Effects of arm swing amplitude and lower limb asymmetry on motor variability patterns during treadmill gait

10.1101/2021.09.24.461689 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Christopher A Bailey ◽

Allen Hill ◽

Ryan B Graham ◽

Julie Nantel

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Lower Limb ◽

Sagittal Plane ◽

Computer Assisted ◽

Maximum Lyapunov Exponent ◽

Scaling Exponent ◽

Joint Angles ◽

Motor Variability ◽

Arm Swing ◽

Limb Asymmetry

Motor variability is a fundamental feature of gait. Altered arm swing and lower limb asymmetry (LLA) may be contributing factors having been shown to affect the magnitude and dynamics of variability in spatiotemporal and trunk motion. However, the effects on lower limb joints remain unclear. Full-body kinematics of 15 healthy young adults were recorded during treadmill walking using the Computer-Assisted Rehabilitation Environment system. Participants completed six trials, combining three arm swing (AS) amplitude (normal, active, held) and two LLA (symmetrical, asymmetrical) conditions. The mean standard deviation (meanSD), maximum Lyapunov exponent (λmax), detrended fluctuation analysis scaling exponent of range of motion (DFAα), and sample entropy (SaEn) were computed for tridimensional trunk, pelvis, and lower limb joint angles, and compared using repeated-measures ANOVAs. Relative to normal AS, active AS increased meanSD of all joint angles, λmax of frontal plane hip and ankle angles, and SaEn of sagittal plane ankle angles. Active AS, however, did not affect λmax or SaEn of trunk or pelvis angles. LLA increased meanSD of sagittal plane joint angles, λmax of Euclidean norm trunk angle and of lower limb joint angles, and SaEn of ankle dorsiflexion/ plantarflexion, but decreased SaEn of tridimensional trunk angles and hip rotation in the slower moving leg. Alterations in lower limb variability with active AS and LLA suggest that young adults actively exploit their lower limb redundancies to maintain gait. This appears to preserve trunk stability and regularity during active AS but not during LLA.

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The effects of arm swing amplitude and lower-limb asymmetry on gait stability

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0218644 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (12) ◽

pp. e0218644 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Allen Hill ◽

Julie Nantel

Keyword(s):

Lower Limb ◽

Arm Swing ◽

Gait Stability ◽

Limb Asymmetry

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The effects of arm swing amplitude and lower-limb asymmetry on gait stability

10.1101/664565 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Allen Hill ◽

Julie Nantel

Keyword(s):

Lower Limb ◽

Gait Variability ◽

Speed Ratio ◽

Arm Swing ◽

Gait Symmetry ◽

Gait Stability ◽

Trunk Stability ◽

Limb Coordination ◽

Gait Asymmetry ◽

Limb Asymmetry

AbstractChanges to arm swing and gait symmetry are symptomatic of several pathological gaits associated with reduced stability. The purpose of this study was to examine the relative contributions of arm swing and gait symmetry towards gait stability. We theorized that actively increasing arm swing would increase gait stability, while asymmetric walking would decrease gait stability. Fifteen healthy, young adults (23.4 ± 2.8 yrs) walked on a split-belt treadmill under symmetric (1.2 m/s) and asymmetric walking (left/right, 5:4 speed ratio) with three different arm swings: held, normal, and active. Trunk local dynamic stability, inter-limb coordination, and spatiotemporal gait variability and symmetry were measured. Active arm swing resulted in improved local trunk stability, increased gait variability, and decreased inter-limb coordination (p < .013). The changes in local trunk stability and gait variability during active arm swing suggests that these metrics quantify fundamentally different aspects of stability and are not always comparable. Split-belt walking caused reduced local trunk stability, increased gait variability, and increased lower limb asymmetry (p < .003). However, the arm swing symmetry was unaffected by gait asymmetry, this suggests that deficits in gait stability in pathological gaits may be linked to increases in gait asymmetry rather than increases in arm swing asymmetry.

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Validity and sensitivity of an inertial measurement unit-driven biomechanical model of motor variability for gait

10.1101/2021.09.27.461967 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Christopher Bailey ◽

Thomas Uchida ◽

Julie Nantel ◽

Ryan Graham

Keyword(s):

Inertial Measurement Unit ◽

Intraclass Correlation ◽

Biomechanical Model ◽

Measurement Unit ◽

Local Dynamic ◽

Joint Angles ◽

Motor Variability ◽

Arm Swing ◽

Inertial Measurement ◽

Local Dynamic Stability

Motor variability in gait is frequently linked to fall risk, yet field-based biomechanical joint evaluations are scarce. We evaluated the validity and sensitivity of an inertial measurement unit (IMU)-driven biomechanical model of joint angle variability for gait. Fourteen healthy young adults completed seven-minute trials of treadmill gait at several speeds and arm swing amplitudes. Joint kinematics were estimated by IMU- and optoelectronic-based models using OpenSim. We calculated range of motion (ROM), magnitude of variability (meanSD), local dynamic stability (λmax), persistence of ROM fluctuations (DFAα), and regularity (SaEn) of each angle over 200 continuous strides, and evaluated model accuracy (e.g., RMSD: root mean square difference), consistency (ICC2,1: intraclass correlation), biases, limits of agreement, and sensitivity to within-participant gait responses (effects of Speed and Swing). RMSDs of joint angles were 1.7–7.5° (pooled mean of 4.8°), excluding ankle inversion. ICCs were mostly good–excellent in the primary plane of motion for ROM and in all planes for meanSD and λmax, but were poor–moderate for DFAα and SaEn. Modeled Speed and Swing responses for ROM, meanSD, and λmax were similar. Results suggest that the IMU-driven model is valid and sensitive for field-based assessments of joint angles and several motor variability features.

