Running on a non-motorized, curved-deck treadmill is thought to improve gait mechanics. It is not known, though, if the change in gait carries over to running on a motorized treadmill or level ground. To determine the effect of running on a curved non-motorized treadmill (CNT) on gait characteristics measured during a subsequent bout of running on a traditional motorized treadmill (TMT). Sixteen healthy college-aged participants, age (mean±SD) 20.4±1.6 years volunteered to have their gait analyzed while running on a TMT and CNT. After familiarization and warm-up on both treadmills, each subject completed five, 4-minute bouts of running alternating between traditional motorized and curved non-motorized treadmills: TMT-1, CNT-1, TMT-2, CNT-2, and TMT-3. Variables of interest included step length (m), stride length (m), imbalance score (%), and step angle (°) and were measured using Optogait gait analysis equipment. Differences in gait char acteristics among TMT-1, TMT-2, and TMT-3 can be attributed to running on the CNT. The results show that running on a CNT resulted in significant changes in gait characteristics. These findings suggest that running on a CNT can significantly alter gait characteristics may result in improvements in running gait that persist to subsequent running on a TMT.

The purpose of this research has been to analyze the organizational structures of the different federations and entities representing the modalities of trail-running, skyrunning and mountain running and how they have settled in the current sports landscape. The main task of these entities is to act as hosts of the legally established modalities, both internationally and nationally, applying their respective regulations and statutes unilaterally. Through an in-depth review of the different regulations, statutes and current articles of all the organizations that represent the different disciplines, we can observe how a sport modality that seems to be the same is nevertheless distant in its execution (regulations, championships, classifications, systems of points, ...) and that has led to the international level being established in different sport modalities (trail-running and skyrunning) and at the level of the Spanish territory, it has led to an administrative dispute to know who has the powers to approve the sports competitions.

Quantitative analysis of human gait is critical for early discovery, progressive tracking, and rehabilitation of neurological and musculoskeletal disorders, such as Parkinson’s Disease, stroke, and Cerebral Palsy. Gait analysis typically involves estimating gait characteristics, such as spatio-temporal gait parameters and gait health indicators (e.g., step time, length, symmetry, and balance). Traditional methods of gait analysis involve the use of cameras, wearables, and force plates, but are limited in operational requirements when applied in daily life - such as direct line-of-sight, carrying devices, and dense deployment. This paper introduces a novel approach for gait analysis by passively sensing footstep-induced floor vibrations during walking using vibration sensors mounted on the floor surface. Our approach is non-intrusive, scalable, and perceived as more privacy-friendly, making it suitable for continuous gait health monitoring in daily life. We developed a floor vibration-based gait analysis framework to estimate various gait parameters that are used as standard metrics in medical practices, including temporal parameters (step, stride, stance, swing, double-support, single-support time) and spatial parameters (step length, width, angle, stride length), and extracts gait health indicators (cadence/walking speed, left-right symmetry, gait balance, initial contact types). The main challenge is that floor vibrations are distinct across different floor types. To address this challenge, our approach develops floor-adaptive algorithms to extract floor-specific features and is designed to be generalizable to various settings, including homes, hospitals, and eldercare facilities. We evaluate our approach through real-world walking experiments with 20 adults with 12,231 labeled gait cycles across concrete and wooden floors. Our results show 90.5% (RMSE 0.08s), 71.3% (RMSE 0.38m), and 92.3% (RMSPE 7.7%) accuracy in estimating temporal, spatial parameters, and gait health indicators, respectively.

The progress in markerless technologies is bringing clinicians tools to rapidly evaluate tests such as Timed Up and Go (TUG) without compromising the time of the assessment, yet it raises questions about the potential trade-off in accuracy compared to traditional marker-based systems, suggesting that the precision of these evaluations is not yet conclusively established. The OpenCap system is an easy tool to process 3D kinematics with two iPhone cameras placed in front of the subject. Previous research has primarily focused on walking and movement towards the cameras with the subject facing the cameras (WF) and thus has been unable to disentangle the differences in the movement directions. We have compared the OpenCap system with a standard marker-based system for both walking directions. In OpenCap, we found significantly worse results capturing walking facing away from the cameras (RW). Compared to the marker-based system, our findings indicate troubles measuring kinematic parameters but provide good accuracy in measuring spatial-temporal parameters. These insights pave the way for refining markerless assessment technologies, potentially enhancing their utility in clinical settings.

This review delves into the growing field of flexible and stretchable strain sensors utilized in human gait analysis, focusing on determining knee bending angle and muscle activities when a human subject walks. Recent advancements have enabled these sensors to accurately capture biomechanical parameters while accommodating the body's natural movements. We examine the principles underlying these sensors' design and fabrication techniques, emphasizing their flexibility, stretchability, and biocompatibility for seamless integration into wearable systems. Through critical evaluation of existing methodologies, we assess the reliability and validity of these sensors in quantifying gait parameters. Furthermore, we discuss this technology's clinical and research implications, highlighting its potential in personalized rehabilitation and sports performance optimization. We provide an overview of flexible strain sensors and their application for analyzing human walking gait, especially for observing walking gait in rehabilitation programs. First, we present the basic working principles of various flexible strain sensors. Second, by the application of flexible strain sensors as walking gait monitoring. Finally, current challenges and future opportunities in this research area are discussed. By synthesizing current knowledge and outlining future directions, this review aims to provide insights for researchers and practitioners seeking to leverage flexible and stretchable strain sensors for comprehensive human gait analysis.

Mobile health technologies enable continuous, quantitative assessment of mobility and gait in real-world environments, facilitating early diagnosis of gait disorders, disease progression monitoring, and prediction of adverse events like falls. Traditionally, mobile gait assessment predominantly relied on body-fixed sensors positioned at the feet or lower trunk. Here, we investigate the potential of an algorithm utilizing an ear-worn motion sensor for spatiotemporal segmentation of gait patterns. We collected 3D acceleration profiles from the ear-worn sensor during varied walking speeds in 53 healthy adults. Temporal convolutional networks were trained to detect stepping sequences and predict spatial relations between steps. The resulting algorithm, mEar, accurately detects initial and final ground contacts (F1 score of 99% and 91%, respectively). It enables determination of temporal and spatial gait cycle characteristics (among others stride time and stride length) with good to excellent validity at a precision sufficient to monitor clinically relevant changes in walking speed, stride-to-stride variability, and side asymmetry. This study highlights the ear as a viable site for monitoring gait and proposes its potential integration with in-ear vital sign monitoring. Such integration offers a practical approach to comprehensive health monitoring and telemedical applications, by integrating multiple sensors in a single anatomical location.

Techniques have been developed to determine whether a horse is in resting or running mode by measuring at least one of the following: the horse's body temperature, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and exercise level. However, the existing technology has not reached a level where a trainer can accurately assess a horse's running conditions, such as speed, acceleration, stride, limb rotation, ground impact, and frontal balance, during the training of racehorses. In addition, data is needed to quickly detect abnormalities during training and provide a basis for changing the intensity of training or deciding to give a rest to the horse. Devices that detect abnormalities in equine gait with high sensitivity will contribute to animal welfare and increase the athletic longevity of horses. This paper reports the development results of a new IoT device that acquires, processes, and analyzes information such as heart rate, position, speed, acceleration, pitch, stride, and ground contact during a training of racehorses. The purpose of this development is to provide an information on a novel processing system, device, method, and program that can analyze training condition of racehorses from multiple angles.

Freezing of Gait (FoG) is a disabling motor complication in Parkinson’s disease (PD), affecting approximately 50% of advanced PD patients. It is characterized by sudden and transient inability to initiate or maintain walking, leading to falls and reduced quality of life. This study investigates the relationship between white matter integrity and step initiation impairments in FoG. Forty-three PD patients (26 with FoG) underwent diffusion-weighted imaging to assess white matter DTI metrics and kinematic analysis during step initiation tasks. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to explore the connection between white matter tract integrity and step initiation behavior. The multiple regression analysis shows that (1) Right Inferior Longitudinal Fasciculus RD explained 31% of APA duration’s variance; (2) Corpus Callosum Forceps Major explained 25% of the step length's variance. There was a positive correlation between the Right Inferior Longitudinal Fasciculus RD and APA duration and a negative correlation between Corpus Callosum Forceps Major RD and step length. The findings suggest that compromised white matter integrity in RILF and CC contributes to impaired motor control during step initiation in FoG. These regions are critical for inhibitory control and interhemispheric coordination, crucial for APA execution and step length regulation.

Veterinary science has benefitted from technological advancements in the past and will hopefully continue to do so, especially in the field of equine gait analysis. There is a need for rapid and easy to use technology that is accurate and portable, but at the same time is also readily interpretable. This manuscript presents two new approaches to equine gait analysis, both of which are commer-cial devices. The use of Acoustic MyoGraphy (AMG) has been proven in the field of muscle func-tion and performance as well as ligament health, but it can also provide details concerning gait when placed on the wall of the hoof of a horse. The TendibootTM system is a limb focused unit that can be easily attached, activated and used in a Veterinary clinic setting, rapidly providing gait details for equine diagnostic purposes. In conclusion this manuscript provides an insight into gait parameters from recent research trials that are novel and challenge current thinking.

Background: Runners have high incidence of repetitive load injuries, and habitual runners often use smartwatches with embedded IMU sensors to track their performance and training. If accelerometer information from such IMUs can provide information about individual tissue loads, then running watches may be used to prevent injuries. Methods: We investigate a combined physics-based simulation and data-based method. 285 running trials from 76 real runners are subjected to physics-based simulation to recover forces in the Achilles tendon and patella ligament, and the collected data are used to train and test a data-based model using elastic net and gradient boosting methods. Results: Correlations up to 0.95 and 0.71 for the patella ligament and Achilles tendon forces, respectively, are obtained, but no single best predictive algorithm can be identified. Conclusions: Prediction of tissues loads based on body-mounted IMUs appears promising but requires further investigation before deployment as a general option for users of running watches to reduce running-related injuries.

Gait analysis has historically been implemented in laboratory settings with expensive instruments; however, recently, wearable sensors have allowed the integration into clinical applications and use in daily activities. Previous studies have shown poor validity of ankle joints using inertial measurement units (IMUs), especially for small movement ranges. The purpose of this study was to validate the ability of commercially available IMUs to accurately measure the ankle joint angles during running. Ten healthy subjects participated in the study. Validation was performed by comparing the ankle joint angles measured using the wearable device with those obtained using the gold standard motion capture system during running. Reliability was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient and standard error of measurement, whereas validity was evaluated using Pearson coefficient correlation method. Day-to-day reliability was excellent in the two planes for ankle joints. Validity was good in both sagittal and frontal planes for ankle joints. The results suggested that the developed device might be used as an alternative tool to the 3D motion capture system.

Digital gait monitoring is increasingly used to assess locomotion and fall risk. The aim of this work is analyzing the changes in the foot-floor contact sequences of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) patients in the year following the implant for deep brain stimulation (DBS). During their best-ON condition, 30 PD patients underwent gait analysis at baseline (T0), at 3 months (T1), and 12 months (T2) after the DBS neurosurgery for bilateral high-frequency subthalamic nucleus stimulation. Thirty age-matched controls underwent gait analysis once. Each subject was equipped with bilateral foot-switches and a 5-minute walk was recorded, including both straight-line and turnings. The walking speed, turning time, stride time variability, percentage of atypical gait cycles, stance, swing, and double support duration were estimated. Overall, the gait performance of PD patients improved after DBS, as also confirmed by the decrease in the UPDRS-III score from 19.4±1.8 to 10.2±1.0 points (T0 vs. T2) (p < 0.001). In particular, the percentage change of atypical gait cycles of PD more affected side decreased at T1 (Straigh-line: -72%; Turnings: -43%) and at T2 (Straigh-line: -54%; Turnings: -20%). The percentage of atypical gait cycles proved an informative digital biomarker for quantifying PD gait changes after DBS, both in straight-line paths and turnings.

State-of-the-art augmented-reality (AR) glasses record their position and orientation in space, enabling measurements and analyses of clinical gait-and-balance tests. This study’s objective was to evaluate concurrent validity and test-retest reliability for common clinical gait-and-balance tests in people with Parkinson’s disease: the Five Times Sit-To-Stand (FTSTS) and Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) tests. Position and orientation data was collected in 22 participants with Parkinson's disease using HoloLens 2 and Magic Leap 2 AR glasses, from which test-completion durations and durations of distinct sub-parts (e.g., sit-to-stand, turning) were derived and compared to reference systems and over test repetitions. Regarding concurrent validity, for both tests an excellent between-systems agreement was found for position and orientation time series and test-completion durations. Between-systems agreement for FTSTS (sub-)durations were all excellent, while TUG turning sub-durations were excellent (turn 1) and moderate (turn 2). Regarding test-retest reliability, the within-system test-retest variation in test-completion times and sub-durations was always much greater than the between-systems variation, implying that these (sub-)durations may be derived interchangeably from AR and reference-system data. In conclusion, AR data are of sufficient quality to evaluate gait and balance in people with Parkinson's disease, with valid quantification of test-completion durations and sub-durations of distinct FTSTS and TUG sub-parts.

Gait variability (GV) is a crucial measure of inconsistency of muscular activities or body seg-mental movements during repeated tasks. Hence, GV might serve as a relevant and sensitive measure to quantify adjustments of walking control. However, has not been clarified whether GV is associated with walking speed to exploit effective better coordination level. Fourteen male stu-dents (age 22.4 ± 2.7 years, body mass 74.9 ± 6.8 kg, body height 1.78 ± 0.05 m) took part in this study. After three days of walking 1 km each day at a self-selected speed (SS) on asphalt with Apple Watch S. 7 (AppleTM), the participants were randomly evaluated on a treadmill at three different walking speed intensities for 10 minutes each one, at SS-20% / SS+20% of SS, with 5 minutes of passive recovery in-between. Heart rate (HR) was monitored beat-to beat and nor-malized as HR%MAX, while the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) (CR-10) was asked after each trial. Kinematic analysis was performed assessing the Contact Time (CT), Swing Time (ST), Stride Length (SL), Stride Cycle (SC) and Gait Variability as Phase Coordination Index (PCI). RPE and HR increased with higher walking speed (P = 0.005 and P = 0.035, respectively). CT and SC decreased as the speed increased (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.013, respectively), while ST remained un-changed (P = 0.277). SL increased with higher walking speed (P = 0.0001). Conversely, PCI was 3.81 ± 0.88 % (high variability) at 3.96 ± 0.47 km·h-1, 2.64 ± 0.75 % (low variability) at SS (4.94 ± 0.58 km·h-1), 3.36 ± 1.09 % (high variability) at 5.94 ± 0.70 km·h-1 (P = 0.001). These results indi-cate that while the metabolic demand and kinematics variables changing linearly with increasing speed, the most effective GV was observed at SS. Therefore, SS could be a new methodological approach to choose the individual walking speed, normalize the speed intensity, and avoid a gait pattern alteration.

