Normal Walking Speed Research Articles

Traditional Thai exercise (Ruesi Dadton) for improving motor and cognitive functions in mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial.

This study determined the effectiveness of a 12-week cycle of Ruesi Dadton (RSD) among older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), for improving cognitive and physical performance. Seventy-six participants were included and were divided equally into two groups. A group performed RSD exercise for 60 min, 3 times/wk for 12 weeks, and the control group did not perform RSD exercise. The primary endpoint was cognitive function, as assessed by the Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), Mini-Mental State Examination, verbal fluency (VF) test, and trail making test parts A and B (TMT-A and TMT-B). The secondary endpoints were the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, handgrip, and gait speed results, which were used to evaluate the physical function. There were significant differences in the TMT-B and handgrip scores (P<0.05) between the two groups. Both groups had improved MoCA scores (P<0.05) and normal walking speeds (P<0.01). Additionally, the RSD group showed improved VF test (P<0.01), TMT-B (P<0.01), and TUG test (P<0.05); a negative correlation was found between MoCA and TUG test (P<0.05). However, high walking speed and handgrip (P<0.05) worsened in the control group. RSD exercise resulted in relevant improvements in the cognitive and physical functions in MCI.

The relationship between bone density and the oral function in older adults: a cross-sectional observational study

BackgroundFalls among older adults with a low bone density can lead to a bedridden state. Declining bone density increases the risk of falls resulting fractures in older adults. A person’s physical performance is known to be closely related to bone density, and a relationship between the physical performance and the oral function is also known to exist. However, there currently is a lack of evidence regarding the relationship between bone density and the oral function. We assessed the relationship between the bone density and the both the oral function and physical performance among older adults.Patients and methods754 older adults aged 65 years or older who independently lived in rural regions and who were not taking any medications for osteoporosis participated. We checked all participants for osteoporosis using an ultrasonic bone density measuring device. Regarding the oral function, we evaluated the following factors: remaining teeth, occlusal support, masticatory performance, occlusal force, and tongue pressure. We also evaluated body mass index (BMI) and skeletal muscle mass Index as clinical characteristics. The normal walking speed, knee extension force and one-leg standing test were evaluated as physical performance. For the statistical analyses, we used the Mann–Whitney U test, chi-square test, the Kruskal-Wallis, and a multiple regression analysis.ResultsEighty-one percent of the females and 58% of the males had osteoporosis or a decreased bone mass. The occlusal force, masticatory performance and the tongue pressure showed significant association with the bone density. The participants physical performance showed a significant association with their bone states except for walking speed. According to a multiple regression analysis, clinical characteristics (sex, age, BMI), one-leg standing and occlusal force showed independent associations with the bone density. It was suggested that the bone density tends to increase if the occlusal force is high and/or the one-leg standing test results are good.ConclusionsThe bone density in the older adults showed a significant relationship not only with clinical characteristics or physical performance, but also with occlusal force. It may also be effective to confirm a good oral function in order to maintain healthy living for older adults.

Intranasal oxytocin treatment on the day of weaning does not decrease walking behavior or improve plasma metabolites in beef calves placed on pasture

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of intranasal oxytocin administered at abrupt weaning on weaning behaviors such as walking distance and time devoted to walking, calf body weight, and plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), β-hydroxybutyrate (β-HB), and cortisol. Twenty Simmental × Angus heifer calves were randomly assigned to one of two treatments: intranasal oxytocin (OXT; n = 10) or intranasal saline (CON; n = 10). All calves were given the respective intranasal treatment on the day of weaning (day 0) and then placed on pasture together. Calves were weighed and a blood sample was obtained on days 0, 1, 7, and 14 postweaning. Blood samples were subsequently used to quantify plasma NEFA, β-HB, and cortisol concentrations. All calves in both treatment groups were fitted with an individual global positioning system that recorded calf location every 10 s for a 16-h period on days 0, 7, and 14 to quantify and evaluate walking behaviors. There was no treatment × day effect for distance walked (P = 0.82), walking time (P = 0.80), non-walking time (P = 0.88), area utilization index (P = 0.84), calf body weight (P = 0.82), average daily gain (P = 0.54), NEFA (P = 0.22), or cortisol concentrations (P = 0.32). There was a tendency for a treatment × day effect observed for average walking speed (P = 0.09) and β-HB (P = 0.10), such that calves in the CON treatment tended to have lesser average walking speeds on day 14 and tended to have greater β-HB concentration after weaning. There was a treatment effect (P = 0.02) for NEFA concentrations, with the CON calves having a greater plasma NEFA concentration throughout the study compared with OXT calves. These data imply that OXT calves may have had differing metabolic responses immediately after weaning that could have altered the mobilization of NEFA, but this change was not substantial enough to impact body weights or walking behaviors.

