M.Tech. (Chiropractic) / During gait the force transferred through the body is dived between the two lower limbs, according to Kaplan, Barak & Spiel (2012) this force should to be constant and equal with each gait cycle in an asymptomatic individual. In the presence of spinal dysfunction there is an alteration of sensory motor integration as a result of impaired proprioception (Taylor & Murphy, 2007), this altered proprioception may then produce a negative effect on the fore distribution during gait, resulting in abnormal biomechanics and an altered gait pattern. Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to restore normal biomechanics to the spine and in so doing improve proprioception. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of cervical and lumbar chiropractic adjustments on the force distribution through the lower limbs during gait. Method: Thirty participants between the ages of 18 and 45 were invited to participate in the study. The details of the study were fully explained to each participant, after which an informed consent form was signed, followed by a full physical examination to determine if the potential participant was eligible for inclusion in the study, and did not have any of the following exclusion criteria. Individuals suffering from any form of mechanical back pain, hip, knee and ankle pathologies, females, and individuals were manipulation was contra-indicated were excluded from the study. A full lumbar or cervical spine examination was then performed in order to test for joint dysfunction. The participants then underwent gait testing after which they then received either a cervical or lumbar spine adjustment to the dysfunctioning joint. Procedure: The participants received a total of seven chiropractic adjustments with the objective data being recorded on the first, fourth and seventh consultations. The objective data was captured with the Zebris FDM gait analysis system. The system consisted of a 3 meter long sensory platform that is built into the floor, the pressure platform was made up of multiple force sensors arranged in a matrix of columns and rows and was capable of measuring the exact force through each lower limb during gait. The recorded sensory information was transferred to the WinFDM program which then interpreted all the data.

M.Tech. (Chiropractic) / Problem Statement: Ankle sprains are one of the most common acute injuries treated by physicians (Pellow & Brantingham, 2001). Most ankle sprains involve the lateral ankle ligaments, with the anterior tibiotalar ligament being the most commonly affected in injuries involving plantarflexion and inversion. These injuries often result in restriction of movements that will limit gait (Crosbie, Green, Refshauge, 1999). Even in the event of injury to one ankle, the sensorimotor and postural deficits can be bilateral due to central processing of motor control information (Munna et. al., 2010, Monaghan et. al., 2006). The primary aim of a chiropractic adjustment is to increase joint range of motion (Fryer, Mudge, McLaughlin, 2002) and to correct local joint dysfunction (Pellow & Brantingham, 2001). No prior research has been done using the Zebris FDM-system to analyze changes in gait after ankle adjustment. Method: Sixty participants between the age of 15 and 45 years were recruited. The participants were asked to sign a consent form after which a thorough case history, full physical exam and foot and ankle regional examination were performed. Participants were included in the study if they were of the correct age, had a chronic history of minor ankle sprain and had palpable motion restrictions of ankle joint range of motion. Participants were excluded if they had a history of severe ankle injury or ankle surgery, had any contraindications to chiropractic adjustment or were currently undergoing any other treatment that could interfere with the study, including the use of certain medications. Each participant underwent a gait assessment before and after they received a chiropractic adjustment to the restricted ankle joint. Procedure: Objective measurements were obtained using the Zebris FDM-system before and after participants received one chiropractic adjustment using a long axis distraction technique. The Zebris FDM-system uses capacitive force sensors arranged on a platform in a high density. The measuring plate allows dynamic force distribution to be analysed during gait. The length of the Zebris platform allowed successive footfalls to be captured and measurements taken during three full gait cycles were used in the analysis. All data was processed using the WinFDM program to produce a gait report (Zebris Medical GmbH, 2008) Results: A statistically significant change was seen in the single support line on the non-adjusted side. Changes were measured in the other gait parameters although they were not statistically significant. Conclusion: This study has shown that chiropractic adjustment of the ankle joint has an effect on the path of centre of pressure and foot rotation during gait. It also helps clinicians to see that the adjustment has a bilateral effect. Future studies will be able to determine whether this is a positive or a negative outcome as the limits of normal and pathological gait using these parameters have not yet been set. Chiropractors can treat patients with a history of chronic ankle sprain more effectively if they have a better understanding of residual motion restrictions and movement patterns after acute ankle sprain. A future study including several treatments could be beneficial as clinical chiropractic practice would most likely involve more than one treatment of a patient with a history of ankle sprain. In this way the lasting and accumulative effects of chiropractic adjustment could be measured.

