Verwilligen, S.N. (2016) The effect of avoiding virtual high obstacles on spatiotemporal gait parameters in post stroke patients and healthy persons. thesis, Human Movement Sciences.
Full text available on request.Abstract
Background Post-stroke patients have problems in avoiding physical high obstacles within the path of locomotion. Current obstacle avoidance training settings combining treadmills with virtual environments fall short of presenting virtual high obstacles. This explorative study investigates the effect of avoiding virtual high obstacles on spatiotemporal gait parameters in post-stroke patients and healthy persons. Method Seven post-stroke patients and seven age matched healthy persons walked at their own preferred walking speed within a virtual environment unobstructed and while avoiding virtual high and flat obstacles. Reflective markers above the lateral malleolus were used for data collection. To determine the effect of obstacle type (no obstacles, virtual flat and virtual high obstacles) maximum foot-clearance, step length, step time and swing velocity were calculated. Results Higher maximum foot-clearance was observed during crossing of any virtual obstacle versus no obstacle presentation; p = 0.001, and virtual high obstacles were crossed with a higher foot-clearance compared to virtual flat obstacles, p = 0.005. Step length and step time increased during avoidance of any obstacle compared to none; p<0.05. Virtual height did not affect step width and swing velocity; p>0.05. No significant differences were seen between groups in all variables; p>0.05. Conclusion Foot-clearance is affected when virtual high obstacles are avoided in post-stroke patients and healthy persons; however foot-clearance seems less affected in post-stroke patients. Future research should investigate whether implementing virtual high obstacles in obstacle avoidance training is useful. Keywords: stroke, gait, obstacles, virtual, rehabilitation
| Item Type: | Thesis (UNSPECIFIED) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Otter, dr. A.R. den and Hijmans, dr. J.M. |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 04 May 2022 07:39 |
| Last Modified: | 04 May 2022 07:39 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3202 |
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