Thèse diffusée initialement dans le cadre d'un projet pilote des Presses de l'Université de Montréal/Centre d'édition numérique UdeM (1997-2008) avec l'autorisation de l'auteur.

Tyrimo objektas: 10–11 metų moksleivių laikysena, dauginiai raumenys, regėjimo aštrumas, akomodacija. Tyrimo problema. Daugelyje šalių didelis dėmesys skiriamas vaikų sveikatos ir gerovės klausimams. Pastaraisiais dešimtmečiais daug dėmesio skiriama augančio vaiko organizmo pokyčių tyrimams. Vaiko organizmas yra unikalus dėl savo funkcijų ir daugybės struktūrų vystimosi bei kitimų (Bačiulienė, 2006). Jaunesnis mokyklinis amžius – tai lytinio brendimo pradžia. Būtent šiuo amžiaus periodu, be kitų organizmo sistemų, labai intensyviai vystosi griaučių – raumenų sistema. Tad, atsižvelgiant į vaiko amžiaus tarpsnių ypatumus ir norint išvengti rimtų sveikatos problemų, būtina ankstyva griaučių – raumenų sistemos vystymosi sutrikimų diagnostika ir prevencija (Kasiulevičius ir Strazdienė, 2008). Prevencija turėtų prasidėti jau mokykloje, nes, pradėjęs lankyti mokyklą, vaikas susiduria su dideliu fiziniu ir psichologiniu krūviu. Sumažėjęs fizinis aktyvumas, dideli statiniai krūviai ir dėl to atsirandanti ydinga laikysena gali įtakoti struktūrinius ir funkcinius pokyčius augančiame organizme (Bačiulienė, 2006). Tikslas: įvertinti 10–11 metų moksleivių stuburo stabilizavimo ir žaidybinių pratimų poveikį laikysenai, nustatyti regos sutrikimų sąsajas su laikysena. Darbo uždaviniai: 1. Įvertinti 10–11 metų tiriamosios ir kontrolinės grupių moksleivių laikyseną, dauginio stuburo raumens skerspjūvio plotą bei jo asimetriją prieš ir po stuburo stabilizavimo ir... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Study object: 10–11 years schoolchildren posture, multifidus muscle, eyesight strenght, accommodation. Study problem. In many countrys health and the welfare of children are very important. In recent years big attention is focussed on growing organism and researches of children. Children organism is unique of his functions and many developing and varying structures (Bačiulienė, 2006). Younger school age – it is start of pubescense. Skeletal-muscular system is developing very intensive in this period, without other organism systems. In respect that children ages peculiarity and in order to avoid health problems, it is very important early diagnostic and prevention of skeletal-muscular systems (Kasiulevičius ir Strazdienė, 2008). The prevention should start at school, because when children start to go to school they face with big physical and psychological load. Reduced physical activity, big static loads and because of that being bad posture should effect structural and functional changes in growing organism (Bačiulienė, 2006). The goal of the study: to evaluate the posture stabilizatinion and player excercises effect of 10–11 years schoolchildren posture, to determine relation between eyesight disorders and posture. The objectives: 1. To eveluate 10–11 years old study‘s and control‘s groups posture, multifidus muscle cross-section area and asymmetry before and after stabilization and player excercises. 2. To compare study‘s and control‘s... [to full text]

Darbo objektas: kineziterapijos ir plaukimo pamokų poveikis 7 – 9 metų berniukų laikysenai, statinei liemens raumenų ištvermei ir pusiausvyrai. Darbo tikslas: nustatyti ir palyginti kineziterapijos ir kineziterapijos derinamos su plaukimo pamokomis poveikį 7 – 9 metų berniukų laikysenai, statinei liemens raumenų ištvermei ir pusiausvyrai. Uždaviniai: 1. Įvertinti kineziterapijos poveikį laikysenai, statinei liemens raumenų ištvermei bei pusiausvyrai, taikant kineziterapiją salėje berniukams su netaisyklinga laikysena. 