The Effect of Neuropathy and Diabetes Type on Multisegment Foot Kinematics: A Cohort Study on 70 Participants with Diabetes

While lower limb biomechanics of people with diabetes are well described, the effects of diabetes type and of peripheral neuropathy on foot joint kinematics have not been addressed in depth. A total of 70 patients with type 1 (n = 25) and type 2 (n = 45) diabetes mellitus, with and without peripheral neuropathy, underwent functional evaluation via gait analysis using an established multisegment foot kinematic model. ANCOVA was performed to assess differences in foot joints’ range of motion (ROM) between groups with diabetes and a control group by accounting for the effects of age, body mass index (BMI) and normalized walking speed. Statistical parametric mapping was used to assess differences in temporal patterns of foot joint motion across normalized gait cycle. Small but significant correlations were found between age, BMI, speed and foot joints’ ROM. Regardless of diabetes type and presence of neuropathy, all subgroups with diabetes showed limited ROM at the midtarsal and tarsometatarsal joints. Increased midtarsal joint dorsiflexion and adduction was associated with increased tarsometatarsal joint plantarflexion. After accounting for the effect of covariates, diabetes is associated with reduced ROM and to alterations of the kinematic patterns, especially at the midtarsal and tarsometatarsal joints, irrespective of type and neuropathy.

Computerised cognitive remediation to enhance mobility in older adults: a single-blind, single-centre, randomised trial

SummaryBackgroundDecline in executive functions and related cognitive processes is associated with mobility decline, and these functions might be amenable to cognitive remediation. This study aimed to examine whether a computerised cognitive remediation programme would improve walking in adults aged 70 years and older.MethodsThis single-blind, randomised trial at one academic centre in the USA evaluated the efficacy of an 8-week computerised programme (also known as brain games) of progressive intensity and complexity to improve walking in older adults at high-risk for mobility disability. Inclusion criteria included being 70 years or older; ambulatory; and at high-risk for mobility disability, defined using a cutscore of nine or less (frail range) on the Short Physical Performance Battery and a walking speed of 100 cm/s or less. Individuals with dementia, acute or terminal medical illnesses, recent or planned surgery affecting mobility, mobility limitations solely due to musculoskeletal limitation or pain that prevented them from completing mobility tests, and those who were nursing home residents were excluded. Participants were block randomised (1:1; block size 12 and no stratification) to the intervention group or the control group (low complexity computer games and health education classes). Primary outcomes were change in walking speed at normal pace and walking while talking conditions assessed from baseline to 8 weeks post-intervention by investigators who were masked to group assignment. Groups were compared using the intention-to-treat principle with linear mixed models adjusted for confounders. This trial was registered with ClinicalTrails.gov, NCT02567227.FindingsBetween March 1, 2016, and March 12, 2020, 383 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. After randomisation, 11 (3%) patients were diagnosed with dementia. 372 (97%; 271 [73%] women) were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. The mean age of participants was 77·0 years [SD 5·6]). 183 (49·2%) participants were Black and 62 (16·7%) were Hispanic. 314 (93%) of the target 338 completers had finished the intervention when the trial was terminated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there were significant within-group improvements in both groups after the 8-week intervention, there was no significant difference in normal walking speed (−1·03 cm/s [SD 1·30]; 95% CI −3·60 to 1·54) and walking while talking conditions (0·59 cm/s [SD 1·61]; 95% CI −2·59 to 3·76) between the intervention and control groups. Similarly, within-group, but no between-group, differences were seen on executive function tests and physical function. There were no severe adverse events related to interventions.InterpretationComputerised cognitive remediation improved walking in adults aged 70 years and older at high-risk for mobility disability, but improvements were not significantly greater compared with an active control. Although our findings corroborate the within-group improvements on cognition and mobility reported in previous pilot clinical trials, future studies are required to determine the optimal dose, frequency, intensity, and content of computerised cognitive remediation programmes.FundingNational Institute on Aging.