No description available.

Thesis (MScPhysio)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: A functional gait forms an integral part of life, allowing individuals to function within their environment and participate in activities of daily living. The evaluation of gait forms an essential part of a physical examination and can help screen for physical impairments. To the researchers‟ knowledge no 3D gait analysis studies of this nature have been conducted in South Africa. South African gait analysis laboratory protocols and procedures may differ from laboratories in other countries; therefore a South African data base of normative values is required to make a valid assessment of South African children‟s gait. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to describe kinematics and spatiotemporal parameters of gait of typically developed children between the ages of 6-10 years in the Cape Metropole of the Western Cape, South Africa. METHODOLOGY: A descriptive study was conducted. Twenty-eight typically developed children were conveniently sampled from aftercare facilities and schools were performed in the Cape Metropole in the Western Cape, South Africa. The three-dimensional (3D) lower limb kinematics and spatiotemporal parameters of gait were analyzed. For data capture, the lower limb Plug-in-Gait (PIG) marker placement was used. Participants were asked to walk bare footed at self-selected speed. Due to a small sample size, children were also sub-divided into two groups (Group A: 6-8 years and Group B: 9-10 years) for comparison. Means and standard deviations (SD) were calculated for all outcomes, followed by statistical tests to determine significant differences between the two sub-groups for spatiotemporal parameters and kinematics. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between the sub-groups for all the non-normalized spatiotemporal parameters. A statistical significant difference between the sub-groups for the mean hip rotation minimum values (p=0.036) was found. There was no significant difference between the sub-groups for any other kinematic parameter or when comparing the normalized spatiotemporal parameters. CONCLUSION: This study provides descriptive gait parameters that can be used for comparison or gait analysis purposes. Our results suggest that normalized spatiotemporal parameters showed no significant difference between the age groups and are consistent with international children‟s spatiotemporal parameters. Kinematic values showed significant changes with hip rotation. Older children had more external rotation at their hips. KEYWORDS: 3D gait analysis, walking, children, spatiotemporal parameters, kinematics. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: INLEIDING: „n Funksionele stap is „n essensiële deel van die lewe wat mens toelaat om in jou omgewing te funksioneer en om deel te neem aan daaglikse aktiwiteite. Evaluasie van stap is „n belangrike deel van die fisiese evaluasie en kan help om te sif vir fisiese verswakking of abnormaliteite. So ver hierdie navorsers weet, is hierdie die eerste loop analise studie van sy soort wat in Suid-Afrika onderneem is. Suid-Afrikaanse stap-evaluasie-labrotorium protokols en prosedures mag ook dalk verskil van die in ander lande. Dus is „n Suid-Afrikaanse databasis vir normale waardes van loop nodig om „n gegronde evaluasie van Suid-Afrikaanse kinders se loopgang te kan maak. DOELWIT: Die doel van hierdie studie is om die kinematika en spatiotemporale parameters van loop te omskryf in tipies ontwikkelde kinders tussen die ouderdom van 6-10 jaar in die Kaapse Metropool en om die bevindinge tussen die twee ouderdomsgroepe te vergelyk. METODE: „n Beskrywende studie is uitgevoer. Ag-en-twintig tipies ontwikkelde kinders is van skole en nasorgfasiliteite in die Kaapse Metropool in die Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika gewerf. Die drie-dimensionele (3D) onderste ledemaat se kinematika en spatiotemporale parameters van loop is geanaliseer. Vir data insameling is die onderste ledemaat Plug-in-Gait (PIG) merker-plasing gebruik. Deelnemers is gevra om kaalvoet teen hulle eie spoed te stap. Die kinders is in die verskeie