2. Įvertinti kineziterapijos ir plaukimo pamokų poveikį laikysenai, statinei liemens raumenų ištvermei bei pusiausvyrai taikant kineziterapiją salėje ir plaukimo pamokas berniukams su netaisyklinga laikysena. 3. Nustatyti, kuris metodas turi didesnę įtaką gerinant laikyseną, statinę liemens raumenų ištvermę ir pusiausvyrą berniukams su netaisyklinga laikysena. Tyrimo hipotezė: manome, kad taikant kineziterapiją salėje, derinamą su plaukimo pamokomis, labiau pagerės berniukų laikysena, statinė liemens raumenų ištvermė ir pusiausvyra nei taikant tik kineziterapiją salėje. Tyrimo rezultatai: abiejų grupių laikysena, statinė liemens raumenų ištvermė bei pusiausvyra statistiškai reikšmingai (p < 0,05) pagerėjo. Tačiau lyginant grupes tarpusavyje, nebuvo nustatyta reiškmingo (p > 0,05) skirtumo tarp vertinamų rodiklių. Išvados: 1. Taikant kineziterapiją salėje statistiškai reikšmingai pagerėjo berniukų laikysena, statinė liemens raumenų ištvermė bei pusiausvyra... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Subject: influence of physical therapy and swimming lessons to static trunk muscle endurance, balance and posture for 7 - 9 years old boys. Research aim: Identify and compare the efficiency of physical therapy, and both physical therapy and swimming lessons' to static trunk muscle endurance, balance and posture for 7 - 9 years old boys. Objectives: 1. Evaluate the effect of physical therapy to static trunk muscle endurance, balance and posture for boys with irregular posture. 2. Evaluate the effect of physical therapy and swimming lessons' to static trunk muscle endurance, balance and posture for boys with irregular posture. 3. Determine which method improves efficiency to static trunk muscle endurance, balance and posture for boys with irregular posture. Research hypothesis: it is considered, that static trunk muscle endurance, balance and posture develops better for boys with both physical therapy and swimming lessons' compared to only physical therapy. Research results: balance, static trunk muscle endurance and posture improved statistically significant (p<0,05) for both groups - I and II. Otherwise, there was no significant difference (p>0,05) compared both groups. Conclusions: 1. Balance, static trunk muscle endurance and posture statistically significant improved by using physical therapy. 2. Balance, static trunk muscle endurance and posture statistically significant improved by using physical therapy and swimming lessons. 3. Physical therapy, and both physical... [to full text]

Holistic image processing is tied to expertise and is characteristic of face and body processing by adults. Infants process faces holistically, but it is unknown whether infants process body information holistically. In the present study, we examined whether infants discriminate changes in body posture holistically. Body posture is an important nonverbal cue that signals emotion, intention, and goals of others even from a distance. In the current study, infants were tested for discrimination between body postures that differ in limb orientations in three conditions: in the context of the whole body, with just the limbs that change orientation, or with the limbs in the context of scrambled body parts. Nine-month olds discriminated between whole body postures, but failed in the isolated parts and scrambled body conditions, indicating that they use holistic processes to discriminate body information. In contrast, 3.5-month olds failed to discriminate between whole body postures, therefore no conclusion can be drawn about their ability to process bodies holistically. These results indicate that infants process body information holistically during the first year of life, but there are developmental changes in the processing of body information from 3.5 to 9 months of age.