Effects of Light Conditions and Falls Concerns on Older Adults’ Gait Characteristics: A Preliminary Study

Falls are one of the main safety concerns for the aging population, possibly caused by the difficulty in maintaining the gait and balance during walking. Vision and psychological effects are reported to be major factors affecting human gait and balance. However, only a few studies have collectively investigated the effects of vision and psychological status on gait characteristics. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the gait characteristics of older adults with different falls concerns under usual ambient and visual-guided light conditions. Twelve community-dwelling adults (five males and seven females, seven with eye diseases, all over 75 years old, 164.5 ± 9.1 cm in stature) were recruited. Participants were instructed to walk from their bed to the bathroom with their normal walking speed four times (two light conditions x two repetitions). Participants’ gait characteristics, including the walking performance, posture, and stability measures, were compared using mixed analyses of variance with light conditions as the within-subject factor, and falls concerns as the between-subject factor. The study found: (1) When compared to the usual ambient night light condition, the lighting with a visual-based guiding prompted participants to have a lower maximum value of right hip flexion and a higher maximum value of trunk accelerometry. Higher confidence in walking and increased numbers of walking direction corrections might contribute to the changes under the visual-guided light conditions. (2) When compared to older adults with low fall concerns, those with high fall concerns demonstrated a slower walking speed as well as a reduction in motion smoothness.

Assessment of distracted pedestrian crossing behavior at midblock crosswalks

Risk of pedestrian-vehicle crashes increased with distraction of pedestrians at roadway crossings. Aims of the study included analysing distracted pedestrian crossing behavior, identifying factors that influence pedestrian crossing speed at a midblock crosswalk, and determining the influence of road cross-section (RCS) on pedestrian walking speed.Three cities in Oregon State in the USA were included in the study: Corvallis, Albany, and Eugene. A combination of digital video and researcher field notes were used to obtain the data at each site. A total of 1045 pedestrian crossings from 23 midblock crossings were observed and analysed to determine the association of distraction type, road cross-section, and other in situ factors with pedestrian walking speed. Data analysis was conducted in two stages. First, the effect of each distraction type (looking at a handheld device, talking on a cell phone, wearing headphones, walking in a pair, walking in a group, and other distractions) on the pedestrian walking speed was examined. The results showed that average walking speed was 4.8 ft./s (1.46 m/s). Pedestrians walking with headphones crossed more quickly (0.91 ft./s) (0.28 m/s) than those with no distractions (5.14 ft./s) (1.57 m/s). In addition, talking on a cell phone was not significantly correlated with walking speed. Moreover, the other four distraction types were associated with decreasing the walking speed by 0.29 ft./s (0.09 m/s) to 0.83 ft./s (0.25 m/s). Second, the influence of pedestrian distraction, crosswalk configuration, land use, compliance rate, and pedestrian demographics on the pedestrian walking speed were examined in this study. Findings indicated that distracted pedestrian in two road cross-sections would require more crossing time than an elderly pedestrian. Pedestrian safety is a key concern in transportation research, and improved understanding of the factors contributing to pedestrian fatalities could enable safer roadways to be designed.

Infección grave por SARS-CoV-2: valoración clínica y evaluación funcional biomecánica al mes del alta hospitalaria

ObjectiveTo describe by an observational cross-sectional study the clinical and functional situation, at one month after hospital discharge, of patients admitted with COVID-19 in the hospital ICU between March and December 2020. Material and methods59 patients were studied using different clinical scales and biomechanical analysis tests (hand dynamometry, fall risk assessment, gait and balance analysis). ResultsAt one month after discharge, patients reported persistent symptoms: dyspnea (47.5%), arthromyalgia (45%) and cough (22%). In the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire up to 73% of patients reported levels of anxiety or depression. 74.6% and 69.5% presented alterations in the strength of the right and left hand, respectively. The risk of falls in 38% of patients was moderate to very high. The somatosensory index remained within normal parameters, while the vestibular and, to a lesser extent, the visual indexes were altered. In gait, 81.4% of patients showed no abnormalities outside the normal range, with a normal average walking speed. ConclusionsIn the short term after severe COVID-19, patients have persistent symptomatology, anxiety/depression, impaired balance with increased risk of falls and loss of grip strength in both hands.

