Gait & posture最新文献

{"title":"Effects of carbon fiber custom dynamic orthosis stiffness on lower limb motion and loading during gait: A pilot study","authors":"Kirsten M. Anderson ,&nbsp;Wesley J. Gari ,&nbsp;Sara M. Magdziarz ,&nbsp;Molly S. Pacha ,&nbsp;Donald D. Anderson ,&nbsp;Jason M. Wilken","doi":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.05.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.05.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Traumatic lower limb injuries can have long-lasting detrimental effects. Carbon fiber custom dynamic orthoses (CDOs) are used to improve function, reduce pain, and alter foot loading following such injuries. Most prior investigations in this area have focused on very stiff CDOs designed to return patients back to physically demanding activities, with few studies evaluating more compliant CDOs.</div></div><div><h3>Research question</h3><div>Does CDO stiffness influence gait kinematics and kinetics, ground reaction forces, and forces acting on the foot in individuals following traumatic injury.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Seven individuals who had sustained a unilateral distal tibia intra-articular fracture completed testing without an orthosis and in three CDOs of differing stiffnesses (Compliant, Moderate, Stiff). Biomechanical gait data were collected while participants walked at a controlled speed. Instrumented insoles were used to measure peak forces and force impulse for the hindfoot, midfoot, forefoot, and total foot.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Significant effects on joint kinematics and kinetics were primarily observed at the ankle. All CDOs significantly reduced ankle motion and power compared to walking without a CDO. Moderate and Stiff CDOs both significantly reduced knee flexion at initial contact. All CDOs significantly reduced peak medial and braking ground reaction forces compared to walking without a CDO. Peak hindfoot force was significantly reduced with Compliant and Stiff CDOs. Peak forefoot force and forefoot force impulse were significantly reduced with all CDOs. Large effect sizes were observed for most significant pairwise comparisons.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>Study CDOs similarly reduced ankle motion while allowing greater power generation compared to very stiff CDOs in previous publications. Peak hindfoot force, peak forefoot force, and forefoot force impulse were significantly reduced with CDO use. The limited effect of CDO stiffness on outcomes suggests that more compliant CDOs may be sufficient in individuals where pain with motion and loading is a primary consideration following traumatic injury.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12496,"journal":{"name":"Gait & posture","volume":"121 ","pages":"Pages 182-189"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144190112","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Walking speed and incline impact on mediolateral-stability control","authors":"Nanami Kanda ,&nbsp;Naohiko Kanemura ,&nbsp;Keisuke Hirata","doi":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.05.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.05.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Controlling and stabilizing the body are crucial for walking on an inclined path. Healthy individuals adjust their gait to improve stability by reducing stride length and increasing cadence. Incline influences anteroposterior stability; however, its effects on mediolateral stability are inconclusive.</div></div><div><h3>Research question</h3><div>What are the effects of walking inclination and speed on mediolateral stability using foot placement quantified by explained variance (EV)?</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Fifteen healthy young adults walked on a treadmill under four speed (moderate 0.83 m/s, fast 1.0 m/s) and grade (0 and +6° inclines) combinations. The participants wore markers and surface electromyography (EMG) electrodes. A motion-capture system captured the three-dimensional marker data. The relative EV was used to calculate the ratio between the predicted and actual foot-placement variances. The EV and EMG parameters were tested to identify statistically significant differences between conditions.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Two-way analysis of variance revealed no significant interaction between the condition and speed in EV and most EMG measurements, except for the vastus medialis (<em>p</em> = 0.03). Additionally, speed and incline significantly affected all EMG values (<em>p</em> = 0.001–0.04 and 0.0001–0.003, respectively); however, incline did not affect EV. The EMG was higher in incline than in the level condition.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>Foot placement was used to identify the effects of walking inclination and speed on mediolateral stability control. Walking speed and incline affect mediolateral stability and muscle activation differently, with higher speeds improving stability and incline increasing quadriceps activation. This highlights the need to incorporate varied speeds and targeted muscle strengthening in rehabilitation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12496,"journal":{"name":"Gait & posture","volume":"121 ","pages":"Pages 155-159"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144147193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Medial meniscus extrusion during squatting is correlated with lower limb kinematics in patients with knee osteoarthritis","authors":"Kohei Matsumura ,&nbsp;Yosuke Ishii ,&nbsp;Atsuo Nakamae ,&nbsp;Akinori Nekomoto ,&nbsp;Takato Hashizume ,&nbsp;Riko Okinaka ,&nbsp;Miharu Sugimoto ,&nbsp;Minoru Toriyama ,&nbsp;Makoto Takahashi ,&nbsp;Nobuo Adachi","doi":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.05.