Energy expenditure and activity of transfemoral amputees using mechanical and microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees.

Objective: To quantify the energy efficiency of locomotion and free-living physical activity energy expenditure of transfemoral amputees using a mechanical and microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee.

Design: Repeated-measures design to evaluate comparative functional outcomes.

Setting: Exercise physiology laboratory and community free-living environment.

Hearing loss in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are more likely to have subclinical hearing loss compared with persons without RA.

Methods: This is a case-control cross-sectional study of 29 patients with RA with disease duration greater than 5 years. Five males and five females were recruited into each decade category (age 40-49, 50-59, and 60-69).

Does walking in a virtual environment induce unstable gait? An examination of vertical ground reaction forces.

Virtual reality (VR) can induce postural instability in standing and walking, as quantified with kinematic parameters. This study examines the effect of a VR environment on kinetic gait parameters. Ten healthy volunteers walked on an instrumented treadmill in a VR environment and a non-VR environment.

Spatiotemporal gait deviations in a virtual reality environment.

Previous research suggests that postural sway in standing increases in virtual reality (VR) environments. This study was conducted to examine whether gait instability is prevalent when people walk in a VR environment. Ten healthy adults participated in the study.

Comparison of subjective and objective measurements of balance disorders following traumatic brain injury.

Patients with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) often complain of dizziness. However, these problems may be undetected by a clinical exam. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationships between the subjective and objective measures of balance impairment.

Significant reduction in risk of falls and back pain in osteoporotic-kyphotic women through a Spinal Proprioceptive Extension Exercise Dynamic (SPEED) program.

Objective: To determine the outcome of intervention with a spinal weighted kypho-orthosis (WKO) and a spinal proprioceptive extension exercise dynamic (SPEED) program on the risk of falls in ambulatory community-dwelling persons older than 60 years with osteoporosis-kyphosis at risk for falls.

Subjects And Methods: The study had 3 stages. At stage 1 (baseline), the 12 women in the kyphotic group were compared with 13 healthy controls to assess the risk of falls and balance disorder in the kyphotic group.

Balance disorder and increased risk of falls in osteoporosis and kyphosis: significance of kyphotic posture and muscle strength.

This controlled trial was designed to investigate the influence of osteoporosis-related kyphosis (O-K) on falls. Twelve community-dwelling women with O-K (Cobb angle, 50-65 degrees measured from spine radiographs) and 13 healthy women serving as controls were enrolled. Mean age of the O-K group was 76 years (+/-5.

Dynamic instability during obstacle crossing following traumatic brain injury.

Patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) complain of "imbalance" or "unsteadiness" while walking, despite a normal gait on clinical examination. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine if it was possible to quantitatively assess dynamic stability that did not have an obvious neuromuscular origin in individuals following TBI. Ten patients with documented TBI and 10 age, gender, and stature-matched healthy individuals participated in the study.

Vestibular toxicity due to inhaled tobramycin in a patient with renal insufficiency.

Inhaled tobramycin is being used increasingly in patients with cystic fibrosis and other forms of bronchiectasis for treatment of bronchial colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The goal of inhaled antibiotics is to provide maximal concentrations at the site of infection without risking systemic toxicity. We report an unusual case of reversible vestibular toxicity due to inhaled tobramycin in a patient with renal failure who was undergoing hemodialysis.

Clinical experience with the vestibular evoked myogenic potential.

The vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) is a promising test of the descending vestibulocollic system. Our aim was to determine whether the VEMP can be applied to an older patient population and can detect lesions in descending vestibulospinal pathways. We also compared VEMP clinical performance with that of the standard caloric test.

Medio-lateral motion of the center of mass during obstacle crossing distinguishes elderly individuals with imbalance.

This study was performed to investigate whether elderly patients with imbalance can be distinguished from healthy elderly subjects by comparing their whole body center of mass (COM) motion in the medio-lateral (M-L) direction during obstacle crossing. Nine healthy elderly adults and six elderly patients having complaints of 'dizziness' or 'unsteadiness' during walking (three with bilateral/unilateral vestibular weakness and three with unclear diagnosis) were recruited to perform unobstructed level walking and crossing of obstacles set to 2.5, 5, 10 and 15% of each subject's height.

An assessment of gait and balance deficits after traumatic brain injury.

Objective: To assess the sensations of instability that many patients report after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Design: A controlled study.

Setting: A motion analysis and vestibular and balance laboratory.

Muscle activation patterns in subjects with and without low back pain.

Objective: To analyze muscle activation patterns during various footplate perturbations, used as proprioceptive challenges in patients with low back pain (LBP) and in controls.

Design: A prospective and controlled comparative study.

Setting: Outpatient clinic.