The walking speed of pedestrians on various pavement surface conditions during winter

• The data capture naturalistic walking behavior in a winter environment. • Pedestrians walk approximately 1 min/km slower on compact snow than on asphalt. • Pedestrians walk approximately 1 min/km slower on clean ice than on gritted ice. • Pedestrians walk approximately 2 min/km slower on clean ice than on asphalt. • Average travel times can be used to assess winter operation measures economically. This study aims to quantify the relationship between pedestrians’ walking speeds and various surface conditions typically associated with a winter environment. The purpose is to enable assessments of the effects of different winter operation and maintenance regimes on pedestrians’ average travel times. The results show that there is a significant relationship between surface conditions and average walking speeds. When comparing a bare-pavement level of service (LOS) with the practically best obtainable winter-pavement LOS it is expected that the average travel times of an average pedestrian will be approximately 1 min/km longer on the latter than the former when walking on flat ground. On clean ice, compared to a bare pavement, we can expect the average travel times to be approximately 2 min/km longer. Data on average travel times should be implemented in cost-benefit analyses that evaluate the effects of different winter operation and maintenance regimes and measures.

Remote Instruction Using Dvd For Mechanical Stress Free Walking (msfw) Promotion Program In Older Adults

PURPOSE: Under the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, it is important to develop physical activity promotion program with online, remote instruction. Based on our previous research findings and experiences, we have developed the mechanical stress free walking (MFSW) program using DVD for adults, particularly with advanced joint degeneration. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the MFSW program using DVD in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Men (n = 16) and women (n = 53) who were healthy and able to walk on their own at average walking speed about 5 km/h participated in this study. The participants (average age 75.1 ± 4.86 years old) received the MSFW DVD instruction program included an educational component stressing 4 walking tips: 1) walking with the upper body upright, 2) catching the ground softly, 3) taking the width of the left and right feet, and 4) not twisting the knee joints. Before starting and after completing the DVD instruction program, each participant completed 3-dimensional walking acceleration measurement (Safety Walk Navi: Descente Ltd, Tokyo, Japan). RESULTS: The downward and lateral acceleration were significantly decreased, from 1.654 ± 0.150 g to 1.604 ± 0.151 g** and from 0.855 ± 0.291 g to 0.804 ± 0.250 g*, respectively (** P < 0.01 *P < 0.05). There were no significant decreases in forward and upward acceleration, from 0.692 ± 0.209 g to 0.665 ± 0.208 g, and from 0.443 ± 0.125 g to 0.428 ± 0.119 g, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that DVD remote instruction program leads to improvements in older adults’ MSFW. Our next goal is to develop the MSFW remote program for health professionals, thus they can deliver DVD remote instruction program to older adults who practice social distancing and engage in MSFW at home settings.

Biological Joint Loading and Exoskeleton Design

While assistive exoskeletons typically focus on the metric of metabolic cost, we hypothesize that exoskeletons of sufficient power density could also reduce knee joint loading, which is understood to be a risk factor for osteoarthritis. Using biomechanical locomotion data, we run a simple simulation of two types of exoskeletons: those that provide a parallel load-path to ground, and those that apply torque directly to the human knee joint. We find that the second type offers larger reductions at normal walking speeds and that the power density required for knee load reduction is much lower than for metabolic cost reduction.

Inhomogeneous and Anisotropic Mechanical Properties of the Triceps Surae Aponeuroses in Older Adults: Relationships With Muscle Strength and Walking Performance.