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.05.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Increased medial meniscal extrusion (MME) under mechanical stress is a risk factor associated with progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Patients with knee OA often have unique features of abnormal kinematics during squatting, which might induce joint loading and increased MME; however, the detailed relationships involved remains unknown.</div></div><div><h3>Research question</h3><div>In this study, we investigated the effects of knee kinematics on increased MME during squatting in patients with knee OA.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Sixteen patients with symptomatic knee OA (mean age 56.31 ± 11.46 years) performed squatting in a laboratory setting. Three-dimensional motion analysis was collected focusing on tibial internal rotation, femoral posterior translation. MME dynamics were assessed using ultrasonography, and increases in MME on the waveform of the MME were calculated as the difference in MME between the two points of maximum and initial minimum flexion of the knee joint during squatting.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The waveform and peak of MME were in line with the tibial internal rotation. A significant positive correlation was found between the increase in MME and tibial internal rotation (r = 0.663, p = 0.007), but not the femoral posterior translation.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>Greater tibial internal rotation was correlated with increased MME during squatting in patients with knee OA. These findings contribute to the understanding of the mechanical pathophysiology of knee OA.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12496,"journal":{"name":"Gait & posture","volume":"121 ","pages":"Pages 203-208"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144212363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of Becker muscular dystrophy on gait patterns: Insights from biomechanical analysis","authors":"Shunxiang Gao ,&nbsp;Yang Song ,&nbsp;Dong Sun ,&nbsp;Xuanzhen Cen ,&nbsp;Meizi Wang ,&nbsp;Zhenghui Lu ,&nbsp;Yaodong Gu","doi":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.05.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.05.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Current research on muscular dystrophy primarily focuses on Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) with early onset. However, studies on gait characteristics in Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) patients with later onset, particularly those diagnosed after the age of 16, remain limited. The late onset of symptoms may disrupt previously established gait patterns, potentially leading to unique compensatory mechanisms and clinical outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Research question</h3><div>This study aims to investigate gait characteristics and plantar pressure distribution in BMD patients with symptom onset after the age of 16.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Seven male BMD patients diagnosed after the age of 16 and ten healthy male controls were recruited. Changes in gait kinematics and kinetics were analyzed using statistical nonparametric mapping (SnPM), plantar pressure was measured, and symmetry angles (SA) were calculated.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>BMD patients exhibited greater anterior pelvic tilt and increased hip flexion during the stance phase (StP), along with higher peak hip extension moments in the early StP, knee hyperextension and insufficient knee extension moments in the early StP, higher knee flexion during the swing phase, and sustained ankle dorsiflexion at the end of the StP. Plantar pressure was increased at the heel, while pressures in the medial and lateral metatarsal regions, as well as the hallux and lesser toes, were significantly lower. SA results indicated a tendency to apply greater pressure on the non-dominant leg.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>BMD patients with symptom onset after the age of 16 exhibit gait compensation patterns similar to those observed in some DMD patients, with distinct differences in ankle joint behavior that warrant further investigation. Plantar pressure distribution may serve as potential clinical indicators for assessing disease progression</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12496,"journal":{"name":"Gait & posture","volume":"121 ","pages":"Pages 160-165"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144167618","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Task-specific differentiation of patellofemoral pain in women using a neural network analysis of joint angle subsets","authors":"Leticia Delgado Borges ,&nbsp;Gabor József Barton ,&nbsp;Silvio Antonio Garbelotti Junior ,&nbsp;Fabiano Politti ,&nbsp;Cintia Lopes Ferreira ,&nbsp;Paulo Roberto Garcia Lucareli","doi":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.05.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.05.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Individuals with patellofemoral pain (PFP) present mechanical disorders during functional tests and activities. Studies often evaluate this population to understand the relationship between mechanical factors and pain/malalignment.