1,721,031 research outputs found
Relationship between flat foot condition and gait pattern alterations in children with Down syndrome
No full textBackground
In patients with Down syndrome (DS) one of the most common abnormalities is flat foot which can interfere significantly with normal daily activities, such as gait. The aim of this study was to quantitatively assess the relationship between the flat foot and the gait alterations in DS children.
Method
Twenty-nine patients with DS and 15 non-affected subjects were assessed using 3D Gait Analysis, using an optoelectronic system, force platforms and video recording. The degree of flat foot was assessed using the arch index and kinematic and kinetic parameters were identified and calculated from 3D Gait Analysis for each study participant.
Results
Data showed that ankle plantarflexion moment and ankle power during terminal stance were significant to differentiate the patients with and without flat feet: their peak values were significantly lower for the patients with flat foot. In addition, the research for correlation demonstrated that the higher the arch index value, the lower the peak of ankle moment and of the generated ankle power during terminal stance and the minimum of absorbed ankle power.
Conclusions
Children with flat foot displayed a less functional gait pattern in terms of ankle kinetics than children without flat foot, suggesting that the presence of flat foot may lead to a weaker efficient walking. Then, the increasing flat foot tended to result in lower push-off ability, leading a less functional walking
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Kinematics adaptation and inter-limb symmetry during gait in obese adults
Full text linkThe main purpose of this study is to characterize lower limb joint kinematics during gait in obese individuals by analyzing inter-limb symmetry and angular trends of lower limb joints during walking. To this purpose, 26 obese individuals (mean age 28.5 years) and 26 normal-weight age-and sex-matched were tested using 3D gait analysis. Raw kinematic data were processed to derive joint-specific angle trends and angle-angle diagrams (synchronized cyclograms) which were characterized in terms of area, orientation and trend symmetry parameters. The results show that obese individuals exhibit a kinematic pattern which significantly differs from those of normal weight especially in the stance phase. In terms of inter-limb symmetry, higher values were found in obese individuals for all the considered parameters, even though the statistical significance was detected only in the case of trend symmetry index at ankle joint. The described alterations of gait kinematics in the obese individuals and especially the results on gait asymmetry are important, because the cyclic uneven movement repeated for hours daily can involve asymmetrical spine loading and cause lumbar pain and could be dangerous for overweight individuals
Bi-cephalic transcranial direct current stimulation combined with functional electrical stimulation for upper-limb stroke rehabilitation: a double-blind randomized controlled trial
No full textBackground: Stroke survivors often present poor upper-limb (UL) motor performance and reduced movement quality during reaching tasks. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and functional electrical stimulation (FES) are widely used strategies for stroke rehabilitation. However, the effects of combining these two therapies to rehabilitate individuals with moderate and severe impairment after stroke are still unknown. Objective: Our primary aim was to evaluate the effects of concurrent bi-cephalic tDCS and FES on UL kinematic motor performance and movement quality of chronic post-stroke subjects with moderate and severe compromise. Our secondary aim was to verify the effects of combining these therapies on handgrip force and UL motor impairment. Methods: We randomized 30 individuals with moderate and severe chronic hemiparesis after stroke into tDCS plus FES (n = 15) and sham tDCS plus FES (n = 15) groups. Participants were treated 5 times a week for 2 weeks. Kinematic motor performance (movement cycle time, velocity profile) and movement quality (smoothness, trunk contribution, joint angles) were assessed during an UL reach-to-target task.Handgrip force and motor impairment were also recorded before and after the intervention. Results: Participants allocated to the tDCS plus FES group improved movement cycle time (P = 0.039), mean reaching velocity (P = 0.022) and handgrip force (P = 0.034). Both groups improved the mean returning phase velocity (P = 0.018), trunk contribution (P = 0.022), movement smoothness (P = 0.001) and UL motor impairment (P = 0.002). Conclusions: Concurrent bi-cephalic tDCS and FES slightly improved reaching motor performance and handgrip force of chronic post-stroke individuals with moderate and severe UL impairment. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02818608)
Effectiveness of a home-based telerehabilitation program for post-Covid patients: preliminary results
No full textThe aim of this study was to quantify the effectiveness of a tele-rehabilitation program for post-Covid-19 patients who reported disabling motor and respiratory symptoms after the infection. Nine post-covid patients were assessed in three session: at hospital admittance time (T0), at discharge time (T1) and at the end of the tele-rehabilitation program (T2) via instrumental (i.e. instrumented six-minute walking test and handgrip) and clinical (i.e. spirometry) tests. So far, just the data coming from the instrumented tests of three patients who completed the program were considered, showing an increasing trend in terms of both motor and strength parameters between the considered time points. The preliminary results suggested that the proposed tele-rehabilitation approach could have positive effects on motor function in post-covid patients
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Computerized gait analysis of Botulinum Toxin treatment in children with cerebral palsy.
No full textCombining Foot Drop Stimulation Devices with Gait Training Improves Gait, Active Ankle Movement of Chronic Poststroke Individuals
No full textIntroduction Foot drop stimulator (FDS) devices induce positive clinical effects on foot drop secondary to stroke. Literature does not establish a recommended period or a standard intensity of stimulation to achieve training and therapeutic effects in individuals after stroke. The objective of this study was to evaluate the training and therapeutic effects of 2 weeks of FDS use combined with intensive treadmill gait training in chronic poststroke individuals. Materials and Methods The study design was a quasiexperimental clinical trial. Participants underwent gait training on a treadmill associated with FDS stimulation for 20 minutes, five times a week for 2 weeks. Gait analysis was measured at pre-training and 2 weeks after the training with FDS off/on mode. Results Sixteen chronic poststroke individuals were included. One participant was excluded from the analysis due to data processing fault. After the period of training, and with the orthosis on mode on, individuals ameliorated the active dorsiflexion and increased the distance covered, that is, positive training effect of FDS use. Training and therapeutic effects were not observed in other outcomes. Conclusions Our results demonstrated a positive training effect on ankle active movement during gait. FDS combined with gait training is able to increase the total distance walked after 2 weeks of treatment. Clinical Relevance FDS ameliorated the active dorsiflexion and increased the distance covered in people with chronic poststroke. Our results suggest a positive training effect of FDS that can guide physiotherapists in their clinical practice
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