No description available.

A great deal of research has been done on the adaptive strategies of individuals who have been affected by a gait altering ailment, but there is little research on the adaptive strategies to imposed restrictions in the healthy population. The role of the ankle in healthy gait is to generate a “push-off” force to create forward propulsion of the body (Winter, 2004). The purpose of this thesis was to identify adaptation patterns and compensation strategies in individuals while wearing and not wearing a device to reduce ankle motion(Ankle Motion Minimizer – AMM). Motion capture and force plate data were collected to determine the lower body kinematics and joint powers during both level ground walking and obstacle avoidance tasks. Repeated Measure ANOVAs with an alpha level of 0.05 determined that differences in the ankle angles and the ankle, knee, and hip powers existed between the various conditions. Results showed that participants had a decreased range of motion and power production at the ankle joint while wearing the AMM. Meanwhile, an increase in the power bursts from the ipsilateral knee were observed during the AMM conditions as well as small increases at the contralateral ankle and ipsilateral hip during the unilateral AMM condition. EMG analysis showed a distinct muscle activation pattern for each individual muscle during the different conditions. From this investigation, individuals who are unable to produce power through the ankle joint, were able to increase power propulsion predominately at the knee to compensate for the lack of propulsion provided by the ankle, therefore allowing ambulation to continue.

Purpose of study: Examine ASO (soft) and Malleoloc semi-rigid stirrup (SRS) ankle orthosis designs on ankle kinematics during field-sport movements: sprint, one-legged jump, and 45-degree cut. Participants: 13 competitive Ultimate players who regularly wore an ankle orthosis during physical activity. Methods: ASO or Malleoloc orthosis was randomly assigned to each person. Kinematic data were captured while the participants performed several trials for each movement in a motion analysis laboratory. Participants repeated the protocol with the other orthosis. Results: ASO allowed significantly more plantar-flexion during weight acceptance of the planting foot in cutting (p=0.038). In jumping, the Malleoloc allowed significantly more eversion-inversion range during stance (p=0.048) and eversion-inversion angular velocity from midstance to toe-off (p=0.026). Qualitative data also showed a significant preference for ASO. Conclusion: Hypotheses that ankle inversion and eversion would be greater with the ASO; and plantar-flexion and dorsiflexion would be greater with the Malleoloc were refuted.

No description available.

The act of raising the heel up is an essential portion of the gait cycle in humans, comprising the third rocker in the gait cycle. This act further demands specific motions from the hindfoot, and the surrounding structures. These motions have been previously studied and are reasonably well understood. End-stage osteoarthritis of the ankle (or ESOA) has been theorized to affect not only the ankle joint, but the same joints required for heel rise. (i.e. - hindfoot, lower leg, and foot) In the present research, the powerful effect that ESOA has on the lower leg, hindfoot and forefoot biomechanical relationship was demonstrated as significantly different from that of healthy age and sex-matched controls. This has implications not only for further research, but potentially treatment as well.

The act of raising the heel up is an essential portion of the gait cycle in humans, comprising the third rocker in the gait cycle. This act further demands specific motions from the hindfoot, and the surrounding structures. These motions have been previously studied and are reasonably well understood. End-stage osteoarthritis of the ankle (or ESOA) has been theorized to affect not only the ankle joint, but the same joints required for heel rise. (i.e. - hindfoot, lower leg, and foot) In the present research, the powerful effect that ESOA has on the lower leg, hindfoot and forefoot biomechanical relationship was demonstrated as significantly different from that of healthy age and sex-matched controls. This has implications not only for further research, but potentially treatment as well.

Thesis (M.S.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Kinesiology, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Indiana University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M.S.)--Humboldt State University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 30-34). Also available via Humboldt Digital Scholar.

Thesis (M.S.)--Universiity of Toledo, 2007. / Typescript. "Submitted as partial fulfillment of the requirements for The Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering." "A thesis entitled"--at head of title. Bibliography: leaves 131-145.