27 research outputs found
Evaluating footwear “in the wild”: Examining wrap and lace trail shoe closures during trail running
Trail running participation has grown over the last two decades. As a result, there have been an increasing number of studies examining the sport. Despite these increases, there is a lack of understanding regarding the effects of footwear on trail running biomechanics in ecologically valid conditions. The purpose of our study was to evaluate how a Wrap vs. Lace closure (on the same shoe) impacts running biomechanics on a trail. Thirty subjects ran a trail loop in each shoe while wearing a global positioning system (GPS) watch, heart rate monitor, inertial measurement units (IMUs), and plantar pressure insoles. The Wrap closure reduced peak foot eversion velocity (measured via IMU), which has been associated with fit. The Wrap closure also increased heel contact area, which is also associated with fit. This increase may be associated with the subjective preference for the Wrap. Lastly, runners had a small but significant increase in running speed in the Wrap shoe with no differences in heart rate nor subjective exertion. In total, the Wrap closure fit better than the Lace closure on a variety of terrain. This study demonstrates the feasibility of detecting meaningful biomechanical differences between footwear features in the wild using statistical tools and study design. Evaluating footwear in ecologically valid environments often creates additional variance in the data. This variance should not be treated as noise; instead, it is critical to capture this additional variance and challenges of ecologically valid terrain if we hope to use biomechanics to impact the development of new products
Musculoskeletal Models in a Clinical Perspective
This book includes a selection of papers showing the potential of the dynamic modelling approach to treat problems related to the musculoskeletal system. The state-of-the-art is presented in a review article and in a perspective paper, and several examples of application in different clinical problems are provided
Efecto inmediato del calzado minimalista en la musculatura del suelo pĂ©lvico en mujeres sanas nulĂparas durante noventa segundos de carrera
"Introducción": Las zapatillas de carrera han experimentado un inmenso cambio, desde la aparición del calzado minimalista utilizado por nuestros antepasados hasta la actualidad donde las zapatillas amortiguadas y tecnológicas se encuentran en auge. Estudios anteriores han demostrado la influencia del calzado en la biomecánica del miembro inferior del corredor. Sin embargo, ninguna investigación previa ha descrito el efecto derivado de las zapatillas minimalistas en el SP y en la zona abdomino-lumbo-pélvica en las mujeres durante la carrera. "Objetivo": El propósito de este estudio es examinar los cambios a corto plazo derivados
del calzado minimalista y tradicional tanto en la biomecánica como en la activación del SP y de la musculatura abdomino-lumbo-pélvica en mujeres a diferentes velocidades..
Low Back Pain (LBP)
Low back pain (LBP) is a major public health problem, being the most commonly reported musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) and the leading cause of compromised quality of life and work absenteeism. Indeed, LBP is the leading worldwide cause of years lost to disability, and its burden is growing alongside the increasing and aging population. The etiology, pathogenesis, and occupational risk factors of LBP are still not fully understood. It is crucial to give a stronger focus to reducing the consequences of LBP, as well as preventing its onset. Primary prevention at the occupational level remains important for highly exposed groups. Therefore, it is essential to identify which treatment options and workplace-based intervention strategies are effective in increasing participation at work and encouraging early return-to-work to reduce the consequences of LBP. The present Special Issue offers a unique opportunity to update many of the recent advances and perspectives of this health problem. A number of topics will be covered in order to attract high-quality research papers, including the following major areas: prevalence and epidemiological data, etiology, prevention, assessment and treatment approaches, and health promotion strategies for LBP. We have received a wide range of submissions, including research on the physical, psychosocial, environmental, and occupational perspectives, also focused on workplace interventions
The impact of hip abductor muscle status on in vivo joint loads through kinematics and muscle activity 51 months following total hip arthroplasty
Background: Well-established clinical scores show that total hip arthroplasty (THA) in primary hip osteoarthritis alleviates pain and markedly improves the performance of activities of daily living (ADLs). However, objective measurements show that THA patients’ movement and electrophysiological patterns do not match those of healthy age- matched individuals. Surgical incision as well as intraoperative soft tissue traction and compression cause iatrogenic damage of the hip muscles, which is associated with their atrophy and fatty degeneration. An unfavorable muscle status may negatively affect joint loads. An improper in vivo hip joint resultant contact force (Fres) may shorten an implant’s lifespan and also determine functional outcome following THA. This retrospective analysis aimed to identify whether kinematics and electrophysiological activity mediate the impact of structural muscle impairment on kinetics.
Materials and methods: In order to determine the Fres, instrumented femoral prostheses were implanted via a direct lateral approach. Nine patients (two females, seven males) participated in synchronous recordings of load patterns and surface electromyography along with three-dimensional mapping of motion sequences at a mean of 51 months (period: 35-64 months) postoperatively. The hip movement patterns of five ADLs (level walking, ascending stairs, descending stairs, standing up, sitting down) and the electrophysiological activity of the hip abductors gluteus maximus muscle, gluteus medius muscle, and tensor fasciae latae muscle (TFL) were assessed and correlated with both the hip abductor muscle status (total muscle volume [TMV], fat ratio [FR]) evaluated by postoperative computed tomography images and the in vivo Fres.
