scholarly journals Basic Spatiotemporal Gait Variables of Young and Older Healthy Volunteers Walking Along a Novel Figure-of-8 Path

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arturo Zancan ◽  
Stefania Sozzi ◽  
Marco Schieppati
Keyword(s):  
Healthy Volunteers ◽  
Walking Speed ◽  
Step Length ◽  
Clinical Tool ◽  
Entire Cohort ◽  
Simple Set ◽  
Curved Trajectories ◽  
Measurement Operation ◽  
Walk Ratio ◽  
Path Number

Background: Locomotion along curved trajectories requires fine coordination among body segments. Elderly people may adopt a cautious attitude when steering. A simple, expeditious, patient-friendly walking protocol can be a tool to help clinicians. We evaluated the feasibility of a procedure based upon a newly designed Figure-of-eight (nFo8) path and an easy measurement operation.Methods: Sixty healthy volunteers, aged from 20 to 86 years, walked three times at self-selected speed along a 20 m linear (LIN) and the 20 m nFo8 path. Number of steps, mean speed and walk ratio (step length/cadence) were collected. Data were analysed for the entire cohort and for the groups aged 20–45, 46–65, and >65 years.Results: There was no difference in mean LIN walking speed between the two younger groups but the oldest was slower. During nFo8, all groups were slower (about 16%) than during LIN. Cadence was not different across groups but lower during nFo8 in each group. Step length was about 8% shorter in the two younger groups and 14% shorter in the oldest during nFo8 compared to LIN. Walk ratio was the smallest in the oldest group for both LIN and nFo8.Conclusions: A complex nFo8 walking path, with fast and easy measurement of a simple set of variables, detects significant differences with moderate and large effects in gait variables in people >65 years. This challenging trajectory is more revealing than LIN. Further studies are needed to develop a quick clinical tool for assessment of gait conditions or outcome of rehabilitative treatments.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of an ankle–foot orthosis on walking in patients with stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoo Jin Choo ◽  
Min Cheol Chang
Keyword(s):  
Stride Length ◽  
Walking Speed ◽  
Sagittal Plane ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Step Length ◽  
Stride Time ◽  
Plane Angle ◽  
Ankle Foot Orthosis ◽  
Biomechanical Parameters ◽  
Foot Orthosis

AbstractWe conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the effectiveness of ankle–foot orthosis (AFO) use in improving gait biomechanical parameters such as walking speed, mobility, and kinematics in patients with stroke with gait disturbance. We searched the MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online), CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), Cochrane, Embase, and Scopus databases and retrieved studies published until June 2021. Experimental and prospective studies were included that evaluated biomechanics or kinematic parameters with or without AFO in patients with stroke. We analyzed gait biomechanical parameters, including walking speed, mobility, balance, and kinematic variables, in studies involving patients with and without AFO use. The criteria of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions were used to evaluate the methodological quality of the studies, and the level of evidence was evaluated using the Research Pyramid model. Funnel plot analysis and Egger’s test were performed to confirm publication bias. A total of 19 studies including 434 participants that reported on the immediate or short-term effectiveness of AFO use were included in the analysis. Significant improvements in walking speed (standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.50; 95% CI 0.34–0.66; P < 0.00001; I2, 0%), cadence (SMD, 0.42; 95% CI 0.22–0.62; P < 0.0001; I2, 0%), step length (SMD, 0.41; 95% CI 0.18–0.63; P = 0.0003; I2, 2%), stride length (SMD, 0.43; 95% CI 0.15–0.71; P = 0.003; I2, 7%), Timed up-and-go test (SMD, − 0.30; 95% CI − 0.54 to − 0.07; P = 0.01; I2, 0%), functional ambulation category (FAC) score (SMD, 1.61; 95% CI 1.19–2.02; P < 0.00001; I2, 0%), ankle sagittal plane angle at initial contact (SMD, 0.66; 95% CI 0.34–0.98; P < 0.0001; I2, 0%), and knee sagittal plane angle at toe-off (SMD, 0.39; 95% CI 0.04–0.73; P = 0.03; I2, 46%) were observed when the patients wore AFOs. Stride time, body sway, and hip sagittal plane angle at toe-off were not significantly improved (p = 0.74, p = 0.07, p = 0.07, respectively). Among these results, the FAC score showed the most significant improvement, and stride time showed the lowest improvement. AFO improves walking speed, cadence, step length, and stride length, particularly in patients with stroke. AFO is considered beneficial in enhancing gait stability and ambulatory ability.

scholarly journals A Comparison of Treadmill and Overground Walking Effects on Step Cycle Asymmetry in Young and Older Individuals