Freezing of gait (FOG), a debilitating symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD), can be safely studied using the stepping in place (SIP) task. However, clinical, visual identification of FOG during SIP is subjective and time consuming, and automatic FOG detection during SIP currently requires measuring center of pressure on dual force plates. This study examines whether FOG elicited during SIP in 10 individuals with PD could be reliably detected using kinematic data measured from wearable inertial measurement unit sensors (IMUs). A general, logistic regression model (AUC = 0.81) determined that three gait parameters together were overall the most robust predictors of FOG during SIP: arrhythmicity, swing time coefficient of variation, and swing angular range. Participant-specific models revealed varying sets of gait parameters that best predicted FOG for each participant, highlighting variable FOG behaviors, and demonstrated equal or better performance for 6 out of the 10 participants, suggesting the opportunity for model personalization. The results of this study demonstrated that gait parameters measured from wearable IMUs reliably detected FOG during SIP, and the general and participant-specific gait parameters allude to variable FOG behaviors that could inform more personalized approaches for treatment of FOG and gait impairment in PD.

Neuromorphic computing, a brain inspired non-Von Neumann computing system, addresses the challenges posed by the Moore’s law memory wall phenomenon. It has the capability to increasingly enhance performance while maintaining power efficiency. Neuromorphic chip architecture requirements vary depending on the application and optimizing it for large-scale applications remains to be a challenge. Neuromorphic chips are programmed using spiking neural networks which provide them with important properties such as parallelism, asynchronism, and on-device learning. Widely used spiking neuron models include the Hodgkin-Huxley Model, Izhikevich model, integrate-and-fire model and spike response model. Hardware implementation platforms of the chip follow three approaches: analog, digital, or a combination of both. Each platform can be implemented using various memory topologies which interconnects with the learning mechanism. Current neuromorphic computing systems typically use the unsupervised learning spike timing-dependent plasticity algorithms. However, algorithms such as voltage-dependent synaptic plasticity have the potential to enhance performance. This review summarizes the potential neuromorphic chip architecture specifications and highlights which applications they are suitable for.

Body weight support (BWS) and incline running (IR) are commonly used either during rehabilitation or during training separately, with many positive effects on athletes’ performance and rehabilitation. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of BWS and IR. In eighteen healthy men (age: 20.3 ± 1.2 yr, body weight: 70.2 ± 4.8 kg, body height: 179.6 ± 5.4 cm), the changes in electromyographic activity (EMGA) during a 10-min run with BWS (15% or 30% of body weight; in different occasions) and IR at 7%, as well as jumping performance and gait spatiotemporal parameters were evaluated. Lower Rating of Perceived Exertion and a significant decrease in VL (33,4%), SOL (17%), and GL EMGA (28.5%, p &lt; 0.05) but not in GM (10.5%, p &gt; 0.05), were observed during BWS30% at 7% slope compared to flat running. Also, low-frequency fatigue of the quadriceps was induced only after running without BWS at 7% slope (P = 0.011). No changes were found in jumping performance (p = 0.246) and gait spatiotemporal parameters (p &gt; 0.05) except for flight time (p &lt; 0.006). In conclusion, compared to normal flat running, BWS reduces electromyographic activity and fatigue during slope running.

Introduction: Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of lost productivity, absenteeism, disability, and early retirement worldwide. LBP treatment should be comprehensive, including prevention, education, diagnosis, and various treatment methods. Treatment can be divided into pharmacological and non-pharmacological. The role of physiotherapy in the comprehensive treatment of LBP is very important. Elastic therapeutic tape, also called kinesiology tape or therapeutic kinesiology tape, has been used for about 50 years. Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Kinesio taping in patients suffering from (LBP) and its possible effect on the swing of the center of pressure (COP), balance, gait, improvement of coordination, and pain reduction. Material and methods: A total of 60 patients aged 20 to 83 years (54% women) were examined, all of whom met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. In the experimental group, in addition to comprehensive rehabilitation, kinesiotaping of the L1-L5 spine was used. The control group underwent balance control training. The research tools used included the Bohannon single-leg standing test, the FAC scale - Functional Ambulatory Category, the Podsiadlo and Richardson Standing and Walking Test - Timed Up and Go (TUG), lumbar spine mobility assessment, Lasegue's sign and examination of neurological deficit symptoms. and self-assessment of pain using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Results: Kinesio taping has a statistically significant effect on postural control, balance, gait, coordination, and pain. The main parameter with a statistically significant effect on the effects of Kinesio taping was age (below 55 years), which was also observed in the control group. Conclusions: Kinesio taping is an effective method in the treatment of LBP. It improves postural control, balance, gait, coordination, and pain.

Background: This study aimed to investigate how external perturbations caused by the treadmill belt's acceleration (Acc) and deceleration (Dec) during the Initial Contact (Initial), Mid Stance (Mid) and Pre-Swing (ToeOff) phase affect gait regularity in young adults. Methods: Twenty-one healthy young females walked on a treadmill in a virtual environment (Grail, Motek), where four unexpected perturbations were applied to the left belt at Initial, Mid, and ToeOff. Sample Entropy (SampEn) was calculated for the center of mass (CoM) displacements, for six perturbation scenarios in three directions: anterior-posterior (AP), medial-lateral (ML), and vertical (vert), with SampEn vector lengths (m) ranging from 2 to 10. Results: The CoM displacement exhibited its highest regularity (low SampEn values) in the AP and vert-directions during Dec_ToeOff, across all m values. Similarly, this pattern was observed in the ML-direction, but exclusively for m = 2 and 4. The least regular CoM trajectories (high SampEn values) were for Dec_Mid in the AP-direction, across all m values. This trend persisted in the ML-direction, only for m = 2 and 4. However, the most irregular CoM displacements in the ML-direction occurred during Dec_ToeOff for the remaining m values. Vertical CoM displacements exhibited the highest irregularities during Dec_Initial for m ≥ 4. Conclusions: Evaluating the regularity of CoM displacements using SampEn can be a useful tool for assessing how gait perturbations are handled.

The paper presents an innovative hexapod walking robot built with 3-UPU parallel mechanism. In the robot, the parallel mechanism is used as both an actuator to generate walking and also a connecting body to connect two groups of three legs, thus enables the robot to walk with simple gait by very few motors. In the paper, the forward and inverse kinematics solutions are obtained. The workspace of the parallel mechanism is analyzed using limit boundary search method. The walking stability of the robot is analyzed, which yields the robot’s maximum step length. The gait planning of the hexapod walking robot is studied for walking on both flat and uneven terrains. The new robot, combining the advantages of parallel robot and walking robot, has a large carrying capacity, strong passing ability, flexible turning ability, and simple gait control for its deployment for uneven terrain.

Background: Depending on the phase of the menstrual cycle the athlete is in, some kinetic, physiological and fatigue variables will show differences. The aim of this study is to analyze whether there are changes in these variables over the course of the menstrual cycle. Methods: Eight regular female runners and triathletes performed a maximal treadmill test, as well as a submaximal test (6’ stages at 50%, 60% and 80% of maximal aerobic speed) in each of the phases of the menstrual cycle: bleeding phase (day 2.4 ± 0.7), follicular phase (day 10.4 ± 2.2) and luteal phase (day 21.8 ± 2.1). Running dynamics were measured (using RunScribe) at the end of each test, as were lactate concentration, heart rate and fatigue (evaluated on a scale of 0 to 5). Results: Higher shock (G) values were recorded in the bleeding phase and higher vertical spring stiffness (kN/m) in the follicular phase. The phase of the menstrual cycle had a significant effect on average and peak heart rate, which was significantly higher in the follicular phase. Conclusions: Higher vertical spring stiffness was observed in the follicular phase, as well as higher peak and average heart rate.

Objectives The aim of this study was to measure the magnitude of forces in the joints of the lower limb whilst running barefoot and compare them to the forces generated whilst wearing running shoes with a thick midsole.MethodsTwenty-three volunteers who utilised running as their main sport or a training aid ran as training aid were included in this study. Each volunteer would run down a fourteen-meter-long corridor both barefoot and with running shoes. Forces for joints of the lower limb were collected using a Vicon motion analysis system and force plates. The joint forces for the ankles, knees and hips were taken as the largest joint force experienced during the stance phase and then averaged over five running trials.ResultsThere was significant reduction in the joint forces for the ankles, knees, and hips when barefoot running compared to the shod condition.ConclusionBarefoot running could be utilised to prevent both acute and degenerative injuries of the lower limb.

Botswana, Eswatini and Lesotho are three Southern African countries which make use of re-turn-of-service (RoS) schemes to increase human resources for health in their countries. These initiatives bind beneficiaries to a pre-defined period of service upon completion of their studies based on the length of funding support received. We aim to review the history of these policies to understand the conceptualisation, intent and implementation of these schemes. We used a mul-ti-methods research design which consisted of a literature review, policy review and semi-structured interviews with policymakers and implementors. All three governments have a combination of grant-loan schemes and full bursaries or scholarships. The policies have all been operating for over 20-years, with Eswatini’s pre-service being the oldest since it was introduced in 1977 followed by Lesotho’s 1978 policy and Botswana’s 1995 pre-service policy. These policies have never been reviewed or updated. RoS schemes in these countries were introduced to ad-dress critical skills shortages, improve employability prospects for citizens, to have competent public sector employees by global standards, and to aid career progress of government employ-ees. Ministries of Health are passive role players. However, these schemes can only be efficient if there is clear cooperation and coordination between all stakeholders.

The overarching purpose of this review was to highlight the utility of different aerobic field tests in terms of the parameters they provide, with a specific focus on shuttle running and all-out testing. Various field tests are discussed in detail and are categorised according to linear continuous running tests (e.g. 12-minute Cooper Test, University of Montreal Track Test [UMTT], 1200/1600 m time trials, 3-minute all-out test for running [3MT]), intermittent shuttle running tests (e.g. yo-yo inter-mittent recovery test level 1 [YYIR1], 30-15 intermittent fitness test [IFT], and the intermittent all-out shuttle test [IAOST]), and continuous shuttle running tests (e.g. 1.2 km shuttle run test [1.2SRT], maximal multi-stage 20-m shuttle test [MSR], 25-m, 30 m and 50-m 3-minute all-out shuttle test [AOST]). Readers will be guided through the theoretical and practical underpinnings of the 3MT methodology, where the all-out testing methodology is stationed within the testing paradigm, and how to practically implement and interpret the results thereof.

This study investigates the collapse of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) as a risk factor for medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), hypothesizing that overuse of extrinsic foot muscles to prevent MLA collapse can lead to disability. Twenty healthy adults (39 feet) with a foot posture index score below 6 and no recent lower extremity orthopedic history participated. Ultrasonog-raphy measured foot muscle cross-sectional areas, while three-dimensional motion analysis us-ing VICON assessed foot kinematics during gait, focusing on navicular height at initial contact (ICNH) and dynamic navicular drop (DND) during the stance phase. Hierarchical cluster analy-sis based on ICNH and DND compared muscle cross-sectional areas between clusters using ANOVA or Kruskal–Wallis test. The analysis indicated that ICNH was lower in clusters 1 and 3 than in cluster 2, and DND was smaller in clusters 1 and 2 than in cluster 3. Although there was no significant difference in muscle cross-sectional area between the clusters, the flexor hallucis longus tended to be thicker in cluster 1 than in cluster 3 (p = 0.051). The findings suggest that the flexor hallucis longus may help prevent MLA compression during loading, indicating that over-use of extrinsic foot muscles may contribute to MTSS development.

This paper pioneers a novel exploration of environmental impacts in livestock farming, with a focus on pig farming's intersection with climate change and sustainability. It emphasizes the transformative potential of data-driven Artificial Intelligence (AI) methodologies, specifically the Internet of Things (IoT) and multimodal data analysis, in promoting equitable and sustainable food systems. The study observes five pigs, aged 86 to 108 days, using a tripartite sensor that records heart rate, respiration rate, and accelerometer data. The unique experimental design alternates between periods of isolation during feeding and subsequent pairing, enabling the investigation of stress-induced changes. Key inquiries include discerning patterns in heart rate data during isolation versus paired settings, fluctuations in respiration rates, and behavioral shifts induced by isolation or pairing. The study also explores potential detection of gait abnormalities, correlations between pigs' age and their gait or activity patterns, and the evolution of pigs' walking abilities with age. The paper scrutinizes accelerometer data to detect activity changes when pigs are paired, potentially indicating increased stress or aggression. It also examines the adaptation of pigs to alternating isolation and pairing over time, and how their heart rate, respiration rate, and activity data reflect this process. The study considers other significant variables, such as time of day and isolation duration, affecting the pigs' physiological parameters. Sensor data is further utilized to identify behavioral patterns during periods of feeding, isolation, or pairing. In conclusion, this study harnesses IoT and multimodal data analysis in a groundbreaking approach to pig welfare research. It underscores the compelling potential of technology to inform about overall pig welfare, particularly stress levels and gait quality, and the power of data-driven insights in fostering equitable, healthy, and environmentally conscious livestock production systems.