Findings: Across all ADLs, the results yield high inter-individual variability. Compared to asymptomatic control groups in the literature, this study’s patients produced reduced extension and lower sagittal range of motion (ROM) in level walking, while stair negotiation resulted in higher flexion and greater ROM in the sagittal plane. Particularly TFL activity patterns are shaped by irregularities and hyperactivity. TMV and FR have an effect on both motion patterns in the sagittal and frontal planes and shape and timing of muscle activity. Furthermore, compensatory movement strategies and abnormal muscle activity may lead to not only higher but also lower hip joint loads.
Interpretation: The data do not provide conclusive evidence of muscle damage affecting joint loads via atypical movement and electrophysiological patterns. Overall, however, the results support the hypothesis that structural impairment of hip abductors may lead to the development of pathomechanical movement patterns and irregular muscle activity, which in turn may adversely affect hip joint loads.Fragestellung: Gängige klinische Scores zeigen, dass die Implantation einer Hüfttotalendoprothese bei primärer Coxarthrose die Schmerzen der Patienten bedeutend lindern und die Ausführung von Aktivitäten des täglichen Lebens merklich verbessern kann. Ergebnisse objektivierbarer Messmethoden zeigen jedoch, dass weder die Bewegungsmuster noch die Muskelaktivität dieser Patienten denen gesunder Gleichaltriger entspricht. Die Implantation einer Hüfttotalendoprothese führt entweder über ein Schnitt- oder ein Quetschtrauma zu einer iatrogenen Schädigung der Hüftmuskulatur, was mit deren Atrophie und Verfettung einhergeht. Ein abträglicher Muskelstatus kann sich ungünstig auf die Hüftgelenksbelastung auswirken. Die resultierende Hüftkontaktkraft ist ein bedeutender Faktor für die Haltbarkeit einer Hüfttotalendoprothese, die das funktionelle Ergebnis eines endoprothetischen Ersatzes mitbestimmt. Das Ziel dieser retrospektiven Analyse war es, das Verständnis für die auf die in vivo resultierende Hüftgelenksbelastung wirkenden Zusammenhänge zwischen periartikulärer Muskelschädigung, pathologischen Bewegungsabläufen und irregulärer Muskelaktivität zu erweitern.
Material und Methodik: Zwecks in-vivo-Bestimmung der Hüftkontaktkräfte erfolgte per transglutealem Zugang die Implantation von instrumentierten Hüfttotalendoprothesen. Neun Patientinnen und Patienten (zwei weiblich, sieben männlich) nahmen zum durchschnittlichen Zeitpunkt von 51 Monaten (Zeitraum: 35-64 Monate) postoperativ an synchronen Belastungsmessungen, dreidimensionalen Bewegungserfassungen und Oberflächen-Elektromyographie-Messungen teil. Die Bewegungsmuster der Hüfte von fünf Aktivitäten des alltäglichen Lebens (ebenes Gehen, treppauf Gehen, treppab Gehen, Aufstehen, Hinsetzen) sowie die Muskelaktivität der Hüftabduktoren (M. gluteus maximus, M. gluteus medius, M. tensor fasciae latae) wurden erfasst und jeweils mit dem anhand von postoperativen computertomographischen Aufnahmen evaluierten Muskelstatus (Gesamtvolumen, prozentuale Verfettung) und der Hüftkontaktkraft korreliert.
Ergebnisse: Über alle Aktivitäten hinweg ergab sich aus den Messergebnissen eine hohe interindividuelle Streuung. Im Vergleich zu symptomlosen Kontrollgruppen aus der Literatur zeigte sich beim Gehen eine reduzierte Extension und ein geringerer Bewegungsumfang in der Sagittalebene. Beim Treppengang hingegen erfolgten eine höhere Flexion und ein größerer Bewegungsumfang in der Sagittalebene. Insbesondere die Aktivitätsmuster des M. tensor fasciae latae waren von Unregelmäßigkeiten und Überaktivität geprägt. Die Daten zeigen auf, dass Muskelvolumen und -verfettung sowohl die Hüftbewegung in der Sagittal- und Frontalebene als auch die elektrophysiologische Form und den Zeitablauf von Muskelaktivität beeinflussen. Die Ergebnisse weisen ferner darauf hin, dass beeinträchtigte Bewegungsabläufe und gestörte Muskelaktivität nicht nur eine Erhöhung, sondern auch eine Verminderung der Hüftkontaktkraft bewirken können.