2013 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 188-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanatsu Nagano ◽  
Rezaul K. Begg ◽  
William A. Sparrow ◽  
Simon Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Walking Speed ◽  
Step Length ◽  
Treadmill Walking ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Aging Effects ◽  
Overground Walking ◽  
Time Data ◽  
Step Cycle ◽  
Step Velocity

Although lower limb strength becomes asymmetrical with age, past studies of aging effects on gait biomechanics have usually analyzed only one limb. This experiment measured how aging and treadmill surface influenced both dominant and nondominant step parameters in older (mean 74.0 y) and young participants (mean 21.9 y). Step-cycle parameters were obtained from 3-dimensional position/time data during preferred-speed walking for 40 trials along a 10 m walkway and for 10 minutes of treadmill walking. Walking speed (young 1.23 m/s, older 1.24 m/s) and step velocity for the two age groups were similar in overground walking but older adults showed significantly slower walking speed (young 1.26 m/s, older 1.05 m/s) and step velocity on the treadmill due to reduced step length and prolonged step time. Older adults had shorter step length than young adults and both groups reduced step length on the treadmill. Step velocity and length of older adults’ dominant limb was asymmetrically larger. Older adults increased the proportion of double support in step time when treadmill walking. This adaptation combined with reduced step velocity and length may preserve balance. The results suggest that bilateral analyses should be employed to accurately describe asymmetric features of gait especially for older adults.

Feedback Control of Planar Biped Robot With Regulable Step Length and Walking Speed

2011 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 162-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Hu ◽  
Gangfeng Yan ◽  
Zhiyun Lin
Keyword(s):  
Feedback Control ◽  
Walking Speed ◽  
Biped Robot ◽  
Step Length

Influence of the overground walking speed control modality: Modification to the walk ratio and spatio-temporal parameters of gait

2021 ◽  
Vol 83 ◽  
pp. 256-261
Author(s):  
T. Legrand ◽  
H. Younesian ◽  
C. Gélinas-Trudel ◽  
C.V. Barthod ◽  
A. Campeau-Lecours ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Walking Speed ◽  
Speed Control ◽  
Overground Walking ◽  
Temporal Parameters ◽  
Walk Ratio ◽  
Spatio Temporal

scholarly journals The Relationship between Walking Speed and Step Length in Older Aged Patients

Diseases ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuji Morio ◽  
Kazuhiro Izawa ◽  
Yoshitsugu Omori ◽  
Hironobu Katata ◽  
Daisuke Ishiyama ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Force ◽  
Walking Speed ◽  
Step Length ◽  
Knee Extension ◽  
Height Ratio ◽  
Roc Curve Analysis ◽  
Aged Patients ◽  
Speed Test ◽  
Slow Group ◽  
Fast Group

Compared with elderly people who have not experienced falls, those who have were reported to have a shortened step length, large fluctuations in their pace, and a slow walking speed. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the step length required to maintain a walking speed of 1.0 m/s in patients aged 75 years or older. We measured the 10 m maximum walking speed in patients aged 75 years or older and divided them into the following two groups: Those who could walk 1.0 m/s or faster (fast group) and those who could not (slow group). Step length was determined from the number of steps taken during the 10 m-maximum walking speed test, and the step length-to-height ratio was calculated. Isometric knee extension muscle force (kgf), modified functional reach (cm), and one-leg standing time (s) were also measured. We included 261 patients (average age: 82.1 years, 50.6% men) in this study. The fast group included 119 participants, and the slow group included 142 participants. In a regression logistic analysis, knee extension muscle force (p = 0.03) and step length-to-height ratio (p < 0.01) were determined as factors significantly related to the fast group. As a result of ROC curve analysis, a step length-to-height ratio of 31.0% could discriminate between the two walking speed groups. The results suggest that the step length-to-height ratio required to maintain a walking speed of 1.0 m/s is 31.0% in patients aged 75 years or older.

scholarly journals Framework for Developing Bio-Inspired Morphologies for Walking Robots

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (19) ◽  
pp. 6986
Author(s):  
Peter Billeschou ◽  
Nienke N. Bijma ◽  
Leon B. Larsen ◽  
Stanislav N. Gorb ◽  
Jørgen C. Larsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Walking Speed ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Object Manipulation ◽  
Step Length ◽  
Legged Robots ◽  
Walking Robots ◽  
Beetle Species ◽  
Step Frequency ◽  
Development Framework ◽  
Interdisciplinary Collaborations