This study investigated (a)site- and direction-dependent variations of passive triceps surae aponeurosis stiffness and (b)the relationships between aponeurosis stiffness and muscle strength and walking performance in older individuals. Seventy-nine healthy older adults participated in this study. Shear wave velocities of the triceps surae aponeuroses at different sites and in two orthogonal directions were obtained in a prone position at rest using supersonic shear imaging. The maximal voluntary isometric contraction torque of the plantar flexors and normal (preferred) and fast (fastest possible) walking speeds (5-m distance) were also measured. The shear wave velocities of the adjoining aponeuroses were weakly associated with plantar flexion torque (r = .23-.34), normal (r = .26), and fast walking speed (r = .25). The results show clear spatial variations and anisotropy of the triceps surae aponeuroses stiffness in vivo, and the aponeurosis stiffness was associated with physical ability in older adults.

Identification of Disability Risk in Addition to Slow Walking Speed in Older Adults

Introduction: A cutoff speed of 1.0 m/s for walking at a comfortable pace is critical for predicting future functional decline. However, some older adults with walking speeds below the cutoff point maintain an independent living. We aimed to identify specific predictors of disability development in older adults with slow walking speeds in contrast to those with a normal walking speed. Methods: This prospective cohort study on 11,987 community-dwelling independent Japanese older adults (mean age, 73.6±5.4 years) was conducted between 2011 and 2015. Participants were classified into slow walking speed (comfortable walking speed slower than 1.0 m/s) and normal walking speed (speed of 1.0 m/s or faster) groups and followed up to assess disability incidence for 24 months after baseline assessments. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to identify predictors of disability development in the slow and normal walking groups. Results: Overall, 26.7% of participants had a slow walking speed. At follow-up, 11.3% and 2.7% of participants in the slow and normal walking groups, respectively, developed disability (p < 0.01). Cox regression models revealed that age (hazard ratio 1.08, 95% confidence interval 1.06–1.11), walking speed (0.10, 0.05–0.20), grip strength (0.97, 0.95–0.99), Parkinson’s disease (4.16, 2.05–8.44), and Symbol Digit Substitution Test (SDST) score (0.98, 0.96–1.00) were significantly associated with disability incidence in the slow walking group. In the normal walking group, age, grip strength, cognition, 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) score, and reduced participation in outdoor activity were significantly associated with disability incidence; however, there was no significant association with walking speed. Conclusions: Decreased walking speeds have considerably greater impact on disability development in older adults with a slow walking speed than in those with a normal walking speed. Health-care providers should explore modifiable factors for reducing walking speed; they should also encourage improvement of risk factors such as muscle weakness and depression to reduce disability risk in older adults with slow walking speeds.

Muscular activity comparison between non-amputees and transfemoral amputees during normal transient-state walking speed

Research questionWould there be differences in muscle activation between healthy subjects’ (HS) dominant leg and transfemoral amputees’ (TFA) intact-leg/contralateral-limb (IL) during normal transient-state walking speed? MethodsThe muscle activation patterns are obtained by calculating the linear envelope of the EMG signals for each group. The activation patterns/temporal changes are compared between-population using statistical parametric mapping (SPM). ResultsIndividual muscle activity showed significant differences in all muscles except vastus lateralis (VL), semitendinosus (SEM) and tensor fascia latae (TFL) activities. SignificanceThe information could be used by the therapists to prevent secondary physical conditions and prosthetic companies to improve the mobility of the amputees.

Intra-day variation in daily outdoor walking speed among community-dwelling older adults

BackgroundWalking speed is an important measure associated with health outcomes in older individuals, such as dependency and death. This study aimed to examine whether the walking speed of community-dwelling older adults varies between time periods within a day, as measured outdoors in daily life. We aimed to determine the types of walking speed variations and examine the factors associated with them.MethodsDaily life outdoor walking speed was measured in 92 participants (average age 71.9 years±5.64) using a GPS smartphone app for 1 month. Average walking speeds for five time periods were analyzed with a linear mixed model. Intra-day walking speed variation patterns were classified by latent class analysis. Factors associated with the class were identified by logistic regression analysis.ResultsA statistically significant difference in average walking speed was found between early morning (1.33 m/s), and afternoon (1.27 m/s) and evening (1.26 m/s) (p < 0.01). The intra-day variation in walking speed was attributed to variation in cadence. Two classes were identified: (1) fast walking speed with large variation and (2) slow walking speed with little variation; hypertension and frailty level were associated with the class.ConclusionThe results suggest that there is intra-day variation in walking speed in daily life, wherein the speed is the fastest early in the morning and slower in the afternoon and evening. A larger variation in the walking speed was related to the health status without hypertension or frailty. These results suggest that if a person shows less intra-day variation in walking speed, this could be a sign that they are susceptible to hypertension and an increased frailty level.