ouderdomsgroepe verdeel, maar as gevolg van klein toetsgroepgetalle, is hulle sub-verdeel in twee groepe (Groep A: 6-8 jaar en Groep B: 9-10 jaar). Beskrywende statistiese tegnieke is gebruik vir alle uitkoms maatreëls. Gemiddeldes en standaardafwykings (SA) was bereken, om beduidende verskille tussen die ouderdomsgroepe en sub-groepe te bepaal. RESULTATE: Daar is „n beduidende verskil tussen die jonger en ouer kinders vir nie-genormaliseerde spatiotemporale parameters, asook „n beduidende verskil tussen die sub-groepe vir die gemiddelde heuprotasie minimum waardes (p=0.036). Daar was geen beduidende verskil tussen die twee groepe met die ander kinematiese parameters of met genormaliseerde spatiotemporale parameters van die sub-groepe nie. GEVOLGTREKKING: Hierdie studie verskaf beskrywende statistiese data van stap-parameters wat gebruik kan word vir vergelyking met ander kinders van dieselfde ouderdomme of loop-analise doeleindes. Ons bevindinge stel voor dat genormaliseerde spatiotemporale parameters geen beduidende bevindings aandui tussen die verskeie ouderdomsgroepe nie. Dit is ook konsekwent met internasionale kinders se spatiotemporale parameterwaardes. Kinematisie waardes het beduidende verskille in heuprotatsie getoon. Ouer kinders het meer eksterne rotasie in hulle heupe in vergelyking met jonger kinders. Soos die kinders ontwikkel, verminder die heup-anteversie en die heup beweeg vanaf interne rotasie na „n relatiewe eksterne rotasie.

Exoskeletons for gait training commonly use a rigid-linked "skeleton" which makes them heavy and bulky. Cable-driven exoskeletons eliminate the rigid-linked skeleton structure, therefore creating a lighter and more transparent design. Current cable-driven leg exoskeletons are limited to gait assistance use. This thesis presented the Cable-driven Active Leg Exoskeleton (C-ALEX) designed for gait retraining and rehabilitation. Benefited from the cable-driven design, C-ALEX has minimal weight and inertia (4.7 kg) and allows all the degrees-of-freedom (DoF) of the leg of the user. C-ALEX uses an assist-as-needed (AAN) controller to train the user to walk in a new gait pattern. A preliminary design of C-ALEX was first presented, and an experiment was done with this preliminary design to study the effectiveness of the AAN controller. The result on six healthy subjects showed that the subjects were able to follow a new gait pattern significantly more accurately with the help of the AAN controller. After this experiment, C-ALEX was redesigned to improve its functionality. The improved design of C-ALEX is lighter, has more DoFs and larger range-of-motion. The controller of the improved design improved the continuity of the generated cable tensions and added the function to estimate the phase of the gait of the user in real-time. With the improved design of C-ALEX, an experiment was performed to study the effect of the weight and inertia of an exoskeleton on the gait of the user. C-ALEX was used to simulate exoskeletons with different levels of weight and inertia by adding extra mass and change the weight compensation level. The result on ten subjects showed that adding extra mass increased step length and reduced knee flexion. Compensating the weight of the mass partially restored the knee flexion but not the step length, implying that the inertia of the mass is responsible for the change. This study showed the distinctive effect of weight and inertia on gait and demonstrated the benefit of a lightweight exoskeleton. C-ALEX was designed for gait training and rehabilitation, and its training effectiveness was studied in nine healthy subjects and a stroke patient. The healthy subjects trained with C-ALEX to walk in a new gait pattern with 30% increase in step height for 40 min. After the training, the subjects were able to closely repeat the trained gait pattern without C-ALEX, and the step height of the subjects increased significantly. A stroke patient also tested C-ALEX for 40 minutes and showed short-term improvements in step length, step height, and knee flexion after training. The result showed the effectiveness of C-ALEX in gait training and its potential to be used in stroke rehabilitation.