Morphology is a defining trait of any walking entity, animal or robot, and is crucial in obtaining movement versatility, dexterity and durability. Collaborations between biologist and engineers create opportunities for implementing bio-inspired morphologies in walking robots. However, there is little guidance for such interdisciplinary collaborations and what tools to use. We propose a development framework for transferring animal morphologies to robots and substantiate it with a replication of the ability of the dung beetle species Scarabaeus galenus to use the same morphology for both locomotion and object manipulation. As such, we demonstrate the advantages of a bio-inspired dung beetle-like robot, ALPHA, and how its morphology outperforms a conventional hexapod by increasing the (1) step length by 50.0%, (2) forward and upward reach by 95.5%, and by lowering the (3) overall motor acceleration by 7.9%, and (4) step frequency by 21.1% at the same walking speed. Thereby, the bio-inspired robot has longer and fewer steps that lower fatigue-inducing impulses, a greater variety of step patterns, and can potentially better utilise its workspace to overcome obstacles. Hence, we demonstrate how the framework can be used to develop legged robots with bio-inspired morphologies that embody greater movement versatility, dexterity and durability.

The effect of a knee ankle foot orthosis incorporating an active knee mechanism on gait of a person with poliomyelitis

2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 411-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mokhtar Arazpour ◽  
Ahmad Chitsazan ◽  
Monireh Ahmadi Bani ◽  
Gholamreza Rouhi ◽  
Farhad Tabatabai Ghomshe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Knee Flexion ◽  
Walking Speed ◽  
Horizontal Displacement ◽  
Step Length ◽  
Knee Extension ◽  
Knee Joints ◽  
Ankle Foot Orthosis ◽  
Stance Control ◽  
Control Knee ◽  
Foot Orthosis

Background: The aim of this case study was to identify the effect of a powered stance control knee ankle foot orthosis on the kinematics and temporospatial parameters of walking by a person with poliomyelitis when compared to a knee ankle foot orthosis. Case description and methods: A knee ankle foot orthosis was initially manufactured by incorporating drop lock knee joints and custom molded ankle foot orthoses and fitted to a person with poliomyelitis. The orthosis was then adapted by adding electrically activated powered knee joints to provide knee extension torque during stance and also flexion torque in swing phase. Lower limb kinematic and kinetic data plus data for temporospatial parameters were acquired from three test walks using each orthosis. Findings and outcomes: Walking speed, step length, and vertical and horizontal displacement of the pelvis decreased when walking with the powered stance control knee ankle foot orthosis compared to the knee ankle foot orthosis. When using the powered stance control knee ankle foot orthosis, the knee flexion achieved during swing and also the overall pattern of walking more closely matched that of normal human walking. The reduced walking speed may have caused the smaller compensatory motions detected when the powered stance control knee ankle foot orthosis was used. Conclusion: The new powered SCKAFO facilitated controlled knee flexion and extension during ambulation for a volunteer poliomyelitis person. Clinical relevance The powered stance control knee ankle foot orthosis has the potential to improve knee joint kinematics in persons with poliomyelitis when ambulating.

INFLUENCE OF PHYSICAL FITNESS AND ACTIVITY ON WALKING SPEED AND STEP LENGTH IN OLDER ADULTS 654

1996 ◽  
Vol 28 (Supplement) ◽  
pp. 110
Author(s):  
W. C. Beam ◽  
R. E. Rikli ◽  
C. J. Jones ◽  
S. J. Duncan ◽  
B. Lamar
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Walking Speed ◽  
Step Length

scholarly journals Insect–computer hybrid legged robot with user-adjustable speed, step length and walking gait

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (116) ◽  
pp. 20160060 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Cao ◽  
Chao Zhang ◽  
Hao Yu Choo ◽  
Hirotaka Sato
Keyword(s):  
Walking Speed ◽  
Step Length ◽  
Legged Robot ◽  
Step Frequency ◽  
Locomotion Control ◽  
Insect Locomotion ◽  
Implanted Electrodes ◽  
Walking Gait ◽  
Leg Muscles ◽  
Adjustable Speed

We have constructed an insect–computer hybrid legged robot using a living beetle ( Mecynorrhina torquata ; Coleoptera). The protraction/retraction and levation/depression motions in both forelegs of the beetle were elicited by electrically stimulating eight corresponding leg muscles via eight pairs of implanted electrodes. To perform a defined walking gait (e.g. gallop), different muscles were individually stimulated in a predefined sequence using a microcontroller. Different walking gaits were performed by reordering the applied stimulation signals (i.e. applying different sequences). By varying the duration of the stimulation sequences, we successfully controlled the step frequency and hence the beetle's walking speed. To the best of our knowledge, this paper presents the first demonstration of living insect locomotion control with a user-adjustable walking gait, step length and walking speed.

scholarly journals Effect of Step Length and Walking Speed on Traction Coefficient and Slip between Shoe Sole and Walkway

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takeshi Yamaguchi ◽  
Shintaro Hatanaka ◽  
Kazuo Hokkirigawa
Keyword(s):  
Walking Speed ◽  
Step Length ◽  
Traction Coefficient
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