</div><div>This study aimed to identify how different groupings of kinematic variables can differentiate asymptomatic women from women with PFP in various functional tasks.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Thirty-five women with PFP and thirty-five women without PFP underwent three-dimensional kinematic evaluation of seven functional tasks. All were physically active and aged between 18 and 30 years old. Seven kinematic variables were selected and grouped into four sets for each task and group (PFP and control): Proximal, Local, Distal and Malalignment. The kinematic sets differentiate the groups using the neural network-based Movement Deviation Profile (MDP). To compare the magnitude of the MDP results of the variable sets, Z-scores were used, expressing the MDP results in units of standard deviation of the control group after mean correction.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The most discriminative sets varied by task. The Distal set best separated the groups during landing, and the Proximal+Local set during propulsion. The Proximal set was most discriminative for stair ascent, while the Proximal+Distal set performed best for stair descent. Malalignment variables showed greater differences in lateral step down, forward step down, and walking.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Kinematic variable sets, alone or in combination, can distinguish women with PFP from asymptomatic individuals in a task-specific manner. Women with PFP appear to adopt adaptable movement strategies depending on the task. These findings may improve clinical assessment and guide treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12496,"journal":{"name":"Gait & posture","volume":"121 ","pages":"Pages 225-232"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144241049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Uncovering age-related differences in foot trajectory patterns during obstacle crossing: Statistical parametric mapping approach","authors":"Yuki Suda ,&nbsp;Kentaro Kodama ,&nbsp;Yu Ozawa ,&nbsp;Ryota Sakurai","doi":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.04.034","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.04.034","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Falls in older adults frequently occur during obstacle crossing. Recent investigations have focused on age-related differences in foot trajectory patterns throughout the swing phase of obstacle crossing. However, a standardized method for comparing these differences has not been established. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) is advantageous for comparing time-series data and may be applicable to foot trajectory data.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to elucidate age-related differences in foot trajectory patterns using SPM.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted a secondary analysis of data from Sakurai et al. (2021), involving 72 older (78.04 ± 5.74 years) and 76 younger (28.36 ± 7.84 years) adults. Participants were required to walk and cross a 15 cm-high obstacle four times. The foot trajectory pattern was calculated using the toe height throughout one step (i.e., the swing phase from toe-off to heel contact) when the leading limb crossed the obstacle. The patterns were normalized based on the time required for each step. Differences in foot trajectory patterns were compared between age groups using a non-paired <em>t</em>-test SPM.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Older adults exhibited higher toe heights preceding obstacle crossing and lower toe heights before landing compared to younger adults. This indicates that age-related differences in the foot trajectory patterns occurred both before obstacle crossing and landing.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our novel approach demonstrates the utility of SPM in capturing foot trajectory patterns during obstacle crossing and provides evidence that age-related characteristics may be overlooked by confining analysis solely to the moment of obstacle crossing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12496,"journal":{"name":"Gait & posture","volume":"121 ","pages":"Pages 135-138"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143948673","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Auditory-motor synchronization and interlimb coordination when walking to metronomes with different tempi and structures: A comparison study of children with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder","authors":"Mieke Goetschalckx ,&nbsp;Peter Feys ,&nbsp;Eugene Rameckers ,&nbsp;Bart Moens ,&nbsp;Nele Vanbilsen ,&nbsp;Marc Leman ,&nbsp;Lousin Moumdjian","doi":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.04.032","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.04.032","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Background&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting motor coordination, impacting daily-life activities like walking. Accurate sensorimotor interactions are crucial for optimal coordination. Auditory-motor synchronization paradigms allow to examine these interactions with tempo and temporal structure of auditory stimuli potentially influencing synchronization and coordination. Therefore, this study aims to investigate auditory-motor synchronization and interlimb coordination in children with DCD and typically developing children (TDC) during walking.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Research question&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;What is the impact of metronome characteristics (tempo, temporal structure) on auditory-motor synchronization, interlimb coordination and spatiotemporal variability in children with and without DCD during walking to auditory metronomes?