En av park- och gatuarbetarnas många verktyg, är den traditionella sopkvasten. Sopkvasten används för att städa upp ytor där maskiner inte kommer åt, såsom; under bänkar, i hörn och mindre områden. Vid användning av en traditionell sopkvast innefattar rörelsen rotation och framåtlutning av kroppsställningen, som kan om den utförs under en längre tidsperiod leda till muskuloskeletala besvär och ha negativa effekter på hälsan. Detta projekt syftar till att utveckla ett nytt rengöringsverktyg för att minska framåtlutad, roterad kroppsställning. Denna avhandling har använt en produktutvecklingsmetodik och en biomekanisk analys för att uppfylla en faktabas för att nå målet. Översyn av litteratur, biomekanisk analys och benchmarking användes för att ställa in kravspecifikationer för detta projekt. Projektet tillämpade David G Ullman iterativ produktutvecklingsmetodik, inklusive brainstorming, Quality Function Deployment, Morfologi, Pugh's matris och Failure Mode Effects Analysis. Vidare har en fungerande prototyp byggts som ett sista steg i utvecklingsfasen. Utvärdering av prototypen i jämförelse med den traditionella sopkvasten, utfördes med hjälp av 3D rörelseanalys (Qualisys motion capture-system) och ytelektromyografi (Mega 8-kanalsystem) på en testperson. Projektet resulterade i en fysiskt fungerande prototyp som kan användas till liknande uppgifter som en traditionell sopkvast. Prototypen påtvingar användaren att skjuta rengöringsverktyget framför kroppen med en symmetrisk kroppställning i alla tre planen. Jämförelsen mellan en traditionell sopkvast och prototypen visade en minskning i muskelaktivitet vid användning av prototypen. Dessutom visade rörelseanalysen att arbetsställningen var mindre framåtlutad och roterad i ryggen. Vidare kunde testpersonen hålla neutrala vinklar i axlar och handleder under hela utförandet av uppgiften. Märk väl att de biomekaniska analyserna enbart gjorts på en deltagare vilket inte är tillräckligt för att konstatera att prototypen bidrar till en mer hälsosam arbetsställning. / One of the park and street workers many tools, is the traditional broom. The broom is used to tidy up surfaces where machines can’t reach, such as; underneath benches, in corners and smaller areas. Using a traditional broom requires a twisted and forward leaning body posture that, if performed during an extended time period, can result in musculoskeletal problems and negative impact on the health. This project aimed to develop a new cleaning tool to reduce the forward-leaning, twisted body posture. This thesis used a product development methodology and a biomechanical analysis to fulfil, and evidence base the aim. Review of the literature, biomechanical analysis and benchmarking were used to set requirement specifications for this project. The project applied David G Ullman's iterative product development methodology, including brainstorming, quality function deployment, morphology, Pugh´s matrix and a failure mode effects analysis. Furthermore, a functional prototype was built as a last step of the development phase. Evaluation of the prototype, in comparison to the traditional broom, was performed using 3D movement analysis (Qualisys motion capture system) and surface electromyography (Mega 8 channel system) on one test person. The project resulted in a physically functional prototype that can be used for similar tasks as a traditional broom. The concept design dictates the user to push the cleaning tool in front of the body with postural symmetry in all three planes. The comparison between a traditional broom and the prototype showed a reduction in muscle activity when using the prototype. Furthermore, the movement analysis showed a working posture with less forward leaning and back rotation. Furthermore, the participant could keep neutral angles in the shoulders and wrists throughout the task. Note that, the biomechanical analyzes was only made on one test person which is not enough to conclude that the prototype contributes to a more healthy working posture.

Struck-by fatalities involving heavy equipment such as trucks and cranes accounted for 24.6% of the fatalities between 1997-2007 in the construction industry. Limited visibility due to blind spots and travel in reverse direction are the primary causes of these fatalities. Blind spots are spaces surrounding an equipment that are invisible to the equipment operator. Thus, a hazard is posed to the ground personnel working in the blind spaces of an equipment operator. This research presents a novel approach to intelligently identify potential hazards posed to workers operating near an equipment by determining the visible and blind space regions of an equipment operator in real-time. A depth camera is used to estimate the head posture of the equipment operator and continuously track the head location and orientation using Random Forests algorithm. The head posture information is then integrated with point cloud data of the construction equipment to determine both the visible and the blindspots region of the equipment operator using Ray-Casting algorithm. Simulation and field experiments were carried out to validate this approach in controlled and uncontrolled environment respectively. Research findings demonstrate the potential of this approach to enhance safety performance by detecting hazardous proximity situations.

