Background: Work-related low-back disorders (WLBDs) are one of the most frequent and costly musculoskeletal conditions. It has been showed that WLBDs may occur when intervertebral or torso equilibrium is altered by a biomechanical perturbations or neuromuscular control error. The capacity to react to such disturbances is heavily determined by the spinal stability, provided by active and passive tissues and controlled by the central nervous system.
Research Question: This study aims to investigate trunk stability through the Lyapunov's maximum exponent during repetitive liftings in relation to risk level, as well as to evaluate its ability to discriminate these risk levels.
Methods: Fifteen healthy volunteers performed fatiguing lifting tasks at three different frequencies corresponding to low, medium, and high risk levels according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) equation. We investigated changes in spinal stability during fatiguing lifting tasks at different risk levels using the maximum Lyapunov's index (λ) computed from trunk accelerations recorded by placing three IMUs at pelvis, lower and upper spine levels. A two-way repeated-measures ANOVA was performed to determine if there was any significant effect on λ among the three risk levels and the time (start, mid, and end of the task). Additionally, we examined the Pearson's correlation of λ with the trunk muscle co-activation, computed from trunk sEMG.
Results: Our findings show an increase in trunk stability with increasing risk level and as the lifting task progressed over time. A negative correlation between λ and trunk co-activation was observed which illustrates that the increase in spinal stability could be partially attributed to increased trunk muscle co-activation.
Significance: This study highlights the possibility of generating stability measures from kinematic data as risk assessment features in fatiguing tasks which may prove useful to detect the risk of developing work-related low back pain disorders and allow the implementation of early ergonomic interventions.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2023.03.001 | DOI Listing |
Ann Thorac Surg Short Rep
December 2023
Division of Cardiac Surgery, Western University, London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ontario, Canada.
Background: The objective of this study was to report the 5-year outcomes of hybrid arch frozen elephant trunk (FET) procedures with a multibranched hybrid graft.
Methods: Between 2014 and 2020, 50 consecutive patients (63 ± 15 years old; 34% women) underwent hybrid arch FET with Thoraflex hybrid graft (Terumo Aortic) at a single center. Indications included aortic aneurysm (n = 48 [96%]), acute aortic dissection (n = 10 [20%]), and chronic dissection (n = 20 [40%]).
PLoS One
January 2025
Falls, Balance and Injury Research Centre, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia.
Background: Treadmill belt perturbations have high clinical feasibility for use in perturbation-based training in older people, but their kinematic validity is unclear. This study examined the kinematic validity of treadmill belt accelerations as a surrogate for overground walkway trips during gait in older people.
Methods: Thirty-eight community-dwelling older people were exposed to two unilateral belt accelerations (8 m s-2) whilst walking on a split-belt treadmill and two trips induced by a 14 cm trip-board whilst walking on a walkway with condition presentation randomised.
Vet Res Commun
January 2025
Department of Biomaterials and Medical Devices Engineering, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Roosevelta 40, Zabrze, 41-800, Poland.
Chronic instability at the lumbosacral junction, particularly between the L7 vertebra and the sacral bone, presents significant challenges in veterinary orthopedics, especially for large breed dogs. This condition frequently results in severe pain, neurological deficits, and mobility impairments, prompting the development of various surgical techniques aimed at effectively stabilizing the affected area. A critical evaluation of the literature on surgical stabilization of the lumbosacral spine in dogs reveals the clinical applications, outcomes, and future directions in veterinary spinal surgery.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Neuroeng Rehabil
January 2025
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
Background: Motion complexity is necessary for adapting to external changes, but little is known about trunk motion complexity during seated perturbation in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). We aimed to investigate changes following SCI in trunk segmental motion complexity across different perturbation directions and how they affect postural control ability in individuals with SCI.
Methods: A total of 17 individuals with SCI and 18 healthy controls participated in challenging sagittal-seated perturbations with hand protection.
Front Physiol
December 2024
Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Prolonged sitting leads to a slumped posture, which indirectly influences spinal curvature and increases low back and hamstring stiffness. Active rather than passive recovery is an effective way to reduce the risks associated with such prolonged inactivity. However, it remains to be investigated which of the exercises frequently used for this purpose, the trunk stability and foam rolling exercise, is more beneficial.
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