Lower limb muscle coactivation levels in healthy younger and older adults during functional dual-task gait

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of daily cognitive task on stiffness of old and young female adults during the gait. The study included 17 physically active younger and 18 older women, with low risk of falls. The volunteers were asked to walk on the treadmill at two different gait conditions: normal gait and functional dual-task gait. The electromyographic signals were collected of the lower limb muscles. The percentage of coactivation for the tibialis anterior/gastrocnemius lateralis and tibialis anterior/soleus were significantly higher in elderly than in younger in the normal gait and dual-task gait. Our results suggest that the elderly have a greater stiffness in the ankle joint during gait normal and daily dual task gait. Thus, we conclude that challenging cognitively situations during the gait may increase the risk of falls in this population.

Effect of triceps surae and quadriceps muscle fatigue on the mechanics of landing in stepping down in ongoing gait

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Translation and cultural adaptation of Brazilian Detailed Assessment of Speed of Handwriting: conceptual and semantic equivalence

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Comparação dos parâmetros espaçotemporais da marcha durante a execução do TUG associado à dupla tarefa em adultos jovens

Introduction: Biomechanical analysis of gait can be used effectively to identify changes in movement patterns and functional decline. Objective: To analyze the effect of dual task on gait spatio-temporal variables. Methods: The sample was made up of 32 subjects of both genders aged between 18 and 25 years. The test Timed Up and Go was performed under two conditions: original form and associated with a cognitive task (verbalize backwards the months of the year). We evaluated the total execution time, number of steps, cadence, time spent to lift, average speed and variability of the step time. Results: Significant changes were observed with the addition of the cognitive task in many gait spatio-temporal variables analyzed. Conclusion: The tests showed that the increase of cognitive tasks during walking may lead to changes in the performance of this task.

Analysis of the positioning of the head, trunk, and upper limbs during gait in children with visual impairment

Background: This study analyzed the positioning of the head, trunk, and upper extremities during gait in children with visual impairment. Methods: A total of 11 children participated in this study: 6 with blindness and 5 with low vision. The kinematics of the positioning of the head, trunk, shoulders, and elbows in each participant was analyzed during the four phases of the gait cycle: foot strike, support, toe-off, and swing. Results: There were significant differences between children with blindness and low vision in the positioning of the trunk in the sagittal plane during the foot strike, support, and swing phases. Conclusions: The analysis identified postural alterations of the head, trunk, shoulder, and elbow during the children’s gait, highlighting the relevance of appropriate stimulation at an early age in orientation and mobility programs, as well as the essential presence of professionals who work with movement.

Speed Index in the Racing Quarter Horse: A Genome-wide Association Study

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Visual cues and gait improvement in Parkinson's disease: which piece of information is really important?

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Contribuição da amplitude de movimento articular do joelho na marcha de crianças com paralisia cerebral espástica

Individuals with spastic cerebral palsy show muscle weakness, difficulties in the control of agonist and antagonist muscles, decreased range of motion and tonus and sensibility alterations, especially in knee joint. These problems can interfere on the performance of functional activities such gait. The aim of this study was to analyze the contribution of knee range of motion on gait of hemiplegic and diplegic children considering their asymmetries. Twelve children, 6 hemiplegics e 6 diplegics from 7 to 12 years of age (age average= 9,5 ± 1,93) took part. Spasticity was assessed by the Ashworth’s Modified Scale and the passive knee range of motion by an eletrogoniometer. The task was to walk on a walkway of 8m long, in their preferred speed, in 6 attempts, been 3 on right and 3 on left sagital planes. Eigth passive markers were bilaterally fixed for the kinematic record. Orthogonally to the walkway, two digital camcorders were assembled on the sagital plane. The fotogrametric procedures were performed by the Dvideow 6.3 software. The Matlab 7.0.1 software was used to filter and to calculate the dependent variables. The U test of Mann- Whitney found differences to the cerebral palsy type for knee extension/hiperextension (U = - 2.943; p= 0.003), knee relative angle at heel contact (U = - 5.992; p= 0.001) and knee range during stride (U = - 4.099; p= 0.001). The Wilcoxon’s test revealed differences according to the asymmetries for the hemiplegics only for the knee relative angle at heel contact (T= - 2.635; p<0.008). The contributions of passive knee range of motion, revealed by the Spearman correlations, for the more afected limb of the diplegics, showed that the knee extension/hiperextension interfere on the cadence, stride duration and step width; the knee relative angle at heel contact change the stride length and duration and cadence; and the...(Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Avaliação de parâmetros de desempenho muscular em jovens sedentárias com dor lombar

Pós-graduação em Desenvolvimento Humano e Tecnologias - IBRC

Effects of belt speed, pressure and grit size on the sanding of pinus elliottii wood

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Gait analysis in giant anteater (myrmecophaga tridactyla) with the use of a pressure-sensitive walkway

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

New LLLT protocol to speed up the bone healing process-histometric and immunohistochemical analysis in rat calvarial bone defect

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Excess body weight and gait influence energy cost of walking in older adults

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)