Une prédiction réaliste de la posture de conduite est requise tant pour la protection individualisée des conducteurs que pour la conception de véhicules, tout particulièrement lorsque des mannequins numériques (DHM) sont utilisés dans les premières phases de développement. Des plages étendues de réglage du volant et du siège sont disponibles dans les véhicules actuels, offrant aux conducteurs de nombreuses postures de conduite possibles. Ce travail de thèse vise à quantifier la variabilité intra- (i.e. la variabilité posturale pour un même conducteur) et inter-individu (i.e. la variabilité entre différents conducteurs), ainsi qu'à développer un modèle statistique de prédiction de posture de conduite. Les postures de conduite de 34 volontaires représentatifs de la population européenne ont été mesurées sur 5 véhicules différents. En faisant varier les ajustements initiaux du siège et du volant, une variabilité intra-individu de 22 ± 14 mm dans la direction longitudinale (x) et de 16 ± 12 mm dans la direction verticale (z) ont été observées pour la position du siège. En ce qui concerne la position du volant, une variabilité légèrement plus faible a été observée, 20 ± 15 mm en x et 13 ± 9 mm en z. La position du bassin dépend à la fois du type de véhicule et de l'anthropométrie du conducteur. Plus la hauteur d'assise du véhicule est basse, et plus le conducteur est grand, plus le siège est positionné bas et en arrière. Fait intéressant, l'angle du dossier par rapport à la verticale n'est affecté ni par l'anthropométrie du conducteur, ni par le type de véhicule. Un modèle statistique pour la prédiction de la posture de conduite basé sur les données expérimentales est proposé et comparé à d'autres modèles prédictifs existant. Les postures de conduite recueillies expérimentalement sont aussi comparées aux prédictions obtenues avec le mannequin numérique RAMSIS. Si l'on se base sur les valeurs de variabilité intra-individu pour la position des yeux et du bassin comme critère d'évaluation des prédictions de RAMSIS, seulement 16% et 30% des prédictions peuvent être considérées comme correctes. Différentes solutions pour améliorer les prédictions sont proposées

Bakalauro darbe, analizuojama 11- 15 metų netaisyklingos laikysenos vaikų, liemens raumenų ištvermės ir stuburo paslankumo kaita, taikant stuburo stabilizavimo pratimus. Tyrimo tikslas: įvertinti stuburo stabilizavimo pratimų įtaką liemens raumenų ištvermei ir stuburo paslankumui 11- 15 metų netaisyklingos laikysenos vaikams. Tyrimui atskleisti buvo iškelti šie uždaviniai: išanalizuoti laikysenos formavimosi, jos sutrikimų ir korekcijos ypatumus remiantis mokslinės literatūros analize; taikant S. McGill statinės liemens raumenų ištvermės testus įvertinti ir palyginti liemens raumenų ištvermės kaitą kontrolinei ir eksperimentinei grupei; taikant stuburo paslankumo testus įvertinti ir palyginti stuburo paslankumo kaitą kontrolinei ir eksperimentinei grupei. Tyrime dalyvavo 11 – 15 metų vaikai, besigydantys Palangos vaikų reabilitacijos sanatorijoje „Palangos Gintaras“ ir turintys laikysenos sutrikimų. Buvo sudarytos dvi grupės vienodos pagal vaikų skaičių (kontrolinė ir eksperimentinė). Eksperimento pagalba buvo siekiama išsiaiškinti stuburo stabilizavimo pratimų poveikį tiriamųjų liemens raumenų ištvermei ir stuburo paslankumui. Eksperimentinei grupei papildomai buvo taikoma stuburo stabilizavimo pratimų programa. Tyrimas vyko nuo 2013 12 09 iki 2014 02 28. Tyrimo rezultatai atskleidė stuburo stabilizavimo pratimų poveikį, kuris buvo matomas išanalizavus tiriamųjų testo rezultatus. Eksperimentinės grupės tiriamųjų, kuriai buvo taikomi stuburo stabilizavimo pratimai, nugaros... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / This study analyzed the change trunk muscles endurance and spinal flexibility of children with poor posture using spinal stabilization exercises. The aim of the research was: to evaluate spinal stabilization exercise’s effect for trunk muscles endurance and spine flexibility of 11 – 15 year old children with poor posture. For carrying out the research the following objectives were pursued: To analyze the posture formation, its problems and the correction peculiarities referring to scientific literature; to assess and compare trunk muscles endurance changes in control and experimental groups using S. McGill static trunk muscle endurance test; to assess and compare the changes in spinal flexibility of both control and experimental groups using spinal flexibility tests. 