Normative values of spinal and peripheral proprioception in position sense among healthy adolescents and young adults.

Establishing normative values and understanding how proprioception varies among body parts is crucial. However, the variability across individuals, especially adolescents, makes it difficult to establish norms. This prevents further investigation into classifying patients with abnormal proprioception.

Tracking Bilateral Lower Limb Kinematics of Distance Runners on Treadmill Using a Single Inertial Measurement Unit.

Distance running related injuries are common, and many ailments have been associated with faulty posture. Conventional measurement of running kinematics requires sophisticated motion capture system in laboratory. In this study, we developed a wearable solution to accurately predict lower limb running kinematics using a single inertial measurement unit placed on the left lower leg.

Exergaming and education: a relational model for games selection and evaluation.

Exergaming, or technology-driven physical exercise, has gained popularity in recent years. Its applications include physical education, health promotion, and rehabilitation. Although studies have obtained promising results regarding the positive effects of exergaming, the outcomes of exergaming for different populations remain undetermined.

The "Trade-Off" of Student Well-Being and Academic Achievement: A Perspective of Multidimensional Student Well-Being.

Student well-being and its relationships with academic achievement in China have not been well-investigated. This study aimed at investigating student well-being and the trade-off of the well-being and academic achievement with a sample of 1,353 Chinese high-school students from four cities in China during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic period. The six dimensions of well-being (academic, psychological, self, physical, social, and spiritual) were utilised to test the relationships with three subjects including Mathematics, English, and Chinese using a quantitative analysis.

Comparison between Accelerometer and Gyroscope in Predicting Level-Ground Running Kinematics by Treadmill Running Kinematics Using a Single Wearable Sensor.

Wearable sensors facilitate running kinematics analysis of joint kinematics in real running environments. The use of a few sensors or, ideally, a single inertial measurement unit (IMU) is preferable for accurate gait analysis. This study aimed to use a convolutional neural network (CNN) to predict level-ground running kinematics (measured by four IMUs on the lower extremities) by using treadmill running kinematics training data measured using a single IMU on the anteromedial side of the right tibia and to compare the performance of level-ground running kinematics predictions between raw accelerometer and gyroscope data.

The clinical effects of mobilization with passive ankle dorsiflexion using a passive ankle dorsiflexion apparatus on older patients with knee osteoarthritis: A randomized trial.

Background: Active exercise is the only proven effective intervention for knee osteoarthritis (OA). The addition of manual therapy has shown to improve outcome of exercises. Passive mobilization with submaximal bilateral passive ankle dorsiflexion was examined in a double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial.

Acute Effects of Brief Mindfulness Intervention Coupled with Carbohydrate Ingestion to Re-Energize Soccer Players: A Randomized Crossover Trial.

This field experiment investigated the acute effects of brief mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) coupled with carbohydrate (CHO) intake on players' recovery from half-time break in a simulated soccer competition. In a single-blinded randomized crossover experiment, 14 male players received 3 treatments (Control: non-carbohydrate solution + travelling introduction audio; CHO: CHO-electrolyte solution + travelling introduction audio; and CHO_M: CHO-electrolyte solution + MBI) during simulated half-time breaks. Vertical jump, sprint performance, mindfulness level, rate of perceived exertion, muscle pain, mental fatigue, blood glucose, and lactate were measured immediately before, during, and after the exercise.

Acute Effect of Brief Mindfulness-Based Intervention Coupled with Fluid Intake on Athletes' Cognitive Function.

During the half time of intermittent team sports, substantial physiological changes relating to acid-base balance and glycemic response affect the second-half performance. Refuel and rehydrate strategy is therefore necessary to be investigated. This field experiment assessed the acute effect of a brief mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) coupled with fluid intake on players' cognitive function in a simulated soccer game.

A Video-Based Classification System for Assessing Locomotor Skills in Children.

The Test of Gross Motor Development 2 (TGMD-2) is currently the standard approach for assessing fundamental movement skills (FMS), including locomotor and object control skills. However, its extensive application is restricted by its low efficiency and requirement of expert training for large-scale evaluations. This study evaluated the accuracy of a newly-developed video-based classification system (VCS) with a marker-less sensor to assess children's locomotor skills.

An improved stiffness matrix model of the functional spinal unit for application to an improved understanding of pathological changes.

The stiffness matrix is a useful way to describe the mechanical behaviour of the functional spinal unit, which is defined as the superior and inferior vertebrae, capsules and ligaments. This usefulness is extended by means of the concept of the "balance point". The balance point is the load application point where the coupling coefficients of the stiffness matrix are minimized.

EMG-based lumbosacral joint compression force prediction using a support vector machine.

Electromyography-assisted optimization (EMGAO) approach is widely used to predict lumbar joint loads under various dynamic and static conditions. However, such approach uses numerous anthropometric, kinematic, kinetic, and electromyographic data in the computation process, and thus makes data collection and processing complicated. This study developed an electromyography-based support vector machine (EMGB_SVM) approach for predicting lumbar spine load during walking with backpack loads.

Reliability of the fluctuations within the stride time series measured in runners during treadmill running to exhaustion.

Background: The fluctuations within stride time series (i.e., stride time variability and complexity) during running exhibit long-range correlation.

Comparison of Predictions Between an EMG-Assisted Approach and Two Optimization-Driven Approaches for Lumbar Spine Loading During Walking With Backpack Loads.

Objective: The efficacy of two optimization-driven biomechanical modeling approaches has been compared with an electromyography-assisted optimization (EMGAO) approach to predict lumbar spine loading while walking with backpack loads.