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Countermovement Jump Inter-Limb Asymmetries in Collegiate Basketball Players

Sports ◽

10.3390/sports7050103 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (5) ◽

pp. 103 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Aaron Heishman ◽

Bryce Daub ◽

Ryan Miller ◽

Brady Brown ◽

Eduardo Freitas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Injury Risk ◽

Force Plate ◽

Return To Play ◽

Countermovement Jump ◽

Basketball Players ◽

Arm Swing ◽

Force Development ◽

Collegiate Basketball ◽

Limb Asymmetry ◽

Absolute Reliability

The purpose of the present study was to establish the intrasession and intersession reliability of variables obtained from a force plate that was used to quantitate lower extremity inter-limb asymmetry during the bilateral countermovement jump (CMJ). Secondarily, a comparison was performed to determine the influence of the jump protocol CMJ with or without an arm swing (CMJ AS and CMJ NAS, respectively) on inter-limb asymmetries. Twenty-two collegiate basketball players performed three CMJ AS and three CMJ NAS on dual force platforms during two separate testing sessions. A majority of variables met the acceptable criterion of intersession and intrasession relative reliability (ICC > 0.700), while fewer than half met standards established for absolute reliability (CV < 10%). CMJ protocol appeared to influence asymmetries; Concentric Impulse-100 ms, Eccentric Braking Rate of Force Development, Eccentric Deceleration, and Force at Zero velocity were significantly different between jumping conditions (CMJAS versus CMJ NAS; p < 0.05). The present data establish the reliability and smallest worthwhile change of inter-limb asymmetries during the CMJ, while also identifying the influence of CMJ protocol on inter-limb asymmetries, which can be useful to practitioners and clinicians in order to effectively monitor changes associated with performance, injury risk, and return-to-play strategies.

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Differential diagnosis of pathologically induced upper and lower limb asymmetry in a burial from late medieval Ireland (CE 1439–1511)

International Journal of Paleopathology ◽

10.1016/j.ijpp.2016.04.003 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 14 ◽

pp. 46-54 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mara Tesorieri

Keyword(s):

Differential Diagnosis ◽

Lower Limb ◽

Late Medieval ◽

Limb Asymmetry ◽

Medieval Ireland

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Slow walking synergies reveal a functional role for arm swing asymmetry in healthy adults: a principal component analysis with relation to mechanical work

10.1101/2020.07.01.182469 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

David Ó’ Reilly

Keyword(s):

Lower Limb ◽

Principal Component ◽

Neuromuscular Control ◽

Mechanical Work ◽

Arm Swing ◽

Double Support ◽

Slow Walking ◽

Negative Effect ◽

The Difference ◽

Support Phase

AbstractIntroductionThe purpose of this study was to reveal a functional role for arm-swing asymmetry during gait in healthy adults. The primary aim was to identify differences in propulsive and collision work between sides at either end of the double-support phase of slow-walking (WDS). The secondary aim was to identify differences between sides in propulsive and collision work done at either end of the single-support phase (WSS) and the effect of arm-swing asymmetry on this difference. It was hypothesized that differences between sides would be evident during the double-support phase and that these differences would be coherent with differences in single-support control symmetry. It was also hypothesized that left-side dominant arm-swing would reduce the collision work done on the dominant lower-limb side.MethodsA secondary analysis of slow-walking trials of 25 healthy, uninjured adults was undertaken where a principal component analysis of kinematic data was carried out to generate the movement synergies (PMk). Independent variables included the tightness of neuromuscular control (Nk) which was formulated from the first PMk and arm-swing asymmetry which was quantified using the directional Arm-swing asymmetry index (dASI). Dependent variables included the difference between double-support collision and propulsive work (WDS) and a ratio consisting of the difference between single-support collision and propulsive work of both sides (WSS). A linear mixed-effects model was utilized for aim 1 while a multiple linear regression analysis was undertaken for aim 2.ResultsHealthy adult gait was accompanied by a left-side dominant arm-swing on average as seen elsewhere. For aim 1, Nk demonstrated a significant negative effect on WDS while sidedness had a direct negative effect and indirect positive effect through Nk on WDS. The most notable finding was the effect of a crossover interaction between dASI and Nk which demonstrated a highly significant positive effect on Wss. All main-effects in aim 2 were in the hypothesized direction but were insignificant.InterpretationThe aim 1 hypothesis was supported while the aim 2 hypothesis was not supported. Nk exhibited opposing signs between ipsilateral and contralateral WBAM regulation, revealing a differential control strategy while the effect of sidedness on WDS was evident. The findings from aim 2 describe a relationship between arm-swing asymmetry and the magnitude of lower-limb mechanical work asymmetry that is cohesive with the sidedness effect found in aim 1. Individuals with left-side dominant arm-swing had an increased collision work indicative of a lateralised preference for WBAM regulation. Evidence was therefore put forward that arm-swing asymmetry during gait is related to footedness. Future studies should look to formally confirm this finding. Implications for further research into dynamic balance control mechanisms are also discussed.HighlightsLeft-side dominant arm-swing was found to be related to the degree of lower-limb mechanical work asymmetry.The relationship between arm-swing asymmetry and lower-limb mechanical work symmetry was explained by a moderating effect of neuromuscular control.A differential control on single-and double-support phases was demonstrated by the neuromuscular system, supporting previous studies and this control may be heavily influenced by sidedness.

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