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a preferred treatment for primary osteoarthritis (OA) or secondary due to developmental hip dysplasia (DDH). Gait analysis is considered a golden standard for evaluating post-arthroplasty walking patterns. This study compared post-THA spatiotemporal gait parameters (SGPs) between OA and DDH patients and explored correlations with demographic and clinical variables. Thirty patients (15 per group) were recorded during gait, and their SGPs were analyzed. Functionality was evaluated with the Oxford Hip Score (OHS). The OA patients were significantly older than DDH (pr< 0.51, all p< 0.05). The preoperative gait alterations associated with OA or DDH were improved to similar levels in both groups after THA. Post-arthroplasty SGPs and OHS correlations indicate limitations in certain activities. These find-ings must be correlated with kinetic gait analysis data to fully evaluate gait and functionality dif-ferences among patient groups.

Brucellosis is a multi-system infectious disease that exhibits with various manifestations and complications. Neurobrucellosis is a rare but serious presentation of brucellosis that can be discovered in every stages of the disease. Laboratory tests and physical examination and patient history are generally the basis for diagnosing the disease. It has both insidious and prolonged clinical course of the disease and long-term therapies. Also the most common pattern of exhibition is subacute or chronic. We reported a case of young female who had history of painless weakness in the right lower limb (proximal and distal) that started gradually and had progressed over the time, and after a month she felt weakness in the left lower limb with the same pattern. Lumbosacral Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with and without contrast was shown evidence of enhancement thickening of caudal equina ventral roots. Brucella antigen titer was positive, the result was 1/160. And other clinical tests were normal. Patient treated with Intravenous injection (IV) Rifampicin and Intravenous Cotrimoxazole. patient was discharged with good health and continuinng all two medications for 5 months. The descision was taken to report this case as a result of entire respond in patient’s illness after a enduring disease. Neurobrucellosis is a treatable disease in which it would be better to consider a high indication of suspicion. Due to if ignored, it may cause significant morbidity and mortality.

To maintain a healthy lifestyle, adults rely on their ability to walk while simultaneously managing multiple tasks that challenge their coordination. This study investigates the impact of cognitive dual-task on lower limb muscle activities in 21 healthy young adults during both gait initiation and steady-state gait. We utilized wireless electromyography sensors to measure muscle activities, along with a 3D motion capture system and force plates to detect the phases of gait initiation and steady-state gait. Participants were asked to walk at their self-selected pace, and we compared single-task and dual-task conditions. We analyzed mean muscle activation and co-contraction in the biceps femoris, vastus lateralis, gastrocnemius, and tibialis anterior muscles. The findings revealed that during gait initiation with the dual-task condition, there was a decrease in mean muscle activation and an increase in mean muscle c-contraction between the swing and stance limb compared to the single-task condition. In steady-state gait, there was also a decrease in mean muscle activation in the dual-task condition compared to the single-task condition. When participants performed dual-task activities during gait initiation, early indicators of reduced balance capability were observed. Additionally, during dual-task steady-state gait, knee stabilizer muscles exhibited signs of altered activation, contributing to balance instability.

Cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) deficiency disorder (CDD) is a rare neurodevelopmental disease caused by mutations in the X-linked CDKL5 gene. CDD is characterized by a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations, including early-onset refractory epileptic seizures, intellectual disability, hypotonia, visual disturbances, and autism-like features. The Cdkl5 knockout (KO) mouse recapitulates several features of CDD, including autistic-like behavior, impaired learning and memory, and motor stereotypies. These behavioral alterations are accompanied by diminished neuronal maturation and survival, reduced dendritic branching and spine maturation, and marked microglia activation. There is currently no cure or effective treatment to ameliorate the symptoms of the disease. Aerobic exercise is known to exert multiple beneficial effects in the brain, not only by increasing neurogenesis, but also by improving motor and cognitive tasks. To date, no studies have analyzed the effect of physical exercise on the phenotype of a CDD mouse model. In view of the positive effects of voluntary running on the brain of mouse models of various human neurodevelopmental disorders, we sought to determine whether voluntary daily running, sustained over a month, could improve brain development and behavioral defects in Cdkl5 KO mice. Our study showed that long-term voluntary running improved hyperlocomotion and impulsivity behaviors, and memory performance of Cdkl5 KO mice. This is correlated with increased hippocampal neurogenesis, neuronal survival, spine maturation, and inhibition of microglia activation. These behavioral and structural improvements were associated with increased BDNF levels. Given the positive effects of BDNF on brain development and function, the present findings support the positive benefits of exercise as an adjuvant therapy for CDD.

Instep weights cause mechanical changes, modifying muscle activity and changing ground plantar support. 30 semi-professional sprinters, randomized in 3 groups [no-weight, Ascending (50, 100, 150 and 200g), Descending (200, 150, 100 and 50g)] run 6 consecutive 50-meter series at maximum speed (first and sixth without weights); partial, total times and speed were analyzed. Instep weights were safe and well tolerated. 6th series speed decreased except in men’s ascending group, who achieved a lower time in sixth compared to first series. Weights presented in ascending order in men during warm-up could improve running time. Instep weights neuromuscular effects could compensate men’s tiredness in last series; weights could be included in training methodologies. Men training weights presented in ascending order may provide better results.

The need to carry different items, which become an extra load, is a characteristic of trail running. The aim of this study is to determine physiological-metabolic changes produced by running with extra load. Four male well-trained trail runners completed three treadmill maximal metabolic tests carrying different loads (0% (L0), 5% (L5), and 10% (L10) of their body mass) in a weighted vest. Gasses exchange was monitored to assess ventilatory thresholds 1 (VT1), and 2 (VT2), zone of maximal fat oxidation, and peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak). Heart rate (HR), power and velocity (V) were tracked for comparing their behavior. A repeated measures ANOVA showed significant differences in V (p&lt;.001; ηp2= 0.910) as a limitation for reaching peak velocity (Vpeak) with L10 respect to L0 (p=0.001), and L5 (p=0.011). Power expression showed differences (p=0.068; ηp2= 0.592). It tended to be greater with L10 than L0 (p=0.057), despite achieving lower V. VT2 tended to occur at different %VO2peak (p=0.069; ηp2= 0.591). L5 VT2 was reached at higher %VO2peak than L0 (p=0.062), and L10 (p=0.071). ANOVA also showed a tendency to signification for V at this point (p= 0.098; ηp2= 0.538). In conclusion, L10 seems to limit Vpeak while L5 may delay VT2 expression.

Background : The quantification of electromyographic activity using surface electrodes is inval-uable for understanding gait disorders in patients with central nervous system lesions. We propose to evaluate a commercially available low-cost system compared to a reference system in partic-ipants with stroke-related movement disorders in functional situations. Methods : Three hemiparetic participants performed three functional tasks: two treadmill walks at different speeds and a sit-to-stand test. The vastus lateralis and gastrocnemius medialis muscles were equipped with two EMG sensors. The comparison between the two EMG systems was based on 883 identified cycles. Spearman’s correlation coefficients (SC), linear correlation coefficients (LCC), and cross-correlation coefficients (CCC) were calculated. Results : The main results indicate good to very good similarity of the EMG signals collected from the two tested sEMG systems. In the comfortable walking condition, an SC of 0.894±0.091 and an LCC of 0.909±0.094 were noted. In the fast walking condition, an SC of 0.918±0.064 and an LCC of 0.935±0.056 were observed. For the 1-minute sit-to-stand test an SC of 0.880±0.058 and an LCC of 0.881±0.065 were noted. Conclusions : This study demonstrates good to very good similarity between the two sEMG systems, enabling the analysis of muscle activity during functional tasks.

The deterioration of gait can be used as a biomarker for ageing and neurological diseases. Continuous gait monitoring and analysis are essential for early deficit detection and personalized rehabilitation. The use of mobile and wearable inertial sensor systems for gait monitoring and analysis have been well explored with promising results in the literature. However, most of these studies focus on the technologies for gait characteristic assessment, few of them have considered the data acquisition bandwidth of the sensing system. Inadequate sampling frequency will sacrifice signal fidelity, thus leading to an inaccurate estimation especially for spatial gait parameters. In this work, we developed an inertial sensor based in-shoe gait analysis system for real-time gait monitoring and investigated the optimal sampling frequency to capture all the information on walking patterns. An exploratory validation study was performed using an optical motion capture system on four healthy adult subjects, where each person underwent five walking sessions, giving a total of 20 sessions. Percentage mean absolute errors (MAE%) obtained in stride time, stride length, stride velocity, and cadence while walking were 1.19%, 1.68%, 2.08%, and 1.23%, respectively. In addition, an eigen-analysis based graphical descriptor from raw gait cycle signals was proposed as a new gait metric that can be quantified by principal component analysis to differentiate gait patterns, which has great potential to be used as a powerful analytical tool for gait disorder diagnostics.

Background - Technological developments induced lifestyle changes and increase population physical inactivity. This change in lifestyle can affect the male-female morphological and physical fitness differences. The aim of this study is to determine and to compare the effect of sex differences in percentage of body fat on speed and endurance running performance. Methods - 72 male and 64 female students aged 20 to 23 years participated in this study. After assessing their morphological characteristics, running performances during 30 m and 400 m, and maximum aerobic velocity (MAV) and maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) during a 20 m shuttle running test have been estimated for each subject. Male students were re-tested after being overweighed down with a weight equivalent to the mean differences in body fat recorded between the two sexes in the form of a loaded worn vest. Results – Male presented a percentage of fat mass (17.2 ±2%) significantly (p <0.001) lower than that of women subject (25.0 ±2.5%). Running performances during 30 m and 400 m, MAV and VO2max were significantly (p<0.001) better in males. During the weighted condition, male performances during 30 m and 400 m, MAV and VO2max were attenuated by 6.89%, 14.16%, 6.48% and 10.07%, respectively but remain significantly better than those of female students. Conclusion - The persistence of sex differences after overweighting male students indicates that body fat could be responsible for ≈ 50 to 70% of the observed differences between sexes performances during short and long sprints, and 20 m shuttle running test.

In late February 2020, Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has aggressively spread around many bordering provinces of the three most productive regions of northern Italy (Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia Romagna). The first outbreak exploded in the municipality of Codogno (Lombardy). The province of Ferrara (Emilia Romagna) has been indicated as an anomaly due to the lower number of confirmed cases (1·065 cases per 1000 population). We argue that the spread of the virus throughout Emilia Romagna has a possible explanation in the geographical location of most of its provinces along the Via Emilia, an ancient Roman road that runs throughout the region, which we consider as a proxy for citizens’ movement, number of contacts, and social interactions. In order to test this hypothesis, we used a non-linear multiple regression analysis on aggregate province data to investigate the association between the rates of confirmed cases and the distance from the Via Emilia. The results indicate that the infection rate decreases proportionally to the distance from Via Emilia (-14% every 10 km, p<0·001). Further studies are needed, but Ferrara’s “peculiarity” might have a geographical/behavioral explanation, due to its isolation from the regional main connection routes, which are still revolving around a road built by the ancient Romans 2,000 years ago.

Running is a basic form of human locomotion and one of the most popular sports worldwide. While the leg biomechanics of running have been studied extensively, few studies have focused on the upper-body movement. However, an effective arm swing and longitudinal rotation of the shoulders play an important role in running efficiency as they must compensate for the longitudinal torques generated by the legs. The aim of this study is to assess the upper-body rotation using wearable inertial sensors and to elucidate its relation to energy expenditure. Eighty-six junior elite middle and long-distance runners (37 female, 49 male) performed an incremental treadmill test with sensors attached on both shoulders, tibiae and the sacrum. Mean and total horizontal shoulder and pelvis rotation per stride were derived while energy costs were determined using respiratory gas analysis and blood sampling. Results show that shoulder and pelvis rotation increase with running speed. While shoulder rotation is more pronounced in female than in male runners, there is no sex difference for pelvis rotation. Energy cost of running and upper trunk rotation prove to be slightly negatively correlated. In conclusion, upper body rotation appears to be an individual characteristic influenced by a sex-specific body mass distribution.

Sudden variation of aerodynamic loads is the potential source of safety accidents of high-speed train (HST). As a follow-up investigation on the aerodynamic response of a HST that enters a tunnel under crosswind environment, this paper focuses on the transient response of a HST’s safety indices based on the train–track coupling interaction model. Firstly, a wind–train–track coupling dynamic model is proposed by introducing transient aerodynamic loads into the vehicle–track system. Secondly, the temporal evolution of safety coefficients indicates that the train’s safety risk increases during tunnel entry with crosswind. Results show that the derailment coefficients and wheel load reduction rate during tunnel entry are not only larger than those in open air but also those inside the tunnel due to the sudden disappearance of wind excitation at the tunnel entrance. In addition, the characteristic wind curve, which is the wind velocity against the train speed, is presented for application based on the current specification of the safety criteria threshold. The investigation will be useful in assessing the safety risk of a running train subjected to other aerodynamic attacks, such as the coupling effect of infrastructure scenario and crosswind in windy area.

Using a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel group design, this investigation determined if the combination of 2-weeks flavonoid supplementation (329 mg/day, quercetin, anthocyanins, flavan-3-ols mixture) and a 45-minute walking bout (62.2±0.9% VO_2max) enhanced the translocation of gut-derived phenolics into circulation in a group of walkers (N = 77). The walkers (flavonoid, placebo groups) were randomized to either sit or walk briskly on treadmills for 45 minutes (thus four groups: placebo-sit, placebo-walk, flavonoid-sit, flavonoid-walk). A comparator group of runners (N = 19) ingested a double flavonoid dose for 2 weeks (658 mg/day) and ran for 2.5 h (69.2±1.2% VO_2max). Four blood samples were collected (pre- and post-supplementation, immediately-post- and 24-h post-exercise/rest). Of the 76 metabolites detected in this targeted analysis, 15 increased after the 2.5-h run, and when grouped were also elevated post-exercise (versus placebo-sit) for the placebo- and flavonoid-walking groups (P < 0.05). A secondary analysis showed that pre-study plasma concentrations of gut-derived phenolics in the runners were 40% higher compared to walkers (P = 0.031). These data indicate that acute exercise bouts (brisk walking, intensive running) are linked to an increased translocation of gut-derived phenolics into circulation, an effect that is amplified when combined with a 2-week period of increased flavonoid intake or chronic training as a runner.