Background: The EMGAO approach adopts more variables in the optimization process and is complex in data collection and processing, whereas optimization-driven approaches are simple and include the fewest possible variables. However, few studies have been conducted on the efficacy of using the optimization-driven approach to predict lumbar spine loading while walking with backpack loads.

Changes of lumbosacral joint compression force profile when walking caused by backpack loads.

Walking with backpack loads induces additional mechanical stress on the spine and has been identified as a risk factor of lower-back pain. This study evaluated the effects of walking with backpack loads on the lumbosacral joint compression force profile in both the magnitude and time domains. Ten male adults geared with anatomical markers and trunk surface electromyographic sensors walked along a walkway embedded with three force plates with no load and various backpack loads (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% body weight).

Effects of backpack and double pack loads on postural stability.

Measurement of postural stability is crucial for identifying predictors of performance, determining the efficacy of physical training and rehabilitation techniques and evaluating and preventing injuries, particularly for heavy load carriage in hikers, mountain search and rescue personnel and soldiers. This study investigated the effect of load distribution on postural stability in an upright stance using backpack and double pack loads under conflicting or impaired somatosensory, visual and vestibular conditions. The sensory organisation tests were conducted on 20 young adults before and after a 10-min level walking exercise.

Differences in lower-limb coordination and coordination variability between novice and experienced runners during a prolonged treadmill run at anaerobic threshold speed.

This study investigated differences in lower-limb coordination and coordination variability between experienced and novice runners during a prolonged run. Thirty-four participants were categorised as either experienced (n = 17) or novice runners (n = 17). All participants performed a 31-min treadmill run at their individual anaerobic threshold speed, and lower-limb kinematic data were acquired in the sagittal plane at the beginning, middle, and end of the run.

Gender Differences in Energy Expenditure During Walking With Backpack and Double-Pack Loads.

Objective: To investigate gender differences in energy expenditure during walking with backpack and double-pack loads.

Background: Studies have reported that energy expenditure during walking with double-pack loads is lower compared with backpack carriage. However, the effect of gender on energy expenditure while walking with these two load distribution systems has not been investigated.

Stride-to-stride variability and complexity between novice and experienced runners during a prolonged run at anaerobic threshold speed.

Background: Motor control, related to running performance and running related injuries, is affected by progression of fatigue during a prolonged run. Distance runners are usually recommended to train at or slightly above anaerobic threshold (AT) speed for improving performance. However, running at AT speed may result in accelerated fatigue.

Oxygen Saturation and Heart Rate Variations as Predictors of Intradialytic Hypotension.

AIntradialytic hypotension (IDH) occurring during hemodialysis (HD) may cause severe complications and can be life-threatening. IDH is a common symptom in patients with end stage renal disease undergoing HD. Currently, no effective predictive models for IDH exist.

Accuracy of three methods in gait event detection during overground running.

Inertial measurement units (IMUs) have been extensively used to detect gait events. Various methods have been proposed for detecting initial contact (IC) and toe-off (TO) using IMUs affixed at various anatomical locations. However, the accuracy of such methods has yet to be compared.

Effects of backpack load on critical changes of trunk muscle activation and lumbar spine loading during walking.

This study investigated the effects of carrying a backpack while walking. Critical changes featuring the disproportionality of increases in trunk muscle activation and lumbar joint loading between light and heavy backpack carriage weight may reveal the load-bearing strategy (LBS) of the lumbar spine. This was investigated using an integrated system equipped with a motion analysis, a force platform and a wireless surface electromyography (EMG) system to measure the trunk muscle EMG amplitudes and lumbar joint component forces.

Mechanical effects of traction on lumbar intervertebral discs: A magnetic resonance imaging study.

Background: Although traction has long been used for treating patients with low back pain (LBP), its effects are still inconclusive mainly because of limited high-quality evidence.

Objective: To provide evidence of the mechanism of traction on lumbar intervertebral discs.

Design: A quantitative approach with a repeated measurement protocol.

Multi-objective analysis for assessing simultaneous changes in regional spinal curvatures under backpack carriage in young adults.

Change in sagittal spinal curvature from the neutral upright stance is an important measure of the heaviness and correctness of backpack use. As current recommendations, with respect to spinal profile, of backpack load thresholds were based on the significant curvature change in individual spinal region only, this study investigated the most critical backpack load by assessing simultaneously the spinal curvature changes along the whole spine. A motion analysis system was used to measure the curvature changes in cervical, upper thoracic, lower thoracic and lumbar regions with backpack load at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% of body weight.

Anticipatory Postural Adjustments in Standing Reach Tasks Among Middle-Aged Adults With Diplegic Cerebral Palsy.

Previous studies reported that children with cerebral palsy (CP) exhibited premature anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) with high variability and excessive activity in the frontal plane. To better understand the effects of gross motor functioning level on APAs over the life course, the authors examined the presence and consistency of APAs in 11 adults with diplegia at 2 functioning levels against 8 age-matched healthy adults during unilateral and bilateral reaching. Results revealed an anticipatory vertical torque (TZ) and an increased likelihood of APAs during bilateral reaching for the lower functioning group.

Treadmill training with partial body weight support compared with conventional gait training for low-functioning children and adolescents with nonspastic cerebral palsy: a two-period crossover study.

Background: Partial body weight-supported treadmill training has been shown to be effective in gait training for patients with neurological disorders such as spinal cord injuries and stroke. Recent applications on children with cerebral palsy were reported, mostly on spastic cerebral palsy with single subject design. There is lack of evidence on the effectiveness of such training for nonspastic cerebral palsy, particularly those who are low functioning with limited intellectual capacity.