Standing posture and balance modalities in unilateral transfemoral and transtibial amputees.

Introduction: Lower limb amputation impairs postural performance that could be characterized by biomechanical parameters. This study is to investigate postural performance of persons with transfemoral and transtibial amputation compared to controls without amputation.

Methods: Eight transtibial, nine transfemoral and twelve able-bodied males participated in this study.

Instrumented Analysis of the Sit-to-Stand Movement for Geriatric Screening: A Systematic Review.

The Sit-to-Stand (STS) is a widely used test of physical function to screen older people at risk of falls and frailty and is also one of the most important components of standard screening for sarcopenia. There have been many recent studies in which instrumented versions of the STS (iSTS) have been developed to provide additional parameters that could improve the accuracy of the STS test. This systematic review aimed to identify whether an iSTS is a viable alternative to a standard STS to identify older people at risk of falling, frailty, and sarcopenia.

Contribution of Achilles tendon mechanical properties to torque steadiness in persons with transfemoral amputation.

Background: How Achilles tendon mechanics and plantar flexion strength and torque steadiness are altered in the intact leg of persons with trauma-related amputation is unknown. Understanding Achilles tendon mechanics following amputation will further inform rehabilitation approaches to enhance posture, balance, and force control.

Objective: Conduct a pilot study to quantify plantar flexion maximal voluntary contraction torque, torque steadiness, and Achilles tendon mechanics in persons with unilateral trauma-related transfemoral amputation and controls without amputation.

A Pilot Study to Detect Balance Impairment in Older Adults Using an Instrumented One-Leg Stance Test.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether parameters from an instrumented one-leg stance (OLS) on a force plate could provide relevant information related to fall risk in older people. Forty-two community dwelling older people including 17 fallers and 25 nonfallers, and 25 young subjects performed a OLS while standing on a force plate, with parameters related to transferring weight onto one leg and postural sway in singe-leg stance evaluated. No differences were observed between older fallers and nonfallers and the younger participants for any of the weight transfer parameters.

Does Unilateral Lower Limb Amputation Influence Ankle Joint Torque in the Intact Leg?

Objective: To investigate ankle torque and steadiness in the intact leg of transtibial and transfemoral unilateral amputees.

Design: Comparative study.

Setting: Medical rehabilitation centers.

Development of a monitoring system for physical frailty in independent elderly.

Frailty is of increasing concern due to the associated decrease in independence of elderly who suffer from the condition. An innovative system was designed in order to objectively quantify the level of frailty based on a series of remote tests, each of which used objects similar to those found in peoples' homes. A modified ball, known as the Grip-ball was used to evaluate maximal grip force and exhaustion during an entirely remote assessment.