Immersive virtual reality has the potential to motivate and challenge patients that need and want to relearn movements in the process of (neuro-)rehabilitation. The aims of this study were to evaluate the feasibility and users’ acceptance of an innovative immersive virtual reality system (head-mounted display) used in combination with robot assisted gait training in subjects suffering from neurological diseases. Fifteen participants tested a single session of immersive virtual reality by means of head-mounted display during a Lokomat gait session. Training parameters and safety indicators were collected and the acceptance was investigated among the participants and the therapists. The results suggest that the immersive virtual reality system is feasible with respect to safety and tolerance. Furthermore, the very positive overall acceptance of the system suggests that it has potential to be included in a robot assisted gait training session by means of Lokomat. Taken together, this study demonstrates the feasibility and acceptance of an innovative immersive virtual reality system in combination with a robot assisted gait training in subjects suffering from stroke and spinal cord injury, as well as their therapists.

5G technology propagation curve is ascending rapidly. 5G will open up the horizon to improve the performance of many other IP-based services such as voice over IP (VoIP). VoIP is a worldwide technology that is expected to rule the telecommunication world in the near future. However, VoIP has expended a significant part of the 5G technology bandwidth with no valuable use owing to its lengthy packet header. This issue even worsens when VoIP works in IPv6 networks, where the wasted bandwidth and airtime may reach 85.7% of 5G networks. VoIP developers have exerted many efforts to tackle this snag. This study adds to these efforts by proposing a new method called Zeroize (zero sizes). The main idea of the Zeroize method is to use superfluous fields of the IPv6 protocol header to carry the digital voice data of the packet and, thus, reduce or zeroize the VoIP packet payload. Although simple, the Zeroize method achieves a considerable reduction of the wasted bandwidth of 5G networks, which also directly affects the consumed airtime. The performance analysis of the Zeroize method shows that the consumed bandwidth is saved by 20% with the G.723.1 codec. Thus, the Zeroize method is a promising solution to reduce the wasted bandwidth and airtime of 5G networks when running VoIP over IPv6.

Exercise affects various organs. However, its effects on nutrient digestion and absorption in the intestinal tract are not well understood. A few studies have reported that exercise training in-creases the expression of carbohydrate digestion and absorption molecules. Exercise was also shown to increase the concentration of blood glucagon like peptide-2(GLP-2), which regulates carbohydrate digestion and absorption in small intestinal epithelium. Therefore, we investigated the effects of exercise on intestinal digestion and absorption molecules and the levels of GLP-2. 6-wk-old of male mice were divided into 2 groups; sedentary (SED) and low-intensity exercise (LEx). LEx mice were required to run on a treadmill (12.5 m/min, 60 min), whereas SED mice rested. All mice were euthanized 1 h after exercise or rest and plasma, jejunum, ileum, and colon were sampled. Samples were analyzed using EIA and immunoblotting. The levels of plasma GLP-2 and the expression of the GLP-2 receptor, sucrase-isomaltase (SI), and glucose transporter (GLUT2) in the jejunum were increased in LEx group. We showed that acute low-intensity exer-cise affects the intestinal carbohydrate digestion and absorption molecules via GLP-2. Our results suggest that exercise might provide new benefits to the small intestine for people with intestinal frailty.

Stumbling during gait is commonly encountered in patients who suffer from mild to serious walking problems, e.g. after stroke, in osteoarthritis, or amputees using a lower leg prosthesis. Instead of self-reporting, an objective assessment of the amount of stumbles in daily life would inform clinicians more accurately and enable the evaluation of treatments that aim to achive a safer walking pattern. An easy to use wearable might fullfill this need. The goal of the present study was to investigate whether a single inertial measurement unit (IMU) placed at the shank and machine learning algorithms could be used to detect and classify stumbling events in a dataset comprising of a wide variety of daily movements. Ten healthy test subjects were deliberately tripped by an unexpected and unseen obstacle while walking on a treadmill. The subjects stumbled a total of 276 times, both using an elevating recovery strategy and a lowering recovery strategy. Subjects also performed multiple Activities of Daily Living. During data processing, an event-defined window segmentation technique was used to trace high peaks in acceleration which could potentially be stumbles. In the reduced dataset, time windows were labelled with the aid of video annotation. Subsequently, discriminative features were extracted and fed to train seven different types of machine learning algorithms. Trained machine learning algorithms were validated using leave-one-subject-out cross-validation. Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithms were most succesful, and could detect and classify stumbles with 100% sensitivity, 100% specificity and, 96.7% accuracy, in the independent testing dataset. The SVM algorithms were implemented in a user-friendly, freely available, stumble detection app named Stumblemeter. This work shows that stumble detection and classification based on SVMs is accurate and ready to apply in clinical practise.

The central nervous system (CNS) controls movements and regulates joint stiffness with muscle coactivation, but until now few studies have examined muscle pairs during running. This study aims to investigate differences in lower limb muscle coactivation during gait at different speeds from walking to running. Nineteen healthy runners walked and ran at speeds ranging from 0.8 km/h to 9.3 km/h. Twelve lower limb muscles' coactivation was calculated using the time-varying multi-muscle coactivation function (TMCf) with global, flexor-extension, and rostro-caudal approaches. Spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters were also measured. We found that TMCf, spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters were significantly affected by gait speed for all approaches. Significant differences were observed in the main parameters of each coactivation approach, and in the spatiotemporal, and kinematic parameters at the transition between walking and running. Positive and negative strong correlations were found between global coactivation parameters and center of mass displacements, as well as some spatiotemporal parameters, regardless of gait speed. Our findings suggest that walking and running have different coactivation patterns and kinematic characteristics, with the whole-limb stiffness exerted more synchronously and stably in running. The coactivation indexes and kinematic parameters could be the result of global coactivation, which is a sensory-control integration process used by the CNS to deal with more demanding and potentially unstable tasks like running.

About 70% of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy experience gait impairments which affect their autonomy and well-being. Robotic-assisted gait training using the Lokomat is particu-larly promising for rehabilitation as it provides a standardized environment favoring the massive repetition of the movement, in which physical demands are low on the therapist and high training loads can be achieved. As no guidelines exist regarding training protocols and Lokomat settings, the goal of this study was to review the literature on Lokomat-assisted gait therapy and possibly make training recommendations. The twelve studies reviewed reported both positive and null effects of Lokomat training on gait. Half of the studies combined Lokomat with other types of training and only five used a control intervention to assess its benefit. Overall, training was administered 1-5 times per week for 20-60 minutes, over 1-12 weeks. Although Lokomat settings were not always described, progressively decreasing body-weight support and guidance, while increasing treadmill speed appear to be prioritized. The variety of training protocols and settings used did not allow pooling of the studies to assess effects of interventions on gait parameters in children and adoles-cents with cerebral palsy. This review highlights the need for homogenization of interventions so that clear guidelines can emerge and be applied in rehabilitation centers.

Ankle sprains are the most frequently occurring musculoskeletal injuries among recreational athletes. Ankle support through bandages following the initial orthotic treatment might be beneficial for rehabilitation purposes. Since hardly any study has investigated the impact of bandages in the acute phase of ankle sprains, our study examined the immediate effects of wearing an ankle bandage on fine coordination, proprioception, and motor performance in subjects five weeks after an acute ankle injury. In total, 70 subjects with acute unilateral supination trauma were tested. All subjects completed several rating questionnaires and biomechanical investigations, including a fine coordination and proprioception test, single leg stances, the Y-Balance test and gait analysis. All biomechanical investigations were conducted for the subject's injured leg with and without a bandage (MalleoTrain® Bauerfeind AG) and the healthy leg. Subjects reported moderate to strong improvements in ankle stability and pain when wearing the bandage. Wearing the bandage significantly normalized subjects’ single leg stance performance, as well as the stance phase duration, and the vertical ground reaction forces during walking. However, the bandage did not have a clear effect on fine coordination and proprioception. Wearing a bandage in the acute phase of an ankle sprain may immediately improve motor performance, including standing and walking.

Background: Gait analysis systems offer invaluable insights for rehabilitation, yet their expense limits clinician access. We developed GAITWell®, a low-cost modular system for capturing spatiotemporal gait variables, and evaluated its measurement properties. Methods: The GAITWell® uses discreet binary sensors on interconnected boards to collect gait data, which is then analyzed using the DBSCAN algorithm on the Cartesian points from sensor outputs. Reliability was assessed using ICC2,1, standard error of the mean (SEM) and Bland-Altman plots. Validity was determined by comparing GAITWell® with the Qualisys Pro-Reflex system. Results: Participated 38 healthy adults, with an average age of 33.2 years (SD 13.0). Correlations between GAITWell® and the Qualisys system ranged from moderate to very high for most gait variables, with the exception of stride length, which demonstrated a low but significant correlation (r = .360, p &lt; .05). The ICC2,1 indicated moderate to good agreement for most gait variables. Stance and double support times, cadence, and base of support exhibited poor reliability, characterized by larger SEM and limits of agreement. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the GAITWell® system is a promising tool for gait analysis. Future research will enhance sensor accuracy and refine algorithms to improve reliability.

In recent years, both domestic and international research on quadruped robots has advanced towards high dynamics and agility, with a focus on high-speed locomotion as a representative motion in high-dynamic activities. Quadruped animals like cheetahs exhibit high-speed running capabilities, attributed to the indispensable role played by their flexible spines during the flight phase motion. This paper establishes dynamic models of quadruped robots with different degrees of spine flexibility, providing a parameterized description of the flight phase motion for both rigid trunks and flexible spine quadruped robots. By setting different initial values for the spine joint and calculating the flight phase results for both types of robots at various initial velocities, the study compares and analyzes the impact of a flexible spine on the flight phase motion of quadruped robots. Through comparative experiments, the research aims to validate the influence of a flexible spine during the flight phase motion, providing insights into how spine flexibility affects the flight phase motion of quadruped robots.

This study examines the effects and durability of postural exercise on gait kinematics in people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Thirty-four men with mild IDD were assigned to either the training group (n = 19) or the control group (n = 15). The TG performed the intervention over 8 weeks, 3 days/week, 1 h/day. The results indicated that the intervention program had a significant effect on some variables of gait. Also, in the TG between post-test and follow-up, there was no significant difference, which indicated that gait variables were maintained by the TG one month after the end of the program. This study provides evidence that postural exercises can be used as an effective intervention for improving gait in individuals with IDD.

Freezing of Gait (FOG) is an impairment that affects the majority of patients in the advanced stages of Parkinson’s Disease (PD). FOG can lead to sudden falls and injuries, negatively impacting the quality of life for the patients and their families. Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) can be used to help patients recover from FOG and resume normal gait. RAS might be ineffective due to the latency between the start of a FOG event, it’s detection and initialization of RAS. We propose a system capable of both FOG prediction and detection using signals from tri-axial accelerometer sensors that will be useful in initializing RAS with minimal latency. We compared the performance of several time frequency analysis techniques, including moving windows extracted from the signals, handcrafted features, Recurrence Plots (RP), Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT), Discreet Wavelet Transform (DWT) and Pseudo Wigner Ville Distribution (PWVD) with Deep Learning (DL) based Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN). We also propose three Ensemble Network Architectures that combine all the time frequency representations and DL architectures. Experimental results show that our ensemble architectures significantly improve the performance compared with existing techniques. We also present the results of applying our method trained on publicly available dataset to data collected from patients using wearable sensors in collaboration with A.T. Still University.

The way in which a person walks, known as human gait, is a significant indicator of overall health and well-being. Abnormalities in gait can indicate the presence of metabolic disorders, such as diabetes or obesity. However, detecting these disorders can be challenging using traditional methods, which often involve subjective assessments or invasive procedures. In this study, a novel methodology known as Criticality Analysis (CA) was proposed for the detection and monitoring of human gait in people with metabolic disorders taking part in an intervention to increase activity and reduce weight. The CA approach utilised inertial measurement unit gait data, alongside clinical health measures. This allows for the control of nonlinear growth in the system, resulting in lower dimensional, nonlinear, free-scale, stable, controlled, and organised trajectories. These trajectories were then analysed using a Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm, which is well-suited for this task due to its ability to handle nonlinear and dynamic data. The combination of the CA approach and the SVM algorithm demonstrated high accuracy and non-invasiveness in detecting metabolic disorders, yielding an average accuracy within the range of 78.2% to 90%. Additionally, the classification technique accuracy, at a group level was observed to reduce during period of the intervention (e.g., from week 2 to week 3) alongside changes in fitness and health, which indicates the potential of using the approach to measure and monitor biological systems. As such, this novel methodology has the potential to be a valuable tool for healthcare professionals in detecting and monitoring metabolic disorders, as well as other unknown diseases associated with the human biological system.

Understanding the motor patterns underlying the movement of people with Parkinson's disease (PD) is fundamental to the effective targeting of non-pharmacological therapies. This study aims to analyze the gait pattern in relation to the evolutionary stage between I-II and III-IV according to the Hoehn and Yahr scale (H&amp;Y) in people affected by PD. The study was conducted with the participation of 37 PD patients, with a mean age of 70.09±9.53 years, and of whom 48.64% were women. The inclusion criteria were: 1. To be diagnosed with PD; 2. To be in an evolutionary stage of the disease of between I and IV and; 3. To be able to walk independently and without any assistance. Kinematic and spatial-temporal parameters of the gait were analyzed. The results show differences in speed of movement, cadence, stride length, support duration, swing duration, step width, walking cycle duration and double support time between the stages analyzed. These results confirm the differences in PD gait pattern between stages I-II and III-IV. Different behaviors of the same variable were recorded depending on whether the right or left sides were affected by PD.