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Twenty-one DCD and 22 TDC children walked for three minutes to auditory metronomes with different tempi and temporal structures. Synchronization, interlimb coordination and spatiotemporal variability were analyzed using mixed model analysis.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;DCD presented lower synchronization consistency, inferior interlimb coordination and higher gait variability (speed, step length) across all tempi and temporal structures. At preferred tempo, both groups demonstrated best synchronization and interlimb coordination. The least synchronization and coordination were observed at lower tempo, with DCD additionally showing diminished tempo matching and increased cadence variability. Discrete structures optimized synchronization accuracy and continuous structures enhanced interlimb coordination accuracy.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusion&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The study highlights difficulties in auditory-motor synchronization, interlimb coordination and spatiotemporal variability in DCD during walking, which were enlarged at lower tempo. Considering various tempi and temporal structures can enrich walking assessments and protentional interventions for DCD.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;What this paper adds&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This paper contributes to the understanding of auditory-motor synchronization and interlimb coordination in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and typically developing children (TDC) during walking. This study expands previous research by exploring the impact of varied tempi and temporal structures on synchronization and interlimb coordination, which has been a relatively unexplored area in the context of DCD.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;The key findings suggest that children with DCD exhibit lower synchronization consistency and interlimb coordination compared to their typically developing peers across different tempi and temporal structures. We extend previous findings of tapping literature that optimal synchronization and coordination was present at 0 % tempo. Additionally, worsened performance was found at lower audi","PeriodicalId":12496,"journal":{"name":"Gait & posture","volume":"121 ","pages":"Pages 139-149"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143948672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Postural alignment during unsupported walking following acquired brain injury: Application of a new measure","authors":"Jack A. Beard ,&nbsp;Gavin Williams ,&nbsp;Benjamin F. Mentiplay ,&nbsp;Simon J. Mills ,&nbsp;Michelle Kahn","doi":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.05.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.05.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Impaired postural alignment is commonly observed following acquired brain injury (ABI), and improved postural alignment is associated with mobility recovery in the pre-ambulant phase (i.e. sitting and standing) following ABI. It is unknown whether this association exists for walking.</div></div><div><h3>Research questions</h3><div>This study aimed to; i) determine whether the postural alignment and dispersion (PAD) score, previously validated in sitting and standing, can be applied to quantify postural alignment during walking in people with ABI, and ii) whether the PAD discriminates those with slower and faster self-selected walking speed.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Forty-two adults with mobility limitations following ABI, who could walk without assistance for 10 m, and 34 healthy controls (HCs) underwent three-dimensional gait analysis at their self-selected walking speed. Outcome measures were the PAD score (whole-body postural alignment), walking speed (m/s), lateral centre of mass displacement (dynamic postural control), and the Gait Profile Score (walking quality). Outcome measures were evaluated for between-group differences (<em>t</em>-tests and Cohen’s <em>d</em> effect size) and individual incidence of abnormality.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Adults with ABI had significantly higher PAD scores compared to HCs (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05; ES &gt; 0.49). Within the ABI cohort, PAD scores were not significantly different at both more affected (p &gt; 0.05; ES 0.37) and less affected (p &gt; 0.05; ES 0) midstance between faster (≥ 0.8 m/s) and slower walkers (&lt; 0.8 m/s). In contrast, dynamic postural control and walking quality were significantly worse in those participants who walked slower (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.01; ES &gt; 0.80). Prevalence of abnormality was low, capturing 19 % and 26 % of participants for the more affected and less affected lower limb PAD scores.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>Preliminary evidence suggests postural alignment may be impaired during walking in people with ABI. The PAD did not discriminate between slower or faster walkers within the ABI cohort. Further research is required to determine the optimal method for measuring postural alignment during walking.