Effects of additional load at different heights on gait initiation: A statistical parametric mapping of center of pressure and center of mass behavior.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different vertical positions of an asymmetrical load on the anticipatory postural adjustments phase of gait initiation. Sixty-eight college students (32 males, 36 females; age: 23.65 ± 3.

Effects of the infrared laser on classical ballerinas' feet: Analysis of plantar foot and static balance.

Background And Purpose: Overuse injuries and painful symptoms in athletes and dancers (especially classical ballerinas) may lead to reduced functional performance. However, laser application may reduce pain and increase physical conditioning. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the immediate and long-term effects of infrared laser on classical ballerinas' feet.

Standing balance in preschoolers using nonlinear dynamics and sway density curve analysis.

The aim of the present study was to investigate how age and sensory deprivation affect the temporal organization of CoP sway variability and the postural corrective commands during standing balance in typically developing preschoolers. A sample of 57 children aged 3-5 years participated in the study. Structural stabilometric descriptors of sample entropy (SEn), detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA), and sway density curve (SDC) analysis were employed to assess features of center of pressure sway.

Use of a backpack alters gait initiation of high school students.

We assessed how backpack carriage influences the gait initiation (GI) process in high school students, who extensively use backpacks. GI involves different dynamics from gait itself, while the excessive use of backpacks can result in adverse effects. 117 high school students were evaluated in three experimental conditions: no backpack (NB), bilateral backpack (BB), and unilateral backpack (UB).

Age-related changes in postural sway in preschoolers.

Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate age-related differences of postural sway in 3- to 6-year-old typically developing children in different sensory conditions and subsequently to provide reference values for global descriptive sway parameters in preschoolers.

Methods: Ninety-six typically developing children, between 3 and 5 years of age, participated in this cross-sectional study. Postural sway was measured for 40s in four conditions (eyes open/eyes closed on stable ground/foam) by using a force plate.

Footwear and Foam Surface Alter Gait Initiation of Typical Subjects.

Gait initiation is the task commonly used to investigate the anticipatory postural adjustments necessary to begin a new gait cycle from the standing position. In this study, we analyzed whether and how foot-floor interface characteristics influence the gait initiation process. For this purpose, 25 undergraduate students were evaluated while performing a gait initiation task in three experimental conditions: barefoot on a hard surface (barefoot condition), barefoot on a soft surface (foam condition), and shod on a hard surface (shod condition).

Effects of four days hiking on postural control.

Hiking is a demanding form of exercise that may cause delayed responses of the postural muscles and a loss of somatosensory information, particularly when repeatedly performed for several days. These effects may negatively influence the postural control of hikers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a four-day hike on postural control.

Psychometric properties of functional balance tests in children: a literature review.

Aim: Identifying balance problems are the first step towards monitoring and rehabilitation. Therefore, this paper aims to make an overview of the psychometric properties of the functional balance tests available for children.

Method: A literature search was performed in PubMED and Web of Science on 8 February 2014 and updated on 6 July 2014.

Comparison of static footprints and pedobarography in obese and non-obese children.

Background: Static footprints have been widely used clinically. However, since this measure provides only indirect information about the medial longitudinal arch height, it is not clear if it can be indicative of dynamic foot function especially in obese children. This study aimed to verify whether static footprints can predict dynamic plantar pressures in obese children.