Assessment of different gait patterns of daily living could provides useful information in studying one individual's stability and mobility during locomotion. As the foundation for better assessment of different gait patterns, the ability to automatically identity different patterns and walking surroundings provide valuable information for further understanding the relations between gait pattern and energy consumption. We apply Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) for feature generation and Fuzzy-logic based approach for designing the multi-class classifier to identify gait patterns among fiat walking, descending stairs, and ascending stairs based on continuous kinematic signals. / Falls in the aging population has always been one of the most challenging problems in public health care. We propose an automatic falling detection algorithm based on the analysis of plantar force on both feet, because plantar forces are an important parameters directly associated with postures of human locomotion. The proposed two-stage algorithm efficiently overcome the shortcomings of the widely proposed accelerometer or gyroscope based algorithms and could provide efficient assistant for automatic detection of falls once they occur. / Finally, the research of studying gait abnormalities is introduced. We develop the methodology for modeling and classifying abnormal gaits including toe-in, toe-out, over-supination, and heel walking via machine learning algorithms, hidden Markov models (HMM) and support vector machine (SVM) based on a suite of gait parameters. The trained classifiers can classify abnormal gait patterns mentioned above and the proposed methodology will make it possible to provide realtime feedback to assist persons with gait abnormalities in the development of a normal walking pattern in their daily life. / Keeping abnormal motion for long time will ultimately lead to pain in the feet, ankles, legs and skeletal disease, and badly influences the skelecton growth especially for children and adolescents. In biomedicine, gait analysis has been proved as an useful approach. in revealing helpful insights into the recognition of motion abnormalities. Analysis of gait is commonly used as a routine procedure in identifying movement or posture related abnormalities of humans and aiding the therapeutic processes. Our goal is to monitor and study gaits of humans in order that proper motion adjustments can he advised to improve their posture style and long-term well being. / Most currently utilized measurement systems for motion and gait analysis have the shortcomings of that the monitoring and analysis of motion is constrained in a limited environment and human-related assistance is essential. All of them cannot be acceptable for the purpose of long-term monitoring and studying of motion abnormalities. In this thesis, a new concept of an inexpensive, compact, and lightweight shoe-integrated platform is introduced. The shoe-integrated system is composed of a suite of sensors for wirelessly capturing gait parameters and generating well qualified analysis results. The ideal platform requires no specialized equipment or lab setup, allowing data to be collected not only in the narrow confines of a research lab, but essentially anywhere, both indoors and outdoors. / To be one of the common postural abnormalities, postural kyphosis is studied and modeled. We apply Cascade Neural Networks with Node-Decoupled Extended Kalman Filtering (CNN-NDEKF) to train the model for this binary classification problem. This proposed study is of particular significance to provide feedback in the application of postural kyphosis rectification. / Chen, Meng. / "December 2009." / Adviser: Yangsheng Xu. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 72-01, Section: B, page: . / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-130). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese.

This thesis investigates walking patterns in healthy young people and in people with an increased risk of falling, and determines the physiological contributions to walking stability. First, a review of the relevant literature on techniques for assessing walking stability, age-related changes in balance and gait, and the contributions of vision, vestibular function, peripheral sensation and strength was undertaken. In response to a critical analysis of these findings, a new technique and protocol for the assessment of walking stability was developed. This involved measuring and analysing head and pelvis accelerations while subjects walked on a level surface and an irregular surface. Gait patterns were studied in 30 young healthy subjects and two groups known to be at increased risk of falling - 100 subjects over the age of 75, and 30 subjects with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. A series of vision, sensation, strength, reaction time and balance tests were also undertaken to identify subjects??? physiological abilities and risk of falls. Acceleration patterns of the head and pelvis differed according to physiological risk of falling, particularly when walking on the irregular surface. Those with a high risk of falling walked with a reduced velocity, cadence and step length, and exhibited less rhythmic acceleration patterns at the head and pelvis. Gait patterns were significantly associated with leg strength, peripheral sensation and reaction time. It is concluded that subjects with a high physiological risk of falling exhibit characteristic patterns of walking that indicate an impaired ability to control the movement of the pelvis and head, which may predispose to loss of balance.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2007. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 86-88). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--Worcester Polytechnic Institute. / Keywords: DFA; fractal analysis; knee pads. Includes bibliographical references (p. 61-62).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2003. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 157-170). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.