Biomechanics associated with tibial stress fracture in runners: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Tibial stress fracture (TSF) is an overuse running injury with a long recovery period. While many running studies refer to biomechanical risk factors for TSF, only a few have compared biomechanics in runners with TSF to controls. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate biomechanics in runners with TSF compared to controls.

The construct and concurrent validity of brief standing sway assessments in children with and without cerebral palsy.

Background: Standing postural sway is often quantified from center of pressure trajectories. During assessments of longer durations, children may fidget, thus limiting the feasibility and validity of sway recordings.

Research Question: Do postural sway sample durations less than 30 s maintain construct and concurrent validity?

Methods: In this case-control, observational study, we measured postural sway in 41 children (age 5-12 years, 23 typically developing (TD); 18 with spastic cerebral palsy (CP), 13 diplegic and 5 hemiplegic, 11 GMFCS level I and 7 level II) for 30-second eyes-opened and eyes-closed conditions.

Posterior fall-recovery training applied to individuals with chronic stroke: A single-group intervention study.

Background: To assess the effects of the initial stepping limb on posterior fall recovery in individuals with chronic stroke, as well as to determine the benefits of fall-recovery training on these outcomes.

Methods: This was a single-group intervention study of 13 individuals with chronic stroke. Participants performed up to six training sessions, each including progressively challenging, treadmill-induced perturbations from a standing position.

Brain Stiffness Relates to Dynamic Balance Reactions in Children With Cerebral Palsy.

Cerebral palsy is a neurodevelopmental movement disorder that affects coordination and balance. Therapeutic treatments for balance deficiencies in this population primarily focus on the musculoskeletal system, whereas the neural basis of balance impairment is often overlooked. Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is an emerging technique that has the ability to sensitively assess microstructural brain health through measurements of neural tissue stiffness.

Anteroposterior balance reactions in children with spastic cerebral palsy.

Aim: To compare anterior and posterior standing balance reactions, as measured by single-stepping thresholds, in children with and without spastic cerebral palsy (CP).

Method: Seventeen ambulatory children with spastic CP (eight males, nine females) and 28 typically developing children (13 males, 15 females; age range 5-12y, mean [SD] 9y 2mo [2y 3mo]), were included in this cross-sectional, observational study. Balance reaction skill was quantified as anterior and posterior single-stepping thresholds, or the treadmill-induced perturbations that consistently elicited a step in that direction.

Anterior fall-recovery training applied to individuals with chronic stroke.

Background: To study the effects of the initial stepping limb on anterior fall-recovery performance and kinematics, as well as to determine the benefits of fall-recovery training on those outcomes in individuals with chronic stroke.

Methods: Single-group intervention of 15 individuals with chronic stroke who performed up to six sessions of fall-recovery training. Each session consisted of two progressions of treadmill-induced perturbations to induce anterior falls from a standing position.

The cross-sectional relationships between age, standing static balance, and standing dynamic balance reactions in typically developing children.

Background: Static balance performance is a common metric for evaluating the development of postural control in children. Less is known about the potentially independent development of dynamic balance performance.

Research Question: How does age relate to static (i.

Dynamic stability during walking in children with and without cerebral palsy.

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is associated with a high risk of falling during walking. Many gait abnormalities associated with CP likely alter foot placement and center of mass (CoM) movement in a way that affects anterior or lateral dynamic stability, in turn influencing fall risk.

Research Question: Do children with CP demonstrate altered anterior or lateral dynamic stability compared to typically-developing (TD) children?

Methods: In this case-control, observational study, we measured gait kinematics of two groups of children (15 CP, 11 GMFCS level I, 4 GMFCS level II; 14 TD; age 5-12) in walking conditions of a preferred speed, a fast speed, and a preferred speed while completing a cognitive task.

The contribution of counter-rotation movements during fall recovery: A validation study.

Three mechanisms of maintaining standing stability include M - moving the COP within the base of support, M - segment counter-rotation, and M - applying an external force. To date, the contributions of these mechanisms have not been quantified for the response to an external postural disturbance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the construct validity of measures that quantify the M contribution to anteroposterior fall recovery.