audits were conducted by raters residing in their region. Online audits were conducted by raters in the alternate location using Google Maps (Aerial and Street View) images. The MAPS Abbreviated Online tool consisted of four sections: overall route, street segments, crossings and cul-de-sacs. Items within each section were grouped into subscales, and inter-rater reliability (ICCs) was assessed for subscales at multiple levels of aggregation. RESULTS: Online and in-person audits showed excellent agreement for overall positive microscale (ICC = 0.86, 95% CI [0.80, 0.90]) and grand scores (ICC = 0.93, 95% CI [0.89, 0.95]). Substantial to near-perfect agreement was found for 21 of 30 (70%) subscales, valence, and subsection scores, with ICCs ranging from 0.62, 95% CI [0.50, 0.72] to 0.95, 95% CI [0.93, 0.97]. Lowest agreement was found for the aesthetics and social characteristics scores, with ICCs ranging from 0.07, 95% CI [-0.12, 0.24] to 0.27, 95% CI [0.10, 0.43]. CONCLUSIONS: Results support use of the MAPS Abbreviated Online tool to reliably assess microscale neighborhood features that support physical activity and may be used by raters residing in different geographic regions and unfamiliar with the audit areas.

Walking economy is predictably determined by speed, grade, and gravitational load.

The metabolic energy that human walking requires can vary by more than 10-fold, depending on the speed, surface gradient, and load carried. Although the mechanical factors determining economy are generally considered to be numerous and complex, we tested a minimum mechanics hypothesis that only three variables are needed for broad, accurate prediction: speed, surface grade, and total gravitational load. We first measured steady-state rates of oxygen uptake in 20 healthy adult subjects during unloaded treadmill trials from 0.4 to 1.6 m/s on six gradients: -6, -3, 0, 3, 6, and 9°. Next, we tested a second set of 20 subjects under three torso-loading conditions (no-load, +18, and +31% body weight) at speeds from 0.6 to 1.4 m/s on the same six gradients. Metabolic rates spanned a 14-fold range from supine rest to the greatest single-trial walking mean (3.1 ± 0.1 to 43.3 ± 0.5 ml O2·kg-body-1·min-1, respectively). As theorized, the walking portion (V̇o2-walk = V̇o2-gross - V̇o2-supine-rest) of the body's gross metabolic rate increased in direct proportion to load and largely in accordance with support force requirements across both speed and grade. Consequently, a single minimum-mechanics equation was derived from the data of 10 unloaded-condition subjects to predict the pooled mass-specific economy (V̇o2-gross, ml O2·kg-body + load-1·min-1) of all the remaining loaded and unloaded trials combined (n = 1,412 trials from 90 speed/grade/load conditions). The accuracy of prediction achieved (r2 = 0.99, SEE = 1.06 ml O2·kg-1·min-1) leads us to conclude that human walking economy is predictably determined by the minimum mechanical requirements present across a broad range of conditions.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Introduced is a "minimum mechanics" model that predicts human walking economy across a broad range of conditions from only three variables: speed, surface grade, and body-plus-load mass. The derivation/validation data set includes steady-state loaded and unloaded walking trials (n = 3,414) that span a fourfold range of walking speeds on each of six different surface gradients (-6 to +9°). The accuracy of our minimum mechanics model (r2 = 0.99; SEE = 1.06 ml O2·kg-1·min-1) appreciably exceeds that of currently used standards.