Reliability of a Seven-Segment Foot Model with Medial and Lateral Midfoot and Forefoot Segments During Walking Gait.

In-vitro and invasive in-vivo studies have reported relatively independent motion in the medial and lateral forefoot segments during gait. However, most current surface-based models have not defined medial and lateral forefoot or midfoot segments. The purpose of the current study was to determine the reliability of a 7-segment foot model that includes medial and lateral midfoot and forefoot segments during walking gait.

Force fluctuations while pressing and moving against high- and low-friction touch screen surfaces.

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of a high- and low-friction surface on the ability to maintain a steady downward force during an index finger pressing and moving task. Fifteen right-handed subjects (24-48 years) performed a static force pressing task and a hybrid pressing and moving task on the surface of an iPad mini while holding a steady 2-N force on high- and low-friction surfaces. Variability of force was quantified as the standard deviation (SD) of normal force (F z) and shear force (F xy) across friction conditions and tasks.

The relationship among foot posture, core and lower extremity muscle function, and postural stability.

Context: Identification of impaired balance as a risk factor for lower extremity injury regardless of injury history has led to subsequent investigation of variables that may adversely affect balance in healthy individuals.

Objectives: To investigate the relationship among core and lower extremity muscle function, foot posture, and balance.

Design: Descriptive laboratory study.

The effect of boundary shape and minima selection on single limb stance postural stability.

The effect of time-to-boundary minima selection and stability limit definition was investigated during eyes open and eyes closed condition single-limb stance postural stability. Anteroposterior and mediolateral time-to-boundary were computed using the mean and standard deviation (SD) of all time-to-boundary minima during a trial, and the mean and SD of only the 10 absolute time-to-boundary minima. Time-to-boundary with rectangular, trapezoidal, and multisegmented polygon defined stability limits were also calculated.

Normalizing hip muscle strength: establishing body-size-independent measurements.

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of computing body-size-independent hip strength measures using muscle-specific allometric scaling and ratio standard normalization methods.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: University laboratory.