Schlussfolgerung: Die Daten liefern keine stichhaltigen Beweise für einen durchgehenden Effekt einer Muskelschädigung über atypische Bewegungsabläufe und elektrophysiologische Signale auf die Gelenkbelastungen. Jedoch bekräftigen die Ergebnisse insgesamt die Hypothese, dass eine strukturelle Beeinträchtigung der Hüftabduktoren zur Entstehung von pathomechanischen Bewegungsmustern und unregelmäßiger Muskelaktivität führen kann, was sich wiederum ungünstig auf die Hüftkontaktkräfte auswirken kann
Subject-Specific Musculoskeletal Modeling of Hip Dysplasia Biomechanics
Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is characterized by abnormal bony anatomy, causes pain and functional limitations, and is a prominent risk factor for premature hip osteoarthritis. Although the pathology of DDH is believed to be mechanically-induced, little is known about how DDH anatomy alters hip biomechanics during activities of daily living, partly due to the difficulties with measuring hip muscle and joint forces. Musculoskeletal models (MSMs) are useful for dynamic simulations of joint mechanics, but the reliability of MSMs for DDH research is limited by an accurate model representation of the unique hip anatomy. To address such challenges, this research used subject-specific MSMs to identify how DDH hip biomechanics are influenced by the abnormal bony anatomy. First, to determine the importance of model specificity, personalized MSMs using image-based bony anatomy and muscle paths were compared against MSMs with generic anatomy. MSMs with subject-specific anatomy estimated significantly different hip muscle and joint forces compared to generic models, thus are necessary for delineating DDH-specific pathomechanics. Next, image-based MSMs were used to calculate hip muscle moment arm lengths and lines of action during gait, to determine how DDH alters dynamic muscle force production. Hips with DDH had reduced abductor moment arms, which elevated muscle and joint forces in the medial direction. Results confirmed hip muscles’ contributions to joint overloading, which could in turn interact with the abnormal anatomy to induce pathomechanics at the articular level. To verify this phenomenon, hip loading estimated from MSMs was projected to the pelvis anatomy to predict acetabular edge loading during two movement tasks, gait and double-legged squat. Results showed that edge loading was elevated by the shallow acetabulum of DDH, and was highly dependent on the kinetics and muscle demand of task-specific movements. These findings could help explain the prevalence of region-specific labral tears in DDH. Overall, this research provided new insights into the relationships among bony anatomy, muscle function, and joint biomechanics in hips with DDH. The outcomes can refine our understanding of mechanically-induced DDH pathology, and inform patient-specific clinical assessments and treatments to improve long-term hip joint health
Rehabilitation Engineering
Population ageing has major consequences and implications in all areas of our daily life as well as other important aspects, such as economic growth, savings, investment and consumption, labour markets, pensions, property and care from one generation to another. Additionally, health and related care, family composition and life-style, housing and migration are also affected. Given the rapid increase in the aging of the population and the further increase that is expected in the coming years, an important problem that has to be faced is the corresponding increase in chronic illness, disabilities, and loss of functional independence endemic to the elderly (WHO 2008). For this reason, novel methods of rehabilitation and care management are urgently needed. This book covers many rehabilitation support systems and robots developed for upper limbs, lower limbs as well as visually impaired condition. Other than upper limbs, the lower limb research works are also discussed like motorized foot rest for electric powered wheelchair and standing assistance device
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Incidence of Injury in Professional Female Soccer
The epidemiology of injury in male professional football is well documented and has been used as a basis to monitor injury trends and implement injury prevention strategies. There are no systematic reviews that have investigated injury incidence in women’s professional football. Therefore, the extent of injury burden in women’s professional football remains unknown. PURPOSE: The primary aim of this study was to calculate an overall incidence rate of injury in senior female professional soccer. The secondary aims were to provide an incidence rate for training and match play. METHODS: PubMed, Discover, EBSCO, Embase and ScienceDirect electronic databases were searched from inception to September 2018. Two reviewers independently assessed study quality using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology statement using a 22-item STROBE checklist. Seven prospective studies (n=1137 professional players) were combined in a pooled analysis of injury incidence using a mixed effects model. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the Cochrane Q statistic and I2. RESULTS: The epidemiological incidence proportion over one season was 0.62 (95% CI 0.59 - 0.64). Mean total incidence of injury was 3.15 (95% CI 1.54 - 4.75) injuries per 1000 hours. The mean incidence of injury during match play was 10.72 (95% CI 9.11 - 12.33) and during training was 2.21 (95% CI 0.96 - 3.45). Data analysis found a significant level of heterogeneity (total Incidence, X2 = 16.57 P < 0.05; I2 = 63.8%) and during subsequent sub group analyses in those studies reviewed (match incidence, X2 = 76.4 (d.f. = 7), P <0.05; I2 = 90.8%, training incidence, X2 = 16.97 (d.f. = 7), P < 0.05; I2 = 58.8%). Appraisal of the study methodologies revealed inconsistency in the use of injury terminology, data collection procedures and calculation of exposure by researchers. Such inconsistencies likely contribute to the large variance in the incidence and prevalence of injury reported. CONCLUSIONS: The estimated risk of sustaining at least one injury over one football season is 62%. Continued reporting of heterogeneous results in population samples limits meaningful comparison of studies. Standardising the criteria used to attribute injury and activity coupled with more accurate methods of calculating exposure will overcome such limitations