The Correlation Between Fear Avoidance Beliefs and Physical Activity in Unilateral Vestibulopathies.

Background And Purpose: In individuals with unilateral vestibulopathy (UVP), physical activity (PA) is recommended to stimulate central vestibular compensation. However, the presence of fear avoidance beliefs might negatively influence PA. The objectives of this study were to investigate the relationship between fear avoidance beliefs and PA and to compare PA levels between individuals with UVP in an acute/subacute vs chronic phase.

A continuum of balance performance between children with developmental coordination disorder, spastic cerebral palsy, and typical development.

Background: Balance deficits are one of the most common impairments in developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and cerebral palsy (CP), with shared characteristics between both groups. However, balance deficits in DCD are very heterogeneous, but unlike in CP, they are poorly understood.

Aim: To unravel the heterogeneity of balance performance in children with DCD by comparing them with CP and typical development (TD).

Predictors of Chronic Dizziness in Acute Unilateral Vestibulopathy: A Longitudinal Prospective Cohort Study.

Objective: Chronic dizziness after acute unilateral vestibulopathy (AUVP) causes significant social and economic burdens. This study aims to identify predictors of chronic dizziness.

Study Design: Prospective, longitudinal cohort study.

Is a portable pressure plate an alternative to force plates for measuring postural stability and interlimb coordination of quiet standing balance control?

Introduction: Center-of-pressure (COP) synchronization and symmetry can inform adaptations in balance control following one-sided sensorimotor impairments (e.g., stroke).

The DizzyQuest Combined with Accelerometry: Daily Physical Activities and Limitations among Patients with Bilateral Vestibulopathy Due to DFNA9.

Background: DFNA9 is a genetic disease of the inner ear, causing progressive bilateral sensorineural deafness and bilateral vestibulopathy (BV). In this study, DizzyQuest, a mobile vestibular diary, and the MOX accelerometer were combined to assess the daily life functional limitations and physical activity of patients with DFNA9 suffering from BV. These parameters might be appropriate as potential candidacy criteria and outcome measures for new therapeutic interventions for BV.

Effects of a highly intensive balance therapy camp in children with developmental coordination disorder - An intervention protocol.

Background: Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) often (<87 %) experience postural control problems, impacting all levels of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) including their daily participation, self-esteem and mental health. Due to the multisystemic nature of postural control, comprehensive therapy should target all systems which is currently not the case. Highly intensive therapy is effective and commonly used in pediatric populations, but has not been explored yet to train postural control in children with DCD.

Gait initiation in Parkinson's disease: comparison of timing and displacement during anticipatory postural adjustments as a function of motor severity and apathy in a large cohort.

Introduction: Gait initiation is preceded by three anticipatory postural adjustment (APA) phases. In Parkinson's disease (PD) generated force, displacement and timing during APA differ from healthy controls. APA might be influenced by disease status, weight or emotion.

A full-body motion capture gait dataset of 138 able-bodied adults across the life span and 50 stroke survivors.

This reference dataset contains biomechanical data of 138 able-bodied adults (21-86 years) and 50 stroke survivors walking bare-footed at their preferred speed. It is unique due to its size, and population, including adults across the life-span and over 70 years, as well as stroke survivors. Full-body kinematics (PiG-model), kinetics and muscle activity of 14 back and lower limbs muscles was collected with a Vicon motion capture system, ground-embedded force plates, and a synchronized surface EMG system.

Age- and sex-related differences in trunk kinematics during walking in able-bodied adults.

Introduction: Trunk motion during walking acts as a biomarker for decreased mobility and can differ between sexes. Knowing how age and sex affect trunk motion and energy conservation can help clinicians decide when and in whom to intervene with physiotherapy to prolong functional mobility.

Methods: A large sample of 138 able-bodied males and females in the age-categories 20-39 years, 40-59 years, 60-69 years, 70-79 years, and 80-89 years received a full-body 3D gait analysis.

Compensatory strategies after an acute unilateral vestibulopathy: a prospective observational study.

Purpose: In case of an acute unilateral vestibulopathy (UVP), compensatory strategies such as restoration and adaptation will lead to a decrease in intensity of the symptoms. Although measurements of compensatory strategies are available, currently, an overview taking the different strategies into account is lacking. The objectives of this study are to explore compensatory strategies and to investigate the association between compensatory strategies and patient characteristics.

Chronic symptoms in patients with unilateral vestibular hypofunction: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To systematically evaluate the full spectrum of self-reported chronic symptoms in patients with unilateral vestibular hypofunction (UVH) and to investigate the effect of interventions on these symptoms.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Statement (PRISMA). A literature search was performed in Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus to investigate self-reported symptoms and self-report questionnaires in patients with UVH.