Development of quadruped walking robot with passive compliance legs using XL4005 buck converter

A quadruped walking robot has an advantage on uneven terrains. In a real-world application, robots can carry heavy loads and can scout in a dangerous area. The main disadvantages of walking robots are relatively slow and high energy consumption. In recent years developed quadruped robots are mimicking several kinds of mammals. Bio-inspired mechanisms are helping to improve the overall performance. The implementations have reduced energy consumption, enhance stability, and a more comprehensive range of locomotion—this article introduces a quadruped robot with passive-compliance three segments’ legs. The leg compliance is implemented by adding an elastic spring to the leg. From the experiment conducted, the fabricated quadruped walking robot’s average walking speed is 0.06850 m/s.

Dynamic drape behaviours of wool woven suiting fabrics considering real-time use

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse dynamic drape behaviours of 100% wool woven suiting fabrics considering real-time usage.Design/methodology/approachDynamic drape coefficients of 100% wool woven fabrics were measured at different rotation speeds (25, 75, 125 and 175 rpm) with a commercially used fabric drape tester which works on image processing principle. Average daily walking speed of male and female volunteers was determined and the closest rotation speed was selected to calculate dynamic drape coefficient at walking (DDCw). Besides, bending rigidity and shear deformation properties, which are known to be related to the static drape behaviours of the fabrics, were also measured and the relationships between these parameters and DDCw were examined.FindingsAs a result of the experimental study, it was found that dynamic drape coefficients become greater, which means the fabrics take flatter position, with the increase of the rotation speed. In addition, it was also seen that parameters known to be related to static drape behaviours such as unit weight and bending stiffness have less effect on the dynamic drapes of fabrics. For the estimation of dynamic drape behaviour of fabrics, parameters such as static perimeter, dynamic perimeter, etc. are found more significant.Originality/valueTo date, although studies about dynamic drape behaviours of the fabrics claimed that dynamic drape gives more realistic results for in wearer experience, few of them focused on the rotation speed of dynamic drape tester for real-time usage. As dynamic drape behaviours of fabrics may differ for different rotation speed, determining appropriate speed in accordance with real-time usage gives more realistic results.

Evaluation of the Intel RealSense T265 for tracking natural human head motion

Accurate and robust tracking of natural human head motion in natural environments is important for a number of applications including virtual and augmented reality, clinical diagnostics, as well as basic scientific research. IMU provide a versatile solution for recording inertial data including linear acceleration and angular velocity, but reconstructing head position is difficult or impossible. This problem can be solved by incorporating visual data using a technique known as visual-inertial simultaneous localization and mapping (VI-SLAM). A recently released commercial solution, the Intel RealSense T265, uses a proprietary VI-SLAM algorithm to estimate linear and angular position and velocity, but the performance of this device for tracking of natural human head motion in natural environments has not yet been comprehensively evaluated against gold-standard methods. In this study, we used a wide range of metrics to evaluate the performance of the T265 with different walking speeds in different environments, both indoor and outdoor, against two gold-standard methods, an optical tracking system and a so-called perambulator. Overall, we find that performance of the T265 relative to these gold-standard methods is most accurate for slow to normal walking speeds in small- to medium-sized environments. The suitability of this device for future scientific studies depends on the application; data presented here can be useful in making that determination.