Motor functions are deteriorated by aging. Some conditions may magnify this deterioration. To examine whether hemodialysis (HD) process would negatively impact gait and balance beyond diabetes condition among mid-age adults (48-64 years) and older adults (65+ years). One hundred and ninety-six subjects (age=66.2±9.1 years, body-mass-index=30.1±6.4 kg/m², female=56%) in 5 groups were recruited: mid-age adults with diabetes undergoing HD (Mid-age HD+, n=38) and without HD (Mid-age HD-, n=40); older adults with diabetes undergoing HD (Older HD+, n=36) and without HD (Older HD-, n=37); and non-diabetic older adults (Older DM-, n=45). Gait parameters (stride velocity, stride length, gait cycle time, and double support) and balance parameters (ankle, hip, and center of mass sways) were quantified using validated wearable platforms. Groups with diabetes had overall poorer gait and balance compared to the non-diabetic group (p<0.050). Among people with diabetes, the HD+ had significantly worsened gait and balance when comparing to the HD- (Cohen’s effect size d=0.63-2.32, p<0.050). Between-group difference was more pronounced among older adults with the largest effect size observed for stride length (d=2.32, p<0.001). Results suggested that deterioration in gait speed among the HD+ was correlated with age (r=-0.440, p<0.001), while this correlation was diminished among the HD-. Interestingly, results also suggested that poor gait in the Older HD- related to poor balance, while no correlation was observed between poor balance and poor gait among the Older HD+. Using objective assessments, results confirmed that the presence of diabetes can deteriorate gait and balance, and this deterioration can be magnified by HD process. Among non-HD people with diabetes, poor static balance described poor gait. However, among people with diabetes undergoing HD, age was a dominate factor describing poor gait irrespective of static balance. Results also suggested feasibility of using wearable platforms to quantify motor performance during routine dialysis clinic visits. These objective assessments may assist in identifying early deterioration in motor function, which in turn may promote timely intervention.

The research experimentally examines the viability of biodiesel obtained from pork fat (BP) as a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) when mixed with kerosene (Ke) - Jet-A aviation fuel + 5% Aeroshell 500 oil. Various blends of biodiesel and kerosene (10, 20 and 30% vol. of BP added in Ke) were subjected to testing in an aviation micro turbo-engine under different operational states: idle, cruise, and maximum power. During the tests, monitoring of engine parameters such as burning temperature, fuel consumption, and thrust force was conducted. The study also encompassed the calculation of crucial performance indicators like burning efficiency, thermal efficiency, and specific consumption for all fuel blends under maximum power conditions. Physical-chemical properties of the blends, encompassing density, viscosity, flash point, and calorific power, were determined. Furthermore, elemental analysis and FTIR were used for chemical composition determination. The research delved into analyzing the air requirements for stoichiometric combustion and computed resulting emissions of CO2 and H2O. Experimental assessments were performed on the Jet Cat P80® micro-turbo-engine, covering aspects such as starting procedures, sudden acceleration, sudden deceleration, and emissions of pollutants (NOx, CO and SO2) during several engine operational phases. The outcomes reveal that the examined fuel blends exhibited stable engine performance across all tested conditions. This indicates that these blends hold promise as sustainable aviation fuels for micro turbo-engines, presenting benefits in terms of diminished pollution and a more ecologically sound raw material base for fuel production.

Background Some patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) experience gait disturbances. However, there are few reports on the relationship between gait disturbance and cognitive function in patients with MCI. Therefore, we investigated the neural correlates of gait characteristics related to cognitive dysfunction. Methods Eighty patients diagnosed with MCI from three dementia centres in Gangwon-do, Korea were recruited for this study. We defined MCI as a Clinical Dementia Rating global score of 0.5 or higher, with a memory domain score of 0.5 or greater. The patients were classified as having either early or late MCI based on their Mini Mental Status Examination z-scores. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association between the gait characteristics and cognitive impairment. Analyses included variables such as age, sex, years of education, number of comorbidities, body mass index and height. Results Gait velocity, step count, step length, heel-to-heel base support, swing and stance phase duration, and support time were associated with cognitive function. A decrease in gray matter volume in the right pericalcarine area was associated with gait characteristics related to cognitive dysfunction. An increase in the curvature of gray matter in the right entorhinal, right lateral orbitofrontal, right cuneus, and right and left pars opercularis areas was also associated with gait characteristics related to cognitive dysfunction. Conclusion Since gait impairment is an important factor in determining activities of daily living in patients with mild cognitive impairment, the evaluation of gait and cognitive functions in patients with mild cognitive impairment is important.

AYUMI EYE is an accelerometer-based gait analysis device that measures the 3D accelerations of the human trunk. This study investigated the measurement accuracy of the AYUMI EYE as hardware as well as the accuracy of the gait cycle extraction program via simultaneous measurements using AYUMI EYE, a ground reaction force (GRF), and an optical motion capture system called VICON. The study was conducted with four healthy individuals as participants. The gait data were obtained by simulating four different patterns for three trials each: normal walking, anterior-tilt walking, hemiplegic walking, and shuffling walking. The AYUMI EYE and VICON showed good agreement for both the acceleration and displacement data. The durations of subsequent stride cycles calculated using the AYUMI EYE and GRF were in good agreement based on the calculated cross-correlation coefficients (CCs) with an r value of 0.896 and p-value less than 0.05, and their accuracies for these results were sufficient.

Studies on the gait's parameters have been identified on the patients population. Most researchers confirm that the patients walk differently than normal people and they may have a risk for falls. Consistent finding and description of gender, age, and body mass index differences in gait studies is rare in healthy subjects. A cross-sectional study with forty-five young adult (F = 20, M = 25) was conducted. Stadiometer and Physilog 4 inertial sensors were used for data collection. A gait analyser 5.2 software (GaitUp, S.A. Lausanne, Switzerland) was used to determine spatiotemporal parameters. No statistically significant differences were found in any bilateral foot gait parameters with respect to gender, age, and body mass index. Females are found with higher total double support and cadence than males. Cadence also increases with age. Obese people showed lower gait speed, cadence, and total double support. These findings may be beneficial to those who have abnormal gait pattern due to age, body mass index differences, decreased muscle strength, spasticity, and joint mobility. This important informations should be considered to rehabilitate patients with abnormal gait patterns to controlling dynamic balance and riks to falling.

A substantial body of phenomenological and theoretical work over the last few years strengthens the possibility that the vacuum energy density (VED) of the universe is dynamical, and in particular that it adopts the `running vacuum model' (RVM) form, in which the VED evolves mildly as $\delta \rho_{\rm vac}(H)\sim \nu_{\rm eff} m_{\rm Pl}^2{\cal O}\left(H^2\right)$, where $H$ is the Hubble rate and $\nu_{\rm eff}$ is a (small) free parameter. This dynamical scenario is grounded on recent studies of quantum field theory (QFT) in curved spacetime and also on string theory. It turns out that what we call the `cosmological constant', $\Lambda$, is no longer a rigid parameter but the nearly sustained value of $8\pi G(H)\rho_{\rm vac}(H)$ around (any) given epoch $H(t)$, where $G(H)$ is the gravitational coupling, which can also be very mildly running (logarithmically). Of particular interest is the possibility suggested in past works that such a running may help to cure the cosmological tensions afflicting the $\Lambda$CDM. In the current study, we reanalyze it in full and we find it becomes further buttressed. Using the modern cosmological data, namely a compilation of the latest SNIa+BAO+$H(z)$+LSS+CMB observations, we probe to which extent the RVM provides a quality fit better than the concordance $\Lambda$CDM model, paying particular emphasis on its impact on the $\sigma_8$ and $H_0$ tensions. We utilize the Einstein-Boltzmann system solver \texttt{CLASS} and the Monte Carlo sampler \texttt{MontePython} for the statistical analysis, as well as the statistical DIC criterion to compare the running vacuum against the rigid vacuum ($\nu_{\rm eff} = 0$). On fundamental grounds, $\nu_{\rm eff}$ receives contributions from all the quantized matter fields in FLRW spacetime. We show that with a tiny amount of vacuum dynamics ($|\nu_{\rm eff}|\ll 1$) the global fit can improve significantly with respect to the $\CC$CDM and the mentioned tensions may subside to inconspicuous levels.

The purpose of this scoping review was to examine the literature on the use of anti-gravity treadmill and its effects on lower limb motor functions in children and adolescents with locomotor impairments. Four databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science) were searched for articles from inception to August 2021. Inclusion criteria were: (1) experimental or quasi-experimental studies using the anti-gravity training as the primary intervention; (2) studies conducted in paediatricpediatric participants; (3) articles reporting outcomes related to the lower limb functions; and (4) studies published in French or English. Fifteen articles were included in the review. Studies included children and adolescents aged 4–18 years with locomotor impairments. The intervention duration was ranged from 2 and to 12 weeks, with 2-5 sessions per week. Included studies showed reported that anti-gravity training induces improvements in muscle strength, balance, spatiotemporal gait parameters, and walking endurance in children with locomotor impairments. This review provides relevant information about the modalities, outcomes and limits associated with the anti-gravity training protocol reported in the literature. Overall, the anti-gravity treadmill training could be viewed as a valuable training modality for children with cerebral palsy. However, more precise, and comprehensive description of anti-gravity rehabilitation protocols would be useful.

Background and Objectives: Sports medicine, orthopaedic and rehabilitation physicians use gait analysis and goniometry to evaluate and diagnose patients with neuro-musculo-skeletal diseases. Goniometry is a measuring method that shows the joint’s range of motion. Three-dimensional goniometry has been used in order to assess the patients in a kinematic manner, but they are not affordable, so, phone apps come handy to any orthopaedic or rehabilitation physician so we can have a clear image of the progress made by the patient after the rehabilitation program or should something happen and the patient cannot come to the facility, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, when some orthopaedic and most of the rehabilitation facilities have been temporarily closed. Midstance has been chosen as the moment of the gait evaluation in this paper since it has an important role in stability. The objective of this paper is to figure out if the measurements taken during midstance at the knee joint of the subjects can be statistically significant and used during usual examinations. Materials and Methods: Four groups of subjects: patients suffering from hip, knee, hip and knee osteoarthritis and a control group volunteered their participation, being asked to normally walk while their gait was recorded and uploaded into Angles App – a phone based videogoniometer. Results: Patients suffering from hip osteoarthritis have a higher knee angle on the right side than the ones suffering from knee osteoarthritis, hip and knee osteoarthritis and the control group. Female patients suffering from hip osteoarthritis also presented a more flexed knee than the ones suffering from knee osteoarthritis and the ones in the control group, the knee flexion presenting itself as a compensation mechanism. Conclusion: Video goniometry can help us make an orthopaedic, rehabilitation or neurology database for each assessment with constant updates of the evolution of the osteoarthritis patient’s treatment.

One control challenge in prosthetic legs is seamless transition from one gait mode to another. User intent recognition (UIR) is a high-level controller that tells a low-level controller to switch to the identified activity mode, depending on the user’s intent and environment. We propose a new framework to design an optimal UIR system with simultaneous maximum performance and parsimony for gait mode recognition. We use multi-objective optimization (MOO) to find an optimal feature subset that creates a trade-off between these two conflicting objectives. The main contribution of this paper is two-fold: (1) a new gradient-based multi-objective feature selection (GMOFS) method for optimal UIR design; and (2) the application of advanced evolutionary MOO methods for UIR. GMOFS is an embedded method that simultaneously performs feature selection and classification by incorporating an elastic net in multilayer perceptron neural network training. Experimental data are collected from six subjects, including three able-bodied subjects and three transfemoral amputees. We implement GMOFS and four variants of multi-objective biogeography-based optimization (MOBBO) for optimal feature subset selection, and we compare their performances using normalized hypervolume and relative coverage. GMOFS demonstrates competitive performance compared to the four MOBBO methods. We achieve a mean classification accuracy of 97.14% ± 1.51% and 98.45% ± 1.22% with the optimal selected subset for able-bodied and amputee subjects, respectively, while using only 23% of the available features. Results thus indicate the potential of advanced optimization methods to simultaneously achieve accurate, reliable, and compact UIR for locomotion mode detection of lower-limb amputees with prostheses.

Gait abnormalities are one of the distinguishing symptoms of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) that contribute to fall risk. Our study compares the gait parameters of people with PD when they walk through a predefined course without assistance, with a conventional walker, and with a motorized walker under different speed cues. Six PD subjects were recruited at the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine to participate in this study. Spatial posture and gait data of the test subjects were collected via a VICON motion capture system. We developed a framework to process and extract gait features and applied statistical analysis on these features to examine the significance of the findings. The results showed that motorized walkers with haptic cues significantly improved gait symmetry of PD subjects. Specifically, the asymmetry index of the gait cycle time was reduced from 6.7% when walking without assistance to 0.56% and below when using a walker. Furthermore, the double support time of a gait cycle was reduced by 4.88% compared to walking without assistance.

People with diabetic foot frequently exhibit poor gait and balance. However, there is no review to inform digital biomarkers of poor gait and balance related to diabetic foot, measurable by wearables outside traditional gait laboratories. Such information could assist in designing remote patient monitoring platform to track changes in gait and balance dysfunction among people with diabetic foot for timely referral and intervention. Accordingly, we conducted a web-based review using PubMed. Our search was limited to human subjects and English-written papers published in peer-reviewed journals. We identified 20 papers in this review. We found preliminary evidence of digital biomarkers of gait and balance dysfunction in people with diabetic foot, measured by wearables, such as slow gait speed, large gait variability, unstable gait initiation, and large body sway. However, due to heterogeneities in included papers in terms of study design, movement tasks, and small sample size, more studies are recommended to confirm this preliminary evidence. Additionally, based on our review, we recommend establishing appropriate strategies to successfully implement wearable-based assessment into clinical practice for diabetic foot care.

Human footprint is having a unique set of ridges unmatched by any other human being, and therefore it can be used in different identity documents for example birth certificate, Indian biometric identification system AADHAR card, driving license, PAN card, and passport. There are many instances of the crime scene where an accused must walk around and left the footwear impressions as well as barefoot prints and therefore it is very crucial to recovering the footprints to identify the criminals. Footprint-based biometric is a considerably newer technique for personal identification. Fingerprints, retina, iris and face recognition are the methods most useful for attendance record of the person. This time world is facing the problem of global terrorism. It is challenging to identify the terrorist because they are living as regular as the citizens do. Their soft target includes the industries of special interests such as defense, silicon and nanotechnology chip manufacturing units, pharmacy sectors. They pretend themselves as religious persons, so temples and other holy places, even in markets is in their targets. These are the places where one can obtain their footprints easily. The gait itself is sufficient to predict the behaviour of the suspects. The present research is driven to identify the usefulness of footprint and gait as an alternative to personal identification.