Functional mobility in children and young adults with Dravet syndrome.

Aim: This cohort study aimed to describe functional mobility in Dravet syndrome, a developmental and epileptic encephalopathy.

Method: Functional mobility was assessed in individuals (aged 3-25 years), diagnosed with Dravet syndrome, using the Functional Mobility Scale (FMS), Mobility Questionnaire 28 (MobQues28), and estimated walking distance. Secondary outcome variables were Gait Profile Score (GPS), walking velocity, age at independent walking, intellectual disability, seizure frequency, genetic variant type, and body mass index (BMI).

Psychometric properties of functional postural control tests in children: A systematic review.

Background: Postural control deficits are one of the most common impairments treated in pediatric physiotherapeutic practice. Adequate evaluation of these deficits is imperative to identify postural control deficits, plan treatment and assess efficacy. Currently, there is no gold standard evaluation for postural control deficits.

A Critical View on Motor-based Interventions to Improve Motor Skill Performance in Children With ADHD: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: To map the effect of motor-based interventions on motor skills in children with ADHD.

Method: A systematic literature search was performed in Pubmed, Web of Science, and the SCOPUS database (last search: October 30th 2022). Methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro-scale and the quality of evidence was determined with the GRADE-method.

Subjective perception of activity level: A prognostic factor for developing chronic dizziness after vestibular schwannoma resection?

Introduction: A vestibular schwannoma (VS) resection causes an acute unilateral vestibular deafferentation resulting in acute postoperative symptoms. Despite the expected resolution of most of the symptoms, due to central vestibular compensation, more than one out of four patients develop chronic dizziness. Several predictive factors, such as age and tumor size, have been suggested.

The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on the general health status of people with chronic health conditions in Belgium: a cross-sectional survey study.

Background: Patients with chronic health conditions risk aggravation of their health status due to reduced access to health services during the COVID-19 related lockdown.

Objectives: To investigate the impact of Belgian COVID-19 measures on general health status (i.e.

The effect of one dry needling session on pain, central pain processing, muscle co-contraction and gait characteristics in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: To assess the immediate and three days postintervention effect of one dry needling session compared to one sham needling session on pain, central pain processing, muscle co-contraction and spatiotemporal parameters during gait in knee osteoarthritis patients.

Methods: A double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted. Sixty-one knee osteoarthritis patients were randomly assigned to the dry needling or sham needling group.

Strength measurements in patients with Dravet Syndrome.

Background: Dravet Syndrome (DS) is a developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, characterized by drug resistant infantile onset seizures and cognitive and motor impairment. Walking problems progressively occur and crouch gait is frequently observed. Muscle weakness is hypothesized as contributing impairment.

Decline in gait propulsion in older adults over age decades.

Background: Despite strong evidence that walking speed and forward propulsion decline with increasing age, their relationship is still poorly understood. While changes in the ankle and hip mechanics have been described, few studies have reported the effect of ageing on the whole leg's contribution to propulsion.

Research Question: The aim of this study was to investigate age-related changes in the work performed by the leg on the center of mass (COM) push-off power during walking in adults aged 20-86 years.

The Relationship Between the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale and Balance Performance, Self-perceived Handicap, and Fall Status in Patients With Peripheral Dizziness or Imbalance.

Objective: Describe the relationship between the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale and Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) with balance performance, as well as fall status in patients with peripheral vestibular disorders.

Study Design: Retrospective.

Setting: Outpatient balance clinic, tertiary referral center.

An exploratory investigation on spatiotemporal parameters, margins of stability, and their interaction in bilateral vestibulopathy.

Integration of accurate vestibular, visual, and proprioceptive information is crucial in managing the centre of mass in relation to the base of support during gait. Therefore, bilateral loss of peripheral vestibular function can be highly debilitating when performing activities of daily life. To further investigate the influence of an impaired peripheral vestibular system on gait stability, spatiotemporal parameters, step-to-step variability, and mechanical stability parameters were examined in 20 patients with bilateral vestibulopathy and 20 matched healthy controls during preferred overground walking.

Paving the Way Toward Distinguishing Fallers From Non-fallers in Bilateral Vestibulopathy: A Wide Pilot Observation.

Patients with bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP) present with unsteadiness during standing and walking, limiting their activities of daily life and, more importantly, resulting in an increased risk of falling. In BVP patients, falls are considered as one of the major complications, with patients having a 31-fold increased risk of falling compared to healthy subjects. Thus, highlighting objective measures that can easily and accurately assess the risk of falling in BVP patients is an important step in reducing the incidence of falls and the accompanying burdens.