11 - 15-year-old children with poor posture from Children’s Rehabilitation Sanatorium “Palangos Gintaras” took part in the research. There were two identical groups – experimental and control. With the help of this experiment it was aimed to clear out the effect of spinal stabilization exercises for the trunk muscles endurance and spinal flexibility. An additional stabilization exercise program was applied to the experimental group. The investigation was going from the 9 December, 2013 to 28 February, 2014. The results of the research revealed the impact of the experiment on the children. It was clear after analyzing the data. The experimental group which experienced the spinal stabilization exercises, endurance... [to full text]

Background: The negative side of rugby participation is the danger it presents to health in the form of injuries. Most school coaches, advocates of talent development and selectors put a high priority on implementing programmes to develop bigger, stronger, faster and more skilful rugby players who can excel at their sport. These programmes however, do not place enough emphasis on the prevention of injuries. Aims: The primary aim of the study was to determine the effect of an approved injury prevention programme on the incidence (injuries per 1000 player hours) of n~gbyin juries (overall, intrinsic and extrinsic injuries) of 15- and 16 year-old schoolboys, over a two-year period. A further aim was to measure the effect of an approved injury prevention programme on the selected anthropometric, physical and motor and biomechanical and postural variables of all the groups involved in this study over a period of two years. Originating from these aims, a sub-aim of this study was to use information from this study to provide modifications - if necessary - to the current prevention programme in order for it to be effectively applied at high-school rugby level. Design: A non-equivalent experimental-control group design with multiple post-tests was used for the investigation. Subjects: The subjects were 120 schoolboy rugby players. The subjects came from two secondary schools in the North West province of South Africa. Both schools were schools wit11 a tradition of excellence in rugby. Players who participated in the experimental injury prevention programme were the year 2004, 15- and 16-year old elite A teams. The B teams acted as controls. Method: Players were tested over a two-year period. During each of the two years there were three testing occasions where all players were tested: pre-season, during the mid-season break and at the end of the season. The results of these tests were used to monitor changes in anthropometric, physical and motor and biomechanical and postural variables in various stages of the training programme. At the end of every evaluation, deficits were identified in the performance of all players in the experimental group and the prevention programmes were planned accordingly. Players in the experimental group received exercises to address the specific deficits identified. Rugby injuries were screened and injury data collected through the use of weekly sports. medical clinics. Results: Differences and changes in extrinsic injury incidences in this study could not be attributed to the effect of the prevention programme, and as a result injury trends related to overall injury incidences were inconsistent when the experimental groups were compared to the matching control groups. However, the prevention programme did have a positive effect on the intrinsic injury incidence of both experimental groups during the study period. The following moderate or highly practically significant anthropometric changes occurred when inter-group comparisons for the two year period were considered: triceps skinfold (d=0.8 among 16-year olds), subscapular skinfold (d=0.5 among 16-year olds, midaxillary skinfold (d=1.3 among 15-year olds), calf skinfold (d=1.3 among 16-year olds), humerus breadth (d=1.4 among 15-year olds), femur breadth (d=0.5 among 15-year olds), fat percentage (d=0.5 among 16-year olds) and mesomorphy (d=1.3 among 15-year olds). However, these anthropometric changes may be due to other factors, such as the natural growth phase of boys, rather than the effect of the prevention programme. During the inter-group comparisons of physical and motor components, moderately or highly practically significant improvements were recorded in the vertical jump (d=0.8 for 15-year olds and d=1.5 for 16year olds), bleep (d=0.7 for 16-year olds), pull-ups (d=0.6 for 15-year olds) and push-up tests (d=1.5 