Purpose：Herein, aimed to explore routines to improve students' physical health.Methods:We explored the integration of extracurricular fitness running "Lerun" into college physical education curriculum. Firstly, experimental and the referring groups were selected by experimental method, in which only the experimental group was intervened in combination with extracurricular fitness running "Lerun". After two experiments, the experimental and referring groups were compared in terms of physical fitness (speed, strength, endurance, flexibility, explosive force, etc.), sports skills, body shape, cardiopulmonary function, etc. Results:After T-test, significant differences (p<0.05) between these two groups prove that the students' physical health status of experimental group is better than that of the referring group. Conclusion：It manifests that integrating extracurricular fitness running "Lerun" into college physical education curriculum is an effective means to improve students' physical health.

Gait is a basic cognitive propositive action that has been shown to be altered in late stages of neurodegenerative dementias. Nevertheless, alterations are less clear in mild forms of dementia, and the potential use of gait analysis as a biomarker of initial cognitive decline has hitherto mostly been neglected. We here report the results of a study of gait kinematic time series for two groups of patients (Mild Cognitive Impairment and mild Alzheimer's disease) and a group of matched control subjects. Two metrics based on permutation patterns are considered, respectively measuring the complexity and irreversibility of the time series. Results indicate that kinematic disorganisation is present at early phases of cognitive impairment; in addition, they depict a rich scenario, in which some joint movements display an increased complexity and irreversibility, while others a marked decrease. Beyond their potential use as biomarkers, complexity and irreversibility metrics can open a new door towards the understanding of the role of the nervous system in gait, as well as its adaptation and compensatory mechanisms.

Background: This systematic review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) on gait characteristics in healthy individuals. Methods: Six electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Epistemonikos, PEDro, COCHRANE Library, Scopus) were searched for studies evaluating the effects of FES on spatiotemporal, kinematic and kinetic gait parameters in healthy individuals. Two examiners evaluated the eligibility and quality of included studies using the PEDro scale. Results: A total of 15 studies met the inclusion criteria. Findings from the literature reveal that FES can be used to modify lower-limb joint kinematics, i.e., to increase or reduce the range of motion of hip, knee and ankle joints. In addition, FES can be used to alter kinetics parameters, including ground reaction forces, center of pressure trajectory, or knee joint reaction force. As a consequence of these kinetics and kinematics changes, FES can lead to changes in spatiotemporal gait parameters, such as gait speed, step cadence, and stance duration. Conclusion: The findings of this review improve our understanding of the effects of FES on gait biomechanics in healthy individuals, and highlight the potential of this technology as a training or assistive solution for improving gait performance in this population.

Background: The prevalence of falls among the older population underscores the imperative of comprehending human adaptations to gait perturbations. Dual-belt treadmills offer a controlled setting for such investigations. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of acceleration of one belt of the treadmill during three different phases of the gait cycle on kinematic and kinetic parameters and relate these changes to unperturbed gait. Methods: Twenty-one healthy young females walked on a treadmill in a virtual environment, in which five unexpected perturbations were applied to the left belt at the Initial Contact (IC), Mid Stance (MS), and Pre-Swing (PS) phase of the gait cycle. Data from the undisturbed gait and the first disturbance of each trial were extracted for analysis. Results: All perturbations significantly affected the gait pattern, mainly by decreasing the knee extension angle. The perturbation in the IC phase had the most significant effect, resulting in a 248.48% increase in knee flexion torque. The perturbation in the MS phase mainly affected plantar flexion torque, increasing it by 118.18%, while perturbation in the PS phase primarily increased the hip extension torque by 73.02%. Conclusions: The presence of perturbations in the IC and PC phases caused the most aggressive and significant changes in gait parameters.

While researchers have made notable progress in bio-inspired swimming robot development, a persistent challenge lies in creating propulsive gaits tailored to these robotic systems. The California sea lion achieves its robust swimming abilities through a careful coordination of foreflippers and body segments. In this paper, reinforcement learning (RL) was used to develop a novel sea lion foreflipper gait for a bio-robotic swimmer using a numerically modelled computational representation of the robot. This model integration enabled reinforcement learning to develop desired swimming gaits in the challenging underwater domain. The novel RL gait outperformed the characteristic sea lion foreflipper gait in the simulated underwater domain. When applied to the real-world robot, the RL constructed novel gait performed as well or better than the characteristic sea lion gait in many factors. This work shows the potential for using complimentary bio-robotic and numerical models with reinforcement learning to enable the development of effective gaits and maneuvers for underwater swimming vehicles.

Adults with obesity experience high rates of disability and rapid functional decline. Identifying movement dysfunction early can direct intervention and disrupt disability development, however subtle changes in movement are difficult to detect with the naked eye. This study evaluated how a portable, inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based motion capture system compares to a laboratory-based optokinetic motion capture (OMC) system for evaluating gait kinematics in adults with obesity. Ten adults with obesity performed overground walking while equipped with the OMC and IMU systems. Fifteen gait cycles for each participant were extracted for 150 total cycles analyzed. Kinematics were compared between OMC and IMU across the gait cycles (coefficient of multiple correlations), at clinically significant time points (interclass correlations), and over clinically relevant ranges (Bland Altman plots). Sagittal plane kinematics were most similar between systems, especially at the knee. Sagittal plane joint angles at clinically meaningful timepoints were poorly associated except for ankle dorsiflexion at heel strike (ρ=0.38) and minimum angle (ρ=0.83). Most motions had more than 5° difference between systems across the range of angles measured. IMU-based motion capture shows promise for detecting subtle gait changes in adults with obesity. However, more work is needed before this method can replace traditional OMC.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of the laterally moving tactile stimuli to the sole on the anticipatory postural adjustment (APA) of the gait initiation. Thirteen healthy males participated in this study. A sound cue was provided at the beginning of each trial. The moving tactile stimuli were delivered to the sole after the start cue. The loci of the tactile stimuli moved from the left to right most side of the sole, and then moved from the right to left most side of that in a stimuli cycle. The duration of one stimuli cycle was 960 ms, and this cycle repeated 16 times in a trial. The participants made three steps forward from quiet stance at the participants' preferred time after the start cue. The APA did not onset at the specific direction or phase of the moving tactile stimuli, indicating that they did not use the stimuli as a trigger for initiating the gait. The moving tactile stimuli decreased the amplitude and increased the duration of the APA. The moving tactile stimuli increased the time between the APA onset and toe-off of the initial support leg, indicating that they moved slower when initiating gait during the moving tactile stimuli. Those findings are explained by the view that suppression of the APA induced by the moving tactile stimuli to the sole is caused by the decrease in the velocity of the gait initiation, and the slower velocity of the gait initiation is caused by masking tactile sensation of the sole.

Hippotherapy is a popular rehabilitation method for children with cerebral palsy (CP), which is done by riding an actual horse or a horse riding simulator (HRS) device. Riding a real horse is more expensive than using an HRS device due to its high maintenance cost. However, most HRS devices commonly sold in the market are designed as exercise devices, not rehabilitation devices. Most of them are designed to simulate a horse's walk, trot, canter, or gallop gait at various speeds. Hippotherapy aims to improve the walking ability of CP patients. Therefore, the device should aim to replicate the walking gait of a healthy human, the end goal of hippotherapy. This problem motivates us to design and build a specialized HRS device replicating the walking gait of a healthy human that is suitable for hippotherapy, which is achievable by simulating a horse walking gait with several adjustments. We first studied and observed the walking gait cycle of a horse, then analyzed and derived a formulation of it. We then continue by designing an HRS device using a single electrical rotational motor and mechanical means to replicate the walking gait of a horse, then tune it to an extent to replicate a human walking gait. To measure the performance of our design, we compare the gait of the user when riding our device versus walking.

Crouch gait is a motor complication commonly associated with cerebral palsy, spastic diplegia, stroke, and motor-neurological pathologies, broadly defined as knee flexion in excess of 20° in the gait cycle. Uncorrected crouch gait results in fatigue, joint degradation, and loss of ambulation. Torsion springs have been used in cycling to store energy in knee flexion to reduce fatigue in the quadriceps during knee extension. SolidWorks was used to design a passive exoskeleton for the knee, incorporating torsion springs of stiffnesses 20,000 N/mm and 30,000 N/mm at the knee joint to correct four different crouch gaits. OpenSim was used to gather data from moments produced and knee angles from each crouch gait and the normal gait. Motion analysis of the exoskeleton was simulated using knee angles for each crouch gait and compared with moments produced with the normal gait moments in the stance phase of the gait cycle. All crouch gait moments were significantly reduced, and the correction of peak crouch moments was achieved corresponding to the normal gait cycle during the stance phase. These results offer significant potential for nonsurgical and less invasive options for wearable exoskeletons in crouch gait correction.

In the context of evaluating physical function in individuals with stroke, the 3-meter backward walk test (3MBWT) emerges as a potential tool of interest. The purpose of this study was to assess the test-retest reliability and construct validity of the 3MBWT and its correlation with falling incidents. Conducted in a neurological rehabilitation center, 35 ambulatory individuals with stroke were enrolled within a month post-stroke onset. These participants, with a Functional Ambulation Category score of ≥4, underwent the 3MBWT, Functional Gait Assessment (FGA), 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT), and 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) three times by different physiotherapists. Results indicated the 3MBWT displayed high reliability (r=0.97-0.98) and showed significant construct validity with other established walking tests like the 6MWT (r=-0.78) and 10MWT (r=0.71), with a moderate correlation to the FGA (r=-0.54). No marked differences in test outcomes were observed between participants based on their fall history. Conclusively, the 3MBWT proves to be highly reliable and validates well with existing walking function assessments for stroke patients, suggesting its potential as a time-efficient alternative.

Low-Level Virtual Machine (LLVM) compiler infrastructure is a useful tool for building Just-in-time (JIT) compilers, besides its reliable front-end represented by clang compiler and its elaborated middle-end containing different optimizations that improve the runtime performance. This paper addresses specifically the part of building a JIT compiler using LLVM with the scope of getting the hardware architecture details of the underlying machine such as the number of cores and the number of logical cores per processing unit and providing them to NUMA-BTLP static thread classification algorithm and to NUMA-BTDM static thread mapping algorithm. Afterwards, the hardware-aware algorithms are run by the JIT compiler within an optimization pass. JIT compiler in this paper is designed to run on a parallel C/C++ application (which creates threads using Pthreads), before the first time the application is executed on a machine. To do that, the JIT compiler takes the native code of the application, gets the corresponding LLVM IR (Intermediate Representation) for the native code and executes the hardware-aware thread classification and the thread mapping algorithms on the IR. The NUMA-Balanced Task and Loop Parallelism (NUMA-BTLP) and NUMA-Balanced Thread and Data Mapping (NUMA-BTDM) are expected to optimize the energy consumption up to 15%, on NUMA systems.

Background: Three-dimensional gait analysis plays a crucial role in the rehabilitation assessment of post-stroke hemiplegic patients. However, the data generated from such analysis is often complex and difficult to interpret in clinical practice, requiring extensive time and complicated procedures. The Gait Deviation Index (GDI) serves as a simplified metric for quantifying the severity of pathological gait. Although isokinetic dynamometry is widely employed in muscle function assessment and rehabilitation, its application in gait analysis remains underexplored. Objective: This study aims to investigate the use of isokinetic muscle strength data obtained from the Biodex system, combined with machine learning techniques, to predict the GDI in hemiplegic patients. Methods: A cohort of 150 post-stroke hemiplegic patients was evaluated. The peak torque, peak torque/body weight, maximum work of repeated actions, coefficient of variation, average power, total work, acceleration time, deceleration time, range of motion, and average peak torque for both flexor and extensor muscles on the affected side were measured at three angular velocities (60°/s, 90°/s, and 120°/s) using the Biodex System 4 Pro. GDI was calculated using data from a Vicon three-dimensional motion capture system. The study employed four machine learning models—Lasso regression, random forest (RF), support vector regression (SVR), and BP neural networks—to model and validate the data. Model performance was evaluated using mean squared error (MSE), the coefficient of determination (R²), and mean absolute error (MAE). SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis was used to enhance model interpretability. Results: The RF model outperformed others in predicting GDI, with an MSE of 16.18, an R² of 0.89, and an MAE of 2.99. In contrast, the Lasso regression model yielded an MSE of 22.29, an R² of 0.85, and an MAE of 3.71. The SVR model had an MSE of 31.58, an R² of 0.82, and an MAE of 7.68, while the BP neural network exhibited the poorest performance with an MSE of 50.38, an R² of 0.79, and an MAE of 9.59. SHAP analysis identified the maximum work of repeated actions of the extensor muscles at 60°/s and 120°/s as the most critical features for predicting GDI, underscoring the importance of muscle strength metrics at varying speeds in rehabilitation assessments. Conclusion: This study highlights the potential of machine learning techniques in analyzing complex clinical data. The developed GDI prediction model, based on isokinetic dynamometry data, offers a novel, streamlined, and effective tool for assessing rehabilitation progress in post-stroke hemiplegic patients, with promising implications for broader clinical application.

Accurately estimating a person's age is crucial for identity verification at all critical checkpoints, including airports, land borders, and seaports. Human gait may be used as a biometric identifier and indicator of age, among other things. This study aims to develop methods for estimating a person's age by observing their walk. In this paper, a novel technique for preprocessing the proposed gait dataset has been used by utilizing a combination of the gait energy image (GEI), the accumulated frame difference energy image (AFDEI), and the invariant moment of the image. The proposed technique outperformed state-of-the-art methods in terms of accuracy. The proposed method was tested and evaluated using a convolutional neural network (CNN), and it achieved an average accuracy of 90.35% across 14 different view angles within 5 K-Fold, the proposed method resulted in 94.68% and 94.54% in 30º and 75º view degree respectively. concluding that the approach is effective and promising for estimating age using human gait.

