Oosterhaven, B. (Bianca) (2019) A study on lower limb kinematics during adaptation to a unilateral swing resistance. thesis, Human Movement Sciences.
Full text available on request.Abstract
Background: Individuals post-stroke often have difficulties with walking. Muscle weakness is one of the main factors slowing down recovery and results among others in decreased leg flexion during the swing phase. The use of a unilaterally applied resistance during the swing phase might be a way to improve locomotor function. In order for training to be effective it is important that patients are able to learn from it. Therefore, adaptation to a unilateral swing resistance during treadmill walking was assessed. Methods: Fourteen healthy participants walked on a motorized treadmill, with and without a unilateral resistance. First, there was a 5 minute baseline phase without resistance load, then unilateral resistance was applied for 10 minutes, and after that participants walked 5 minutes without resistance load. The unilateral resistance was applied using a custom-built pulley system with weight at its end. Position data and ground reaction forces were used to make comparisons between experimental phases (late baseline, early adaptation, late adaptation, and early washout) for peak joint angles and gait phase durations. Results: Differences between experimental phase were found for perturbed swing times, double support times, and peak knee flexion. The unilateral resistance led to increased swing times, and decreased double support times during early adaptation compared to late baseline. Furthermore, peak knee flexion angle of the perturbed leg decreased when the unilateral resistance was applied. However, during adaptation the peak knee flexion angle gradually increased, but still less flexion than during late baseline. For both peak angles and gait phase durations, there were no aftereffects. Conclusions: This was the first study to bilaterally assess the effects of a unilateral swing resistance, applied by a pulley system, in all joint angles of the lower extremity. No aftereffects were induced by the unilateral resistance. This suggests that applying a unilateral resistance may not be useful for clinical gait training. However, our results conflicted with previous studies and more research is needed to exploit possibilities of applying a unilateral resistance with a pulley system.
| Item Type: | Thesis (UNSPECIFIED) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Otter, dr. R. den and Weiland, S. |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 23 May 2022 10:31 |
| Last Modified: | 23 May 2022 10:31 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3425 |
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