for 15-year olds and d=1.1 for 16 year-olds) of the experimental groups considering the total two year period. From the results it was clear that in practice, the prevention programme significantly improved only four of the 11 physical and motor components over the two-year period and that these improvements often occurred in only one of the age groups involved. The inter-group comparison of biomechanical and postural variables revealed numerous moderately and highly practically significant improvements in both age groups. over the total two-year period. All in all the prevention p r o v e provided the experimental groups with a more balanced (closer to ideal) dynamic mobility, core stability and postural symmetry. Conclusion: It could be concluded that the present prevention programme did not have a practically significant effect on the incidence of overall rugby injuries and extrinsic rugby injuries of 15- and 16-year old schoolboys over a two-year period. However, in practice, the prevention programme did have a significantly positive effect on the incidence of intrinsic rugby injuries of 15- and 16-year old schoolboys over a period of two years. It could be concluded that the prevention programme did not have a practically significant effect on the anthropometric components of 15- and 16-year old schoolboys over a two-year period. Seeing that the prevention programme had a moderately or highly practically significantly effect on only four of 11 physical-and-motor components over the two-year period, and that these improvements often occurred in only one of the age groups involved, it could be concluded that the prevention programme did not significantly affect the physical and motor variables of 15- and 16-year old schoolboys over a two-year period. Finally the conclusion could be drawn that in practice the prevention programme significantly improved the biomechanical and postural variables over a period of two years. This improvement in biomechanical and postural status may be responsible for the decrease in intrinsic injury incidence. Information from this study was used to provide modifications to the tested prevention programme in order for it to be effectively applied at high school rugby level. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Movement Science Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006

Postural control incorporates multiple neural and mechanical systems at various levels of the motor control system, yet the question of how all these systems interact remains unanswered. This dissertation describes development of a biologically based, three-dimensional mathematical model of the forelimb of the domestic cat that integrates skeletal anatomy, muscular architecture, and neural control. Previous work has shown that muscle architecture profoundly affects its function. However, even though the forelimbs of quadrupeds contribute to posture and locomotion differently from hindlimbs, most models of quadruped motion are based upon hindlimb mechanics. The proposed work consists of three main steps: (1) architectural and anatomical characterization, which involves acquisition of muscle attachment data, measurement of whole muscle and muscle fiber properties, and estimation of limb kinematic parameters; (2) model development and implementation, wherein the data will be integrated into a mathematical model using special-purpose software; and (3) model validation, including verification of model estimates against experimentally obtained measurements of muscle moment arms, and prediction of limb kinetics, namely end-point forces arising from perturbations to the limb. It was found that the forelimb does indeed possess structure, particularly at the shoulder and antebrachium, that allows for more diverse movements. The neural wiring in these regions is more complex than in the hindlimb, and there exists substantial muscular structure in place for non-sagittal motion and object suppression and retrieval. Other results showed that the kinematics of the limb alone produce a restorative response to postural disturbance but that the magnitude is reduced, indicating that neural input acts as a modulatory influence on top of the intrinsic mechanism of limb architecture. Furthermore the model demonstrated many of the essential features found in the experiments. This study represents the implementation of the first forelimb model of the cat incorporating mechanical properties and serves as a key component of a full quadruped model to explore posture and locomotion.