Several studies have analyzed human gait data obtained from inertial gyroscope and accelerometer sensors mounted on different parts of the body. In this article, we take a step further in gait analysis and provide a methodology for predicting the movements of the missing parts of the legs. In particular, we propose a method, called GaIn, to control non-invasive, robotic, prosthetic legs. GaIn can infer the movements of both missing shanks and feet for humans suffering from double trans-femoral amputation using biologically inspired recurrent neural networks. Predictions are performed for casual walking related activities such as walking, taking stairs, and running based on thigh movement. In our experimental tests, GaIn achieved a 4.55 degree prediction error for shank movements on average. However, a patient's intention to stand up and sit down cannot be inferred from thigh movements. In fact, intention causes thigh movements while the shanks and feet remain roughly still. The GaIn system can be triggered by thigh muscle activities measured with electromyography (EMG) sensors to make robotic prosthetic legs perform standing up and sitting down actions. The GaIn system has low prediction latency and is fast and computationally inexpensive to be deployed on mobile platforms and portable devices.

An ongoing EU Horizon 2020 Project called BionicVEST is investigating the effect of constant electrical stimulation (ES) of the inferior vestibular nerve in patients with bilateral vestibular dysfunction (BVD)[1]. The evidence is that constant ES results in improved postural stability and gait performance and so the question of central importance is how could constant ES of mainly saccular afferents in these BVD patients cause this improved performance? We suggest that the constant ES is substituting for the absent saccular neural input to the vestibular nuclei and the cerebellum in these BVD patients and indirectly via these structures to other structures which have been of great recent interest in motor control. One target area, the anterior midline cerebellum (the uvula) has recently been targeted as a location for deep brain stimulation in human patients to improve postural stability and gait. There are projections from midline cerebellum to basal ganglia including the striatum, structures involved in the initiation of gait. It may be that the effect of this activation of peripheral saccular afferent neurons is analogous to the effect of deep brain stimulation (DBS) by electrodes in basal ganglia acting to help alleviate the symptoms of patients with Parkinson's disease.

Municipal landfills play a vital role in disposing of the solid waste from a community. One of the biggest challenges landfill management face is when the available storage space is being reduced faster than the rate that was planned for. This shortening of the landfill lifecycle impacted the city of Wilmington, Delaware when it was found that their landfill had lost 11 years of its projected lifespan and would reach fully capacity within the next decade. In order to remedy the situation six alternative solutions were devised, with each having different costs (capital, operating, and transport) and varying lengths of landfill extension. This research used the principle of optimization via a LINDO program to determine which solution would achieve the longest landfill extension for the minimum total cost. Other constraints placed on the program include reducing the waste being sent to the landfill and to achieve a minimum of 25 additional years for the landfill. The calculated solution produced a cost reduction of $232.64 million dollars and 3.2 additional years of operation from the option that was eventually chosen by the landfill authority.

Biomechanical changes such as increased knee adduction moment (KAM) during walking are known to be involved in the development and severity of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Although various foot progression angle (FPA) modifications during gait have been applied to reduce peak KAM, few studies have investigated effects of applying toe-in or toe-out walking modifications for knee OA on peak KAM and three-dimensional (3D) moments of the ankle joint. Kinetic moment variables were acquired from 35 individuals with medial knee compartment OA. A 3D motion analysis system and two force platforms were used to acquire KAM and 3D moments of both ankle joints during gait. Visual3D motion analysis program was used to obtain final moment data for statistical processing. Repeated-measures analysis of variance with Bonferroni adjustment was used to compare kinetic and kinematic values for each FPA walking condition. The first peak KAM of an internal rotation foot position of the FPA walking condition showed significant decrease compared to normal foot position walking (p &lt; 0.01). The second peak KAM of an external rotation foot position walking showed significant decrease compared to normal foot position walking (p &lt; 0.01). Compared to a normal foot position, peak ankle inversion moment of the external rotation foot position walking showed a significantly decrease (p &lt; 0.05). There were no interactive effects between FPA condition and limb sides for any KAM values (p &gt; 0.05). These results suggest that clinical application of toe-in or toe-out gait modification walking in individuals with knee OA should be performed based on biomechanical evaluations such as peak KAM.

Background: Mood disorders, especially depression, and emotional difficulties such as anxiety are very common problems among patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). The loss of physical training may deteriorate their mental state, which in turn has a significant impact on the improvement of functioning. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of innovative rehabilitation approaches involving robotic assisted gait therapy (RAGT) on mood and anxiety symptoms in pa-tients with SCI. Methods: To this single-centre, single-blinded, single-arm, prospective study, 110 participants with subacute SCI were enrolled; patients were divided into experimental (robotic assisted gait therapy -RAGT) and control (conventional gait therapy with dynamic parapodium - DPT) groups. They received five training sessions per week over 7- weeks. The severity of de-pression was assessed by Depression Assessment Questionnaire (KPD) and anxiety symptoms by State - Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI X-1) on the beginning and end of therapy. Results: SCI patients experienced significantly lower levels of anxiety and depression-related symptoms after completing the seven-week rehabilitation program (KPD: Z=6.35; p<0.001; r=0.43; STAI X-1: Z=-6.20; p<0.001; r=0.42) in both group of patients. In the RAGT group, post-rehabilitation measurements also indicated an improvement in psychological functioning, i.e., a decrease in depression and anxiety, and an increase in self-regulation. Significant results were noted for each variable (STAI X-1: Z = -4.93; KPD: Z = -5.26; SR: Z = -3.21). In the control group, there was also a decrease in the effect on the depression, anxiety-state and an increase in self-regulation ability (STAI X-1: Z=-4.01; KPD: Z=-3.65; SR: Z=-2.83). Rehabilitation modality did not appear to have a statistically significant relationship with the magnitude of improvement in KPD (including SR) and STAI scores. However, there were some significant differences when comparing the groups by extent and depth of injury and type of paralysis. The study also did not find a significant rela-tionship between improvements in physical aspects and changes in psychological factors. Conclusion: Subjects in RAGD and DPT groups experienced a decrease in anxiety and depres-sion after a 7-week rehabilitation program. However, the rehabilitation modality (DPT vs. RAGT) did not differentiate patients with SCI in terms of the magnitude of this change. Our results may suggest that individuals with severe neurological condition and complete spinal cord injury (AIS A) may experience more benefit in terms of change in psychological parameters after rehabilitation with RAGT.

Cognitive impairment and sarcopenia may share common risk factors and pathophysiological pathways. This study was performed to examine the association between impairments in specific cognitive domains and sarcopenia (and its defining components) in a large group of community-dwelling older adults. Cross-sectional analysis was performed on the baseline data of 3,014 adults aged 70–84 years enrolled in the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study (KFACS). The final analysis included 1,887 adults underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and cognitive function assessments. Those with disability in activities of daily living, dementia, severe cognitive impairment, Parkinson’s disease, musculoskeletal complaints, neurological disorders, or who were illiterate were excluded. Cognitive function was assessed using the Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Packet, the Frontal Assessment Battery. For sarcopenia, we used the diagnostic criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 9.6% for men and 7.6% for women. Sarcopenia (odds ratio [OR] 1.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04–2.99) and slow gait speed (OR 2.58, 95% CI 1.34–4.99) were associated with cognitive impairment in men. Only slow gait speed (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.05–3.36) was associated with cognitive impairment in women. Sarcopenia is associated with cognitive impairment mainly due to slow gait speed. Our results suggested that cognitive impairment domains, such as processing speed and executive function, are associated with sarcopenia-related slow gait speed.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare energy expenditure (EE) predicted by accelerometery (EEAcc) with indirect calorimetry (EEMETA) in individuals with hemiparesis. Methods: Twenty-four participants (12 with stroke and 12 healthy controls) performed a six-minute walk test (6MWT) during which EEMETA was measured using a portable indirect calorimetry system and EEACC was calculated using Bouten’s equation (1993) with data from a 3-axis accelerometer positioned between L3 and L4. Results: Median EEMETA was 9.85 [8.18;11.89] W·kg-1 in the stroke group, and 5.0 [4.56;5.46] W·kg-1 in the control group. Median EEACC was 8.57 [7.86;11.24] W·kg-1 in the control group and 8.2 [7.05;9.56] W·kg-1 in the stroke group. EEACC and EEMETA were not significantly correlated in either the control (p=0.8) or the stroke groups (p=0.06). The Bland-Altman method showed a mean difference of 1.77±3.65 W·kg-1 between EEACC and EEMETA in the stroke group and -2.08±1.59 W·kg-1 in the controls. Conclusions: The accuracy of the predicted EE, based on the accelerometer and the equations proposed by Bouten et al, is low in individuals with hemiparesis and impaired gait. This combination (sensor and Bouten's equation) is not yet suitable for use as a stand-alone measure in clinical practice for the evaluation of hemiparetic patients.

Physical activity is considered a promising preventive intervention to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the positive effect of exercise therapy has not been proven conclusively yet, likely due to confounding factors such as varying activity regimens and life or disease stages. To examine the impact of different routines of physical exercise in the early disease stages, we subjected young 5xFAD and wild-type mice to 1-day (acute) and 30-day (chronic) voluntary wheel running and compared them with age-matched sedentary controls. We observed a significant increase in brain lactate levels in acutely trained 5xFAD mice relative to all other experimental groups. Subsequent brain RNA-seq analysis did not reveal major differences in transcriptomic regulation between training durations in 5xFAD mice. In contrast, acute training yielded substantial gene expression changes in wild-type animals relative to their chronically trained and sedentary counterparts. The comparison of 5xFAD and wild-type mice showed the highest transcriptional differences in the chronic and sedentary groups, whereas acute training was associated with much fewer differentially expressed genes. In conclusion, our results suggest that different training durations did not affect the global transcriptome of 3-month-old 5xFAD mice, whereas acute running seemed to induce a similar transcriptional stress state in wild-type animals as already known for 5xFAD mice.

Cognitive impairment in older adults is associated with poor gait performance, physical decline, falls and poor quality of life. This paper analyzes the feasibility and efficacy of a tango-based in-tervention in older people with cognitive impairment living in nursing homes. A multicenter study, with pre and post-test, was carried out. Intervention attendance, well-being, physical abilities (Short Physical Performance Battery), walking performance, functional capacities (Katz Index), and quality of life (Quality of Life in Alzheimer’s Disease) were assessed. Fifty-four participants (84.9 ± 6.7 years, Mini Mental State Examination 14.5 ± 7.4) completed the protocol. Intervention attendance was 92%, and the mean subjective well-being after each session was 4.5 ± 0.5 (on a five-point scale). Statistically significant improvement was found in the quality of life (p = 0.030). Non statistically significant changes were found in walking performance, physical abilities, or in functional capacities. The study shows feasibility and suggests evidence for the effects of Tango therapy on well-being and quality of life. Further studies are necessary to contrast these findings and to verify the role of Tango interventions as a holistic approach to prevent functional decline in older people with cognitive impairment.

Total ankle replacement (TAR) implants are an effective option to restore the range of motion of the ankle joint for arthritic patients. An effective tool for analyzing these implants’ mechanical performance and longevity in-silico is finite element analysis (FEA). ABAQUS FEA was used to statically analyze the von Mises stress and contact pressure on the articulating surface of the bearing component in two newly installed fixed-bearing total ankle replacement implants (the Wright Medical INBONE II and the Exactech Vantage). This ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) bearing commonly fails and is the cause for surgeon revisions. Six different FEA models for various gait percentages during stance (10%-60%) were created. They varied in magnitude of the compressive load and the ankle dorsiflexion/plantarflexion angle. The results indicated that the von Mises stress and contact pressure distributions increased as compressive load increased, and the largest magnitudes occurred at high dorsiflexion angles (15-30°). High magnitudes occurred in regions where the thickness of the bearing was the least. Additionally, high contact pressures were examined in areas near the talar component's edge or at the bearing's edges. To the author’s knowledge, this is the first study available to the research community that analyzes the Vantage implant with FEA. This study lays an essential foundation for future researchers in presenting a thorough literature review of TAR and methods for a simple FEA model setup. This study provides valuable information that can be beneficial to medical company designers and orthopedic surgeons in understanding the stress response and contact pressure of TAR implants during use.

This study aimed to identify whether the combined use of functional electrical stimulation (FES) reduces the motor torque of a gait exercise rehabilitation robot in spinal cord injury (SCI) and to verify the effectiveness of the developed automatic assist level adjustment in people with paraplegia. Acute and chronic SCI patients (1 case each) performed 10 min of gait exercises with and without FES using a rehabilitation robot. Reinforcement learning was used to adjust the assist level automatically. The maximum torque values and assist levels for each of the ten walking cycles when walking became steady were averaged and compared with and without FES. The motor's output torque and the assist level were measured as outcomes. The assist level adjustment allowed both the motor torque and assist level to decrease gradually to a steady state. The motor torque and the assist levels were significantly lower with the FES than without the FES under steady conditions in both cases. No adverse events were reported. The combined use of FES attenuated the motor torque of a gait exercise rehabilitation robot for SCI. Automatic assistive level adjustment is also useful for spinal cord injuries.

Introduction: The transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising technique for brain modulation after cerebrovascular accident (CVA). This treatment modality has been previously studied in the recovery of patients. The aim of this review is to analyze the evidence in the ap-plication of tDCS in the recovery of gait disturbance in stroke patients. Methods: This review was conducted according to the recommendations of the PRISMA statement. Three different elec-tronic databases were searched for relevant results: PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane. We included reviews and meta-analyses that only considered randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that inves-tigated the effects of transcranial direct electrical stimulation, in combination or not with other physiotherapy treatment, on gait recovery. Results: Thirteen studies with a total of 195 RCTs were included. Data on population, outcome measures, protocols and outcomes were extracted. The Amstar-2 scale and the GRADE system of certainty of evidence were used. Only one study re-ceived high certainty of evidence, 5 received low certainty of evidence and 7 received critically low certainty of evidence. Conclusions: Although the tDCS produces positive changes in gait recovery in spatio-temporal parameters, mobility, endurance, strength and motor function, there is insuf-ficient evidence to recommend this treatment.