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12496,"journal":{"name":"Gait & posture","volume":"121 ","pages":"Pages 123-128"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143936860","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Examining virtual reality's influence on kinetic variables for obstacle crossing in Parkinson's disease","authors":"Rezvan Bakhtiyarian ,&nbsp;Mahdi Majlesi ,&nbsp;Elaheh Azadian ,&nbsp;Makwan Jabar Ali","doi":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.05.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.05.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) commonly experience postural instability during walking and obstacle crossing. Previous research has explored virtual reality (VR) as a rehabilitation tool that affects gait.</div></div><div><h3>Research Question</h3><div>How does a virtual reality environment influence the kinetic characteristics of gait during obstacle crossing in individuals with Parkinson's disease compared to real-world conditions?</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The study included 15 individuals with PD and 17 matched healthy control participants. The moment and power of lower extremity joints during walking and obstacle crossing conditions in real and VR environments were measured using three-dimensional motion analysis and force platforms.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results indicate that individuals with PD demonstrated higher hip extensor moments during normal gait (NG) and obstacle crossing (OBS) tasks, accompanied by lower hip flexor moments compared to the control group. Moreover, PD individuals exhibited increased internal rotation hip joint moments during VR obstacle crossing (VR-OBS) tasks compared to NG.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Walking in a VR environment altered the kinetic status in both groups, potentially due to cautious walking to maintain stability. The greatest difference between the two groups was observed in the magnitude of joint moment in the sagittal plane, likely influenced by differences in walking speed. These findings underscore the unique joint moment patterns exhibited by PD patients during various tasks. Walking in a VR environment impacts the kinetic parameters of gait, which may have implications for designing rehabilitation programs aimed at improving gait stability in PD individuals. Clinically, these kinetic alterations highlight VR’s potential as a safe modality for gait rehabilitation and fall prevention in PD.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12496,"journal":{"name":"Gait & posture","volume":"121 ","pages":"Pages 85-92"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143912157","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of tri-planar lower-limb kinematics and the association with tibial torsion in back-carried children. A statistical parametric mapping approach","authors":"Mariaan van Aswegen ,&nbsp;Stanisław H. Czyż ,&nbsp;Sarah J. Moss ,&nbsp;Mark Kramer","doi":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.05.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.05.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Lower-limb kinematic and temporospatial differences between back-carried (BC) and non-back-carried (NBC) children are expected based on previous static lower-limb relationships reported in BC children. Back-carrying of children is common among South Africans and becoming popular among Westerners. Establishing the potential effects of back-carrying on lower-limb development and gait is therefore important.</div></div><div><h3>Research question</h3><div>Does BC influence the tri-planar instantaneous lower-limb kinematics and temporospatial parameters of the full gait cycle in children, and is there an association between static tibial torsion and the lower-limb gait kinematics?</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Twelve NBC (age = 8.00 ± 0.95 years) and 12 BC (age = 8.08 ± 0.79 years) children were selected. Tri-planar kinematics of the hip, knee, and ankle were captured during gait using an eight-camera motion analysis system and Visual3D software to extract the kinematic data. All static tibial torsion were measured goniometrically. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) was used to compare joint kinematics during the gait cycle and the association of tibial torsion throughout the gait cycle.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>SPM revealed significant differences between BC and NBC participants in hip kinematics (mean difference = 2.49°, p = 0.016) at 52–66 % of the gait cycle and knee joint kinematics (mean difference = 3.00°, p = 0.026) at 34–41 % of the gait cycle. Temporospatial differences were non-significant for speed, stride length, stance time, and stride width (p = 0.80, g_Hedges = 0.10). Significant correlations were evident between static tibial torsion and joint kinematics for the knee (r = -0.44 to −0.69, p = 0.041) for BC children and for the ankle (r = 0.74–0.75, p = 0.025) in NBC children. Larger internal tibial torsion is associated with more in-toeing and internal knee rotation during the swing phase in back-carried children.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>A discrete comparison of kinematics in BC versus NBC children did not yield significant differences, while differences were observed using the SPM. The observed differences are likely of limited clinical importance, implying that caregivers can continue to BC their children.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12496,"journal":{"name":"Gait & posture","volume":"121 ","pages":"Pages 115-122"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143917564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}