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.

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.

Tone Entropy Analysis of Augmented Information Effects on Toe-Ground Clearance When Walking.

Minimum toe clearance (MTC) is an event approximately mid-swing in the walking cycle that is critical for preventing unintended foot contact with surface irregularities ("tripping"). Treadmill-based gait training for older adults was undertaken using real-time augmented information to increase foot-ground clearance at MTC (MTC height). Ten young (Y) (Age: 23±2 year) and ten older (O) (Age: 76±9 year) participants undertook 10 min preferred speed treadmill walking (baseline) followed by 20 min with MTC height information (training) and 10 min without augmented information (retention).

Effects of walking-induced fatigue on gait function and tripping risks in older adults.

Background: Fatigue and ageing contribute to impaired control of walking and are linked to falls. In this project, fatigue was induced by maximum speed walking to examine fatigue effects on lower limb trajectory control and associated tripping risk and overall gait functions of older adults.

Methods: Eleven young (18-35 years) and eleven older adults (>65 years) conducted 5-minute preferred speed treadmill walking prior to and following 6-minute maximum fast walking.

Ageing and limb dominance effects on foot-ground clearance during treadmill and overground walking.

Background: Foot-ground clearance during the gait cycle swing phase is a critical locomotor adaptation to uneven terrain and non-optimal lower limb control has been linked to tripping and falling. The aim of this research was to determine ageing effects on bilateral foot-ground clearance during overground and treadmill walking.

Methods: Ageing and walking surface effects on bilateral foot trajectory control were investigated in 11 older (mean age 73.

Variability in the foot-ground clearance and step timing of young and older men during single-task and dual-task treadmill walking.

The study's aim was to document ageing effects on gait control by analysing the distributions of both left and right step timing and minimum foot-ground clearance (MFC) in older men (mean 71.1 years) and gender-matched controls (mean 26.3 years).

Description of joint movements in human and non-human primate locomotion using Fourier analysis.

To describe and help interpret joint movements in various forms of primate locomotion, we explored the use of Fourier analysis to represent changing joint angles as a series of sine and cosine curves added together to approximate the raw angular data. Results are presented for four joints (shoulder, elbow, hip and knee) with emphasis on the shoulder, and for five types of locomotion (catarhine primate quadrupedal walking, human hands-and-feet creeping and hands-and-knees creeping, and human walking and running). Fourier analysis facilitates functional interpretation of the angles of all four joints, by providing average joint angles and an indication of the number of peaks and troughs in the angular data.

Balance during obstacle crossing following stroke.

Difficulty negotiating obstacles may contribute to the high falls rate following stroke. This study examined the impact of stroke on balance during obstacle crossing. Centre of mass (COM) and centre of pressure (COP) were measured as 12 stroke subjects and 12 unimpaired subjects stepped over a 4 cm high obstacle at self-selected speed.

Learning to minimize energy costs and maximize mechanical work in a bimanual coordination task.

The authors addressed the hypothesis that economy in motor coordination is a learning phenomenon realized by both reduced energy cost for a given workload and more external work at the same prepractice metabolic and attentional energy expenditure. "Self-optimization" of movement parameters has been proposed to reflect learned motor adaptations that minimize energy costs. Twelve men aged 22.

Aging effects on visual reaction time in a single task condition and when treadmill walking.

Visual reaction time (RT) was measured in 10 older men (mean age, 71.1 years) and gender-matched controls (mean age, 26.3 years) when standing (single task) and when walking on a motor-driven treadmill (dual task).

Aging effects on the metabolic and cognitive energy cost of interlimb coordination.

Many everyday motor tasks have high metabolic energy demands, and some require extended practice to learn the required coordination between limbs. Eight older (73.1 +/- 4.

Control of lead and trail limbs during obstacle crossing following stroke.

Background And Purpose: Obstacle crossing is compromised following stroke. The purpose of this study was to quantify modifications during obstacle clearance following stroke.

Subjects: Twelve subjects with stroke and 12 subjects without stroke participated in the study.

Impact of an after-hours on-call emergency physician on ambulance transports from a county jail.

Objective: The authors sought to determine if the availability of an after-hours on-call emergency physician by telephone for consultation to the staff at a county jail would safely reduce ambulance emergency department (ED) transport of inmates in the community.

Methods: The authors conducted a prospective comparison study during the first ten months of an emergency physician on-call program for the county jail in which prospective data were collected on all consultations, including reason for call and disposition (ambulance, deputy, or no ED transport of inmate). They compared this time with a similar period a year before the program in terms of total ambulance transports from the jail.

The effects of improved strength on obstacle negotiation in community-living older adults.

Poor mobility has been associated with age-related deterioration in muscle strength. While previous work has examined the effects of improved strength on level walking, we have quantified the effects of a resistance-training program on obstructed gait tasks using biomechanical-dependent measures. Forty-five community-dwelling participants aged 62 years or older were randomised to either a control (n=16) or experimental group (n=29).

Visual perception of movement kinematics and the acquisition of "action prototypes".

Recognizing a class of movements as belonging to a "nominal" action category, such as walking, running, or throwing, is a fundamental human ability. Three experiments were undertaken to test the hypothesis that common ("prototypical") features of moving displays could be learned by observation. Participants viewed moving stick-figure displays resembling forearm flexion movements in the sagittal plane.

The relationship between lower body strength and obstructed gait in community-dwelling older adults.

Objectives: To determine the relationship between lower body strength of community-dwelling older adults and the time to negotiate obstructed gait tasks.

Design: A correlational study.

Setting: The Biomechanics Laboratory, Deakin University, Australia.