The progressive impairment analysis in gait from neurological diseases patients such as Hereditary Ataxias (HA) has been carried out using gait data collected with movement sensors. This research is focused on finding the minimum amount required of gait features to recognize efficiently and less intrusive way, HA patients based on data collected with iPhone movement sensors placed on the ankles from 14 HA patients and 14 healthy people. A twofold proposal is made , first a local minimum prominent peak criterion to find out the starting point of each stride, to get 10-stride window about which 56 spatial-temporal features are derived; second a search strategy based on Hill Climbing algorithm to reduce the number of gait features and sensors. The main results were the findings that with two gait patterns a 96% of classification accuracy was achieved by using K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) and Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) algorithms, but in addition, MLP only right ankle sensor patterns were required which also allows to reduce the intrusion.

Background and aims: Only one cohort study exists on the incidence of the risk of malnutrition (RM) in older adults, though numerous cross-sectional –and that cohort research– have reported several risk factors associated with the prevalence and incidence of this condition. However, alterations of body composition and impaired physical performance as exposition variables of RM have not been explored. This study assessed the incidence of RM and determined its association with excess fat mass, low total lean tissue, gait speed, and handgrip strength as exposition variables for RM in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: This is a secondary analysis in older adults (≥60 years old) derived from the study “Frailty, dynapenia, and sarcopenia in Mexican adults (FraDySMex)” a prospective cohort project conducted from 2014 to 2019 in Mexico City. At baseline, volunteers underwent body composition analysis and physical performance tests. Several covariates were identified through comprehensive geriatric assessment. At baseline and follow-up, RM was assessed using the long form of the mini nutritional assessment (MNA-LF) scale. Associations between the exposition variables and RM were assessed by multiple logistic regression. Results: The cohort included 241 subjects. Average age was 75.6±7.8 years; 83.4% were women. The mean follow-up period was 4.1 years, during which 28.6% of subjects developed RM. This condition was less likely to occur in subjects with excess fat mass index, even after adjusting for several covariates. RM was also more likely to occur in subjects with low total lean tissue index, according to both an unadjusted model and after adjusting for the corresponding variables. Regarding the association between RM and gait speed, RM was also more likely to occur in subjects with low gait speed according to both the unadjusted and adjusted models. Similar results were found for RM in relation to low handgrip strength; however, after adjusting for the associated covariates, models 1 and 2 no longer reached the level of significance. Conclusion: The risk of malnutrition diagnosed by MNA-LF was significantly less likely to occur among subjects with excess fat mass, but possibility was significantly higher in those with low total lean tissue and low gait speed after 4.1 years of follow-up in community-dwelling older adults. These results highlight that excess fat mass, low total lean tissue, and low gait speed are first than risk of malnutrition and not vice versa.

In order to realize the tram's low-floor structure, most of the trams that have been recently introduced adopt an independently rotating wheelset. In the case of trains driving in two regions with different gauges, an independently rotating wheelset may be applied to utilize the variable track technology. Since the independent rotation type wheelset has no rotational restraint of the left and right wheels, the difference in rotational speed between the outer and inner wheels occurs naturally during curved driving, and it is applied to railroad vehicles traveling in steep curve sections because it smoothly drives curved driving. However, the longitudinal creep force and the lateral restoring force are weakened as the left and right rotational constraints disappear. Lack of transverse direction restoring force weakens stability while causing continuous flange contact driving or zigzag phenomenon against disturbance. Under the conditions of driving in a steep curve, these railway vehicles generate excessive wear, noise, and lateral pressure, as well as deterioration of ride comfort and derailment. In order to overcome these drawbacks, a method has been proposed in which the torque of a motor mounted on each wheel is individually controlled to generate lateral restoring force or to improve driving performance through lateral displacement control using a yaw moment. In this paper, development using HILs was performed to check the performance and stability of the individual motor torque control technology before verifying by applying the individual motor torque control to the actual vehicle. HILs were constructed by combining a real-time dynamic analysis model of a railway vehicle with a drive motor to which real individual motor control was applied. Under the conditions of driving the test track where the actual test vehicle was tested, the analysis of the driving characteristics and the control characteristics of the disturbance was performed to confirm the proposed individual motor torque control performance.

Sleep quality is known to affect automatic and executive brain functions such as gait control and cognitive processing. This study aimed to assess the effect of dual tasks on gait spatiotemporal parameters among young adults with good and poor sleep quality in the United Arab Emirates. In total, 65 young adults with a mean age of 21.1±2.5 were assessed for gait analysis during single-task and dual-task conditions. The participants’ sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and gait was assessed using the BTS Gaitlab System. The participants were asked to walk at natural speed as a single-task condition, followed by walking while performing a cognitive task as a dual-task condition. The parameters assessed included the gait velocity (m/s), cadence (steps/min), step width (m), and stride length (m). The DTC on each gait parameter was calculated. The Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare the differences in the DTC on gait variables between the good and poor sleep quality groups, and the Spearman correlation test was used to assess the correlation between total PSQI scores and the DTC. At a significance level of p&lt;0.05, a significant difference in cadence between the two sleep quality groups was observed, in addition to a positive correlation between sleep quality and the DTC effect on gait mean velocity, cadence, and stride length. Our findings also revealed a greater DTC on participants with poorer sleep quality. These findings contribute to our understanding of the significance of sleep quality in gait performance while multitasking in younger populations.

Most schoolchildren carry schoolbags, of which a substantial proportion carry loads that exceed 15% of their body mass. Although the effects of loading have been investigated to varying degrees, the status of schoolbag loading and the acute affects thereof on gait and posture have not been thoroughly investigated within the South African context. A total of 60 participants in the 10-13-year age range volunteered for the present study. Significant differences were evident for relative load carriage (χ2(3) = 14.54, p &lt; .001), forefoot and heel forces (Mdiff = 17.05-34.86 N, p &lt; .001), force-ratios (Mdiff = 0.02, p = .029), and gait speed (Mdiff = -0.18 km/hr, p = .016).), but not for any postural angles (Mdiff = -3.37-6.08 deg, all p &gt; .052). Those who exceeded 15% BM were ~9 times more likely to report pain than those below 15% BM. The children in the current carried significantly heavier realtive loads (p &lt; .001) compared to similarly aged children from other countries. Loading leads to acute changes in posture and gait that are likely not meaningful. However, excessive loading (&gt;15% BM) leads to significantly higher perceptions and reporting of pain in 10-13 year-old children.

Previous studies have reported that clinical walk tests could not predict development of frailty. With advancements in wearable technology, it may be possible to predict the development of frailty using loading asymmetry parameters during clinical walk test. This prospective cohort study aimed to test the hypothesis that increased limb loading asymmetry predicts frailty risk in community-living older adults. Sixty-two independently ambulant community-living adults aged ≥ 65 years were recruited, and forty-seven subjects completed the one-year follow-up after baseline. Loading asymmetry index of net and regional (forefoot, midfoot, and rearfoot) plantar forces were collected using force sensing insoles (100 Hz) during a 10-m walk test with their maximum speed. Development of frailty was defined if the participant progressed from baseline at least one grading group of frailty at follow-up period using the Kihon Checklist. Fourteen subjects developed frailty at follow-up period. Increased risk of frailty was associated with each 1% increase in loading asymmetry of net impulse (Odds ratio 1.153, 95% CI 1.001 to 1.329). Loading asymmetry of net impulse significantly correlated with asymmetry of peak force in midfoot force. These results indicate the feasibility of measuring plantar forces of gait during clinical walking tests, and underscore the potential of using load asymmetry as a tool to augment frailty risk assessment in community-dwelling older adults.

Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) are at an increased risk of falls due to associated motor symptoms and impaired postural control. Gait dysfunction, observed soon after diagnosis, leads to disability with disease progression. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were differences in dynamic postural control during self-paced walking and obstacle-crossing between persons with mild to moderate PD and healthy controls. Participants included nine individuals with mild to moderate PD (PD cohort) and nine age- and gender-matched controls (CON cohort). Anatomical marker trajectories and ground reaction forces were collected as participants walked along the pathway. Three successful representative right and left gait cycles were analyzed using Visual3D biomechanical software. Analyses, involving a mixed model ANOVA using R Statistical Software, examined spatiotemporal (ST) gait parameters for strides involving the leading and trailing limbs and dynamic balance variables, including COM - COP inclination angle, and the COP - COM M/L, COP - XCOM M/L, UMAX - XCOM M/L distances, at distinct points from the stance limb related to the leading and trailing legs. There were no differences between CON and PD for all ST gait parameters during obstacle crossing, except for a significantly reduced step length (p = 0.00489) for the PD group related to the trailing limb. However, there were significant main effects of Step and Condition interacting with Step for swing time, stance time, and step length. For both CON and PD groups the COP - COM , COP - XCOM , UMAX - XCOM metrics demonstrated that the COM was medial to the BOS from first double support, generally moving more medially through second double support for the stance limb during motion of the leading and trailing limbs. Event and Event interacting with Condition were significant for the COP - COM and COP - XCOM variables, while UMAX – XCOM was significant only for Event (p < 0.001). The PD group demonstrated significantly larger mean values for COP – COM M/L at first double support (p = 0.00435) and COP - XCOM M/L at second double support (p = 0.0158) for the second step. Our results suggest that the margin of stability may be useful in discerning dynamic postural control adaptations during walking and obstacle negotiation in persons with mild PD.

Stroke often results in impaired gait, which can limit community ambulation and the quality of life. Recent works have shown the feasibility of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) as an adjuvant treatment to facilitate gait rehabilitation. Since the cerebellum plays an essential role in balance and movement coordination, which is crucial for independent overground ambulation, so, we investigated the effects of cerebellar tDCS (ctDCS) on the post-stroke overground gait performance in chronic stroke survivors. Fourteen chronic post-stroke male subjects were recruited based on convenience sampling at the collaborating hospitals where ten subjects finally participated in the ctDCS study. We evaluated the effects of two ctDCS montages with 2mA direct current, a) optimized configuration for dentate stimulation with 3.14cm² disc anode at PO10h (10/5 EEG system) and 3.14cm² disc cathode at PO9h (10/5 EEG system), and b) optimized configuration for leg lobules VII-IX stimulation with 3.14cm² disc anode at Exx8 (electrodes defined by ROAST) and 3.14cm² disc cathode at Exx7. We found ctDCS to be acceptable by all the exposed subjects. The ctDCS intervention had an effect on the 'Normalised Step length Affected side' (p=0.1) and 'Gait Stability Ratio' (p=0.0569), which was found using Wilcoxon signed-rank test at 10% significance level. Also, ctDCS montage specific effect was found using a two-sided Wilcoxon rank-sum test at a 5% significance level for 'Step Time Affected Leg' (p=0.0257) and '%Stance Time Unaffected Leg' (p=0.0376). Moreover, the changes in the quantitative gait parameters across both the montages were found to be correlated to the mean electric field strength in the lobules based on partial least squares regression analysis (R² statistic = 0.6574) where the mean electric field strength at the cerebellar lobules, Vermis VIIIb, Ipsilesional IX, Vermis IX, Ipsilesional X, had the most loading. In conclusion, our feasibility study indicated the potential of a single session of ctDCS to contribute to the immediate improvement in the balance and gait performance in terms of gait-related indices and clinical gait measures.

To our best knowledge this is the first study to assess and compare lower limb biomechanics and gait pattern between patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty with use of fixed-bearing medial-pivot and multi-radius design implants. Results of this study show that there were no statistical differences between both types of implants and even though there was significant improvement in patient-reported outcome and gait pattern, those parameters still differ significantly in comparison to healthy volunteers. The problem with dissatisfaction after operative treatment may not lay in the procedure itself, but many different factors may contribute to it. Next studies comparing other designs of implants, as well as proper rehabilitation protocol should be performed

Background. The markerless motion capture system (MLS) is a new technology that uses deep learning to detect body segments from digital images. This study tested the agreement between the MLS and a force-plate based system (FPS, “gold standard”) to quantify stability control and motor performance (MP) during gait initiation (GI). Methods. Healthy adults (young and elderly) and patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) performed GI series at spontaneous and maximal velocity on an FPS while being filmed by an MLS. Signals from both systems were used to compute the peak of forward center-of-mass velocity (indicator of MP) and the braking index (BI, indicator of stability control). Results. Descriptive statistics indicated that both systems detected between-groups differences and velocity effects similarly, while a Bland-Altman (BA) plot anal-ysis showed that BI and MP mean biases were virtually zero in all groups and conditions. Bayes factor 01 indicated strong (for BI) and moderate (for MP) evidence that both systems provided equivalent values. However, trial-by-trial analysis of BA plots revealed the possibility of differ-ences > 10% between the two systems. Conclusion. Although non-negligible differences do occur, MLS appears to be as efficient as FPS in detecting PD and velocity condition effects on BI and MP

Foot drop is a common disability in post-stroke patients and represents a challenge for the clinician. To date, Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFO) combined with conventional rehabilitation is the gold standard of rehabilitation management. AFO has a palliative mechanical action without actively restoring the associated neural function. Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES), consisting in stimulation of the peroneal nerve pathway, represents an alternative approach. By providing a FES device (Bioness L-300, BIONESS, USA) for 6 months to a post-stroke 22-year-old woman with a foot drop, our goal was to quantify its potential benefit on walking capacity. Gait parameters and the temporal evolution of the speed were collected with a specific connected sole device (Feet Me®) during the 10-meter walking, the Time Up and Go, and the 6-minute walking tests with AFO, FES or without any device (NO). As a result, the walking speed changes on 10-meters were clinically significant with an increase from baseline to 6 months in AFO and FES conditions (+0.14m-1 and +0.36m-1), without any changes in NO condition. In addition, speed decreased at about 4-minutes of the 6-minute walking test in NO and AFO conditions, while speed increased in FES conditions at baseline and after 1, 3 and 6 months. Monitoring gait speed in an endurance test after an ecological rehabilitation training program helps to examine walking performance in post-stroke patients and to propose a specific rehabilitation program depending on a fatigue threshold.