The ankle dorsiflexion kinetics demand to increase swing phase foot-ground clearance: implications for assistive device design and energy demands.

Background: The ankle is usually highly effective in modulating the swing foot's trajectory to ensure safe ground clearance but there are few reports of ankle kinetics and mechanical energy exchange during the gait cycle swing phase. Previous work has investigated ankle swing mechanics during normal walking but with developments in devices providing dorsiflexion assistance, it is now essential to understand the minimal kinetic requirements for increasing ankle dorsiflexion, particularly for devices employing energy harvesting or utilizing lighter and lower power energy sources or actuators.

Methods: Using a real-time treadmill-walking biofeedback technique, swing phase ankle dorsiflexion was experimentally controlled to increase foot-ground clearance by 4 cm achieved via increased ankle dorsiflexion.

Biomechanical Correlates of Falls Risk in Gait Impaired Stroke Survivors.

Increased falls risk is prevalent among stroke survivors with gait impairments. Tripping is the leading cause of falls and it is highly associated with mid-swing Minimum Foot Clearance (MFC), when the foot's vertical margin from the walking surface is minimal. The current study investigated MFC characteristics of post-stroke individuals ( = 40) and healthy senior controls ( = 21) during preferred speed treadmill walking, using an Optotrak 3D motion capture system to record foot-ground clearance.

A cross-sectional study of foot-ground clearance in healthy community dwelling Japanese cohorts aged 50, 60 and 70 years.

Background: Falls-related injuries are particularly serious for older people, causing pain, reduced community engagement and associated medical costs. Tripping is the leading cause of falls and the current study examined whether minimum ground clearance (MFC) of the swing foot, indicating high tripping risk, would be differentiated across cohorts of healthy 50-, 60- and 70-years old community residents in Japan.

Methods: A cross-sectional population comprising the three groups (50s, 60s and 70s) of 123 Konosu City residents consented to be recorded when walking on an unobstructed surface at preferred speed.

Effects of Visually Augmented Gait Training on Foot-Ground Clearance: An Intervention to Reduce Tripping-Related Falls.

Minimum toe clearance (MTC ∼10-30 mm) is a hazardous mid-swing gait event, characterized by high-foot velocity (∼4.60 m·s-1) and single-foot support. This experiment tested treadmill-based gait training effects on MTC.

General Mental Health Is Associated with Gait Asymmetry.

Wearable sensors are being applied to real-world motion monitoring and the focus of this work is assessing health status and wellbeing. An extensive literature has documented the effects on gait control of impaired physical health, but in this project, the aim was to determine whether emotional states associated with older people's mental health are also associated with walking mechanics. If confirmed, wearable sensors could be used to monitor affective responses.