Effects of age and walking speed on long-range autocorrelations and on fluctuation magnitude of stride duration

Parkinson’s Disease patients suffer from gait impairments such as reduced gait speed, shortened step length, and deterioration of the temporal organization of stride duration variability (i.e., breakdown in Long-Range Autocorrelations). The aim of this study was to compare the effects on Parkinson’s Disease patients’ gait of three Rhythmic Auditory Stimulations (RAS), each structured with a different rhythm variability (isochronous, random, and autocorrelated). Nine Parkinson’s Disease patients performed four walking conditions of 10–15 min each: Control Condition (CC), Isochronous RAS (IRAS), Random RAS (RRAS), and Autocorrelated RAS (ARAS). Accelerometers were used to assess gait speed, cadence, step length, temporal organization (i.e., Long-Range Autocorrelations computation), and magnitude (i.e., coefficient of variation) of stride duration variability on 512 gait cycles. Long-Range Autocorrelations were assessed using the evenly spaced averaged Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (α-DFA exponent). Spatiotemporal gait parameters and coefficient of variation were not modified by the RAS. Long-Range Autocorrelations were present in all patients during CC and ARAS although all RAS conditions altered them. The α-DFA exponents were significantly lower during IRAS and RRAS than during CC, exhibiting anti-correlations during IRAS in seven patients. α-DFA during ARAS was the closest to the α-DFA during CC and within normative data of healthy subjects. In conclusion, Isochronous RAS modify patients’ Long-Range Autocorrelations and the use of Autocorrelated RAS allows to maintain an acceptable level of Long-Range Autocorrelations for Parkinson’s Disease patients’ gait.

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Change of Stride Duration and Trunk Coordination at Different Percentage of Preferred Walking Speed in Walking

Journal of Sport and Leisure Studies ◽

10.51979/kssls.2012.02.47.887 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 47 ◽

pp. 887-896

Author(s):

Jae Min Shin

Keyword(s):

Walking Speed ◽

Stride Duration

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Combat-related foot injuries: impact on gait and functional outcome

Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps ◽

10.1136/jramc-2017-000870 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 164 (5) ◽

pp. 322-327 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Loes G M de Kruijff ◽

M Prins ◽

A van der Krans ◽

R Hoencamp ◽

P van der Wurff

Keyword(s):

The Netherlands ◽

Ankle Joint ◽

Peak Power ◽

Walking Speed ◽

Service Members ◽

Step Width ◽

Foot Injuries ◽

Stride Duration ◽

High Level ◽

Böhler’S Angle

IntroductionPrior to deployment of the Netherlands Army Task Force Urozgan in Afghanistan, the Dutch Military and civilian healthcare systems had limited experience in treating blast injuries and their long-term consequences. This meant that guidelines for treatment and rehabilitation were lacking. The aim of this cohort study was to quantify kinematic and kinetic abnormalities in service members with foot injuries in relation to functional outcome using gait analysis.MethodIn nine service members with combat-related talus, calcaneus and/or navicular bone (TCN) fractures and nine controls, gait parameters were measured using Gait Real-Time Analysis Interactive Lab system. High-level mobility was evaluated by the Comprehensive High-Level Activity Mobility Predictor (CHAMP), and functional ability was assessed by Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) questionnaire.ResultsSignificant differences were found for LEFS and CHAMP scores (P<0.01), comfortable walking speed and ankle joint range of motion (ROM) (P<0.05), all lower in the group with TCN fractures. For this group, a trend (0.1>P>0.05) for higher step width and lower stride duration and peak power was found. A strong correlation (0.6>r>0.79) is shown between LEFS and comfortable walking speed and CHAMP and ankle joint ROM. The correlations between LEFS and stride duration, step width, ankle joint ROM and peak power, and between CHAMP and comfortable walking speed and stride duration, were moderate (0.4>r>0.59).ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that service members with TCN fractures, compared with healthy controls, have altered gait characteristics, specifically lower walking speed and ankle joint ROM, both related to lower physical functioning. Patients with bilateral depressed Böhler’s angle had the worse functional performance, and further research is recommended to evaluate the relationship between Böhler’s angle and physical performance.Clinical TrialThe Dutch Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Institutional Review Board and Medical Ethics Review Committee Brabant, The Netherlands, approved this study (P1550).

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Agreement between the GAITRite® System and the Wearable Sensor BTS G-Walk® for measurement of gait parameters in healthy adults and Parkinson’s disease patients

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.8835 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. e8835 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Slávka Vítečková ◽

Hana Horáková ◽

Kamila Poláková ◽

Radim Krupička ◽

Evžen Růžička ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Systematic Error ◽

Stride Length ◽

Walking Speed ◽

Inertial Sensor ◽

Pressure Sensors ◽

Double Support ◽

Gait Parameters ◽

Stride Duration

Background Nowadays, the most widely used types of wearable sensors in gait analysis are inertial sensors. The aim of the study was to assess the agreement between two different systems for measuring gait parameters (inertial sensor vs. electronic walkway) on healthy control subjects (HC) and patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods Forty healthy volunteers (26 men, 14 women, mean age 58.7 ± 7.7 years) participated in the study and 24 PD patients (19 men, five women, mean age 62.7 ± 9.8 years). Each participant walked across an electronic walkway, GAITRite, with embedded pressure sensors at their preferred walking speed. Concurrently a G-Walk sensor was attached with a semi-elastic belt to the L5 spinal segment of the subject. Walking speed, cadence, stride duration, stride length, stance, swing, single support and double support phase values were compared between both systems. Results The Passing-Bablock regression slope line manifested the values closest to 1.00 for cadence and stride duration (0.99 ≤ 1.00) in both groups. The slope of other parameters varied between 0.26 (double support duration in PD) and 1.74 (duration of single support for HC). The mean square error confirmed the best fit of the regression line for speed, stride duration and stride length. The y-intercepts showed higher systematic error in PD than HC for speed, stance, swing, and single support phases. Conclusions The final results of this study indicate that the G-Walk system can be used for evaluating the gait characteristics of the healthy subjects as well as the PD patients. However, the duration of the gait cycle phases should be used with caution due to the presence of a systematic error.

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