Bilateral Reinforced Arm Swing Versus Single Arm Restraining on Affected Single Limb Support Time in Stroke Patients

Abstract Background: Stroke is one of the major leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Hemiparesis is one among the major impairments after stroke. It significantly affects gait performance. Patients use less affected side over the affected side. This differentiated the transverse rotation of trunk and pelvis. Some researchers found that arm sling has positive effects in enhancing gait patterns especially during gait training sessions in hemiparetic patients who have excessive motion of COG. Some studies suggested that pow-erful swing of upper extremities instead of natural movement is more helpful for improving weight shifting of the trunk, and gait kinematics. However, the upper limb swing function during walking has not yet been clarified, and still subject of debate. Aim of Study: To compare between effect of bilateral reinforced arm swing versus single arm restraining on the affected single limb support time in chronic hemiparetic stroke patients to take it into our consideration during gait rehabili-tation after stroke. Patients and Methods: Thirty male patients with chronic stroke with an average age of 54.96±4.5 years participated in this study. All patients performed overground 10-MWT without any assistive devices over a 15-m walkway at self-selected speed in 3 different conditions: Normal arm swing, affected arm restraining using arm sling and bilateral reinforced arm swing randomly for 3 trails each to calculate average walking speed. The same speed calculated was set on the treadmill of Biodex Gait Trainer 2TM system in meter per second (m/sec.) subjects performed a 3-minute walk under each of the previous conditions randomly with time interval 20 minutes between tests for recording of average time on affected side during gait cycle. Results: The mean difference in time on the affected side between normal and sling conditions was –0.37%. There was no significant difference in time on the affected side between normal and sling arm condition (p=1). The mean difference in time on the affected side between normal and powerful conditions was –3.2%. There was a significant increase in time on the affected side in powerful compared with normal arm swing condition (p=0.04). The mean difference in time of the affected side between sling and powerful conditions was –2.83%. There was a significant increase in time on the affected side in powerful compared with sling arm condition (p=0.1). Conclusion: The results suggest that powerful arm swing significantly increased the percent of weight bearing on affected side in chronic hemiparetic stroke patients. Hence, it is recommended to motivate the patient to swing his arm powerfully as much as he can during gait training sessions.

Temporal and spatial relationship between gluteal muscle Surface EMG activity and the vertical component of the ground reaction force during walking.

Optimized temporal and spatial activation of the gluteal intermuscular functional unit is essential for steady gait and minimized joint loading. To analyze the temporal relationship between spatially resolved surface EMG (SEMG) of the gluteal region and the corresponding ground reaction force (GRF). Healthy adults (29♀; 25♂; age 62.6±7.0 years) walked at their self-selected slow, normal, and fast walking speeds on a 10 m walkway (ten trials/speed). Bilateral paired eight-electrode strips were horizontally aligned at mid-distance of the vertical line between greater trochanter and iliac crest. Concerning the ventral to dorsal direction, the center of each strip was placed on this vertical line. Initially, these signals were monopolarly sampled, but eight vertically oriented bipolar channels covering the whole gluteal region from ventral to dorsal (P1 to P8) were subsequently calculated by subtracting the signals of the corresponding electrodes of each electrode strip for both sides of the body. Three vertical bipolar channels represented the tensor fasciae latae (TFL; P2), gluteus medius (Gmed, SENIAM position; average of P4 and P5), and gluteus maximus muscles (Gmax; P7). To determine the interval between SEMG and corresponding GRF, the time delay (TD) between the respective first amplitude peaks (F1) in SEMG and vertical GRF curves was calculated. Throughout the grand averaged SEMG curves, the absolute amplitudes significantly differed among the three walking speeds at all electrode positions, with the amplitude of the F1 peak significantly increasing with increasing speed. In addition, when normalized to slow, the relative SEMG amplitude differences at the individual electrode positions showed an impressively homogeneous pattern. In both vertical GRF and all electrode SEMGs, the F1 peak occurred significantly earlier with increasing speed. Also, the TD between SEMG and vertical GRF F1 peaks significantly decreased with increasing speed. Concerning spatial activation, the TD between the respective F1 peaks in the SEMG and vertical GRF was significantly shorter for the ventral TFL position than the dorsal Gmed and Gmax positions, showing that the SEMG F1 peak during this initial phase of the gait cycle occurred earlier in the dorsal positions, and thus implying that the occurrence of the SEMG F1 peak proceeded from dorsal to ventral. Tightly regulated spatial and temporal activation of the gluteal intermuscular functional unit, which includes both speed- and position-dependent mechanisms, seems to be an essential requirement for a functionally optimized, steady gait.