Journal article
Amplitude effects of medio-lateral mechanical and visual perturbations on gait
Journal of biomechanics, Vol.45(11), pp.1979-1986
07/26/2012
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2012.05.006
PMCID: PMC9152765
PMID: 22648147
Abstract
Falls during walking are a major contributor to accidental deaths and injuries that can result in debilitating hospitalization costs, lost productivity, and diminished quality of life. To reduce these losses, we must develop a more profound understanding of the characteristic responses to perturbations similar to those encountered in daily life. This study addresses this issue by building on our earlier studies that examined mechanical and visual perturbations in the same environment by applying the same continuous pseudo-random perturbations at multiple (3 mechanical, 5 visual) amplitudes. Walking variability during mechanical perturbations increased significantly with amplitude for all subjects and differences as measured by variabilities of step width, COM position, and COM velocity. These parameters were the only ones sensitive to the presence of visual perturbations, but none of them changed significantly with perturbation amplitude. Additionally, visual perturbation effects were far less consistent across participants, with several who were essentially unaffected by visual perturbations at any level. The homogeneity of the mechanical perturbation effects demonstrates that human responses to mechanical perturbations are similar because they are driven by kinetics that require similar corrections that must be made in order to maintain balance. Conversely, responses to visual perturbations are driven by the perceived need to make corrections and this perception is not accurate enough to produce amplitude-related corrections, even for a single participant, nor is this perception consistent across individuals. This latter finding is likely to be relevant to future visual perturbation studies and the diagnosis and rehabilitation of gait and balance disorders.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Amplitude effects of medio-lateral mechanical and visual perturbations on gait
- Creators
- Kevin Terry - Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USAEmily H Sinitski - Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, Center for the Intrepid, Brooke Army Medical Center, Ft. Sam Houston, TX, USAJonathan B Dingwell - Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USAJason M Wilken - Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, Center for the Intrepid, Brooke Army Medical Center, Ft. Sam Houston, TX, USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of biomechanics, Vol.45(11), pp.1979-1986
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2012.05.006
- PMID
- 22648147
- PMCID
- PMC9152765
- NLM abbreviation
- J Biomech
- ISSN
- 0021-9290
- eISSN
- 1873-2380
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 07/26/2012
- Academic Unit
- Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science
- Record Identifier
- 9984047875802771
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