TY - JOUR
A1 - Quarmby, Andrew James
A1 - Khajooei, Mina
A1 - Engel, Tilman
A1 - Kaplick, Hannes
A1 - Mayer, Frank
T1 - The feasibility of a split-belt instrumented treadmill running protocol with perturbations
JF - Journal of biomechanics
N2 - Unexpected perturbations during locomotion can occur during daily life or sports performance. Adequate compensation for such perturbations is crucial in maintaining effective postural control. Studies utilising instrumented treadmills have previously validated perturbed walking protocols, however responses to perturbed running protocols remain less investigated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a new instrumented treadmill-perturbed running protocol.
Fifteen participants (age = 2 8 +/- 3 years; height = 172 +/- 9 cm; weight = 69 +/- 10 kg; 60% female) completed an 8-minute running protocol at baseline velocity of 2.5 m/s (9 km/h), whilst 15 one-sided belt perturbations were applied (pre-set perturbation characteristics: 150 ms delay (post-heel contact); 2.0 m/s amplitude; 100 ms duration). Perturbation characteristics and EMG responses were recorded. Bland-Altman analysis (BLA) was employed (bias +/- limits of agreement (LOA; bias +/- 1.96*SD)) and intra-individual variability of repeated perturbations was assessed via Coefficients of Variation (CV) (mean +/- SD).
On average, 9.4 +/- 2.2 of 15 intended perturbations were successful. Perturbation delay was 143 +/- 10 ms, amplitude was 1.7 +/- 0.2 m/s and duration was 69 +/- 10 ms. BLA showed -7 +/- 13 ms for delay, -0.3 +/- 0.1 m/s for amplitude and -30 +/- 10 ms for duration. CV showed variability of 19 +/- 4.5% for delay, 58 +/- 12% for amplitude and 30 +/- 7% for duration. EMG RMS amplitudes of the legs and trunk ranged from 113 +/- 25% to 332 +/- 305% when compared to unperturbed gait. This study showed that the application of sudden perturbations during running can be achieved, though with increased variability across individuals. The perturbations with the above characteristics appear to have elicited a neuromuscular response during running.
KW - Lower-extremity perturbations
KW - Split-belt treadmill
KW - Running
KW - Stumbling
KW - EMC
Y1 - 2020
U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2019.109493
SN - 0021-9290
SN - 1873-2380
VL - 98
PB - Elsevier
CY - Oxford
ER -
TY - JOUR
A1 - Engel, Tilman
A1 - Mueller, Juliane
A1 - Kopinski, Stephan
A1 - Reschke, Antje
A1 - Mueller, Steffen
A1 - Mayer, Frank
T1 - Unexpected walking perturbations: Reliability and validity of a new treadmill protocol to provoke muscular reflex activities at lower extremities and the trunk
JF - Journal of biomechanics
N2 - Instrumented treadmills offer the potential to generate standardized walking perturbations, which are particularly rapid and powerful. However, technical requirements to release adequate perturbations regarding timing, duration and amplitude are demanding. This study investigated the test-retest reliability and validity of a new treadmill perturbation protocol releasing rapid and unexpected belt perturbations to provoke muscular reflex responses at lower extremities and the trunk. Fourteen healthy participants underwent two identical treadmill walking protocols, consisting of 10 superimposed one-sided belt perturbations (100 ms duration; 2 m/s amplitude), triggered by a plantar pressure insole 200 ms after heel contact. Delay, duration and amplitude of applied perturbations were recorded by 3D-motion capture. Muscular reflex responses (within 200 ms) were measured at lower extremities and the trunk (10-lead EMG). Data was analyzed descriptively (mean +/- SD). Reliability was analyzed using test-retest variability (TRV%) and limits of agreement (LoA, bias +/- 1.96*SD). Perturbation delay was 202 14 ms, duration was 102 +/- 4 ms and amplitude was 2.1 +/- 0.01 m/s. TRV for perturbation delay, duration and amplitude ranged from 5.0% to 5.7%. LoA reached 3 +/- 36 ms for delay, 2 +/- 13 ms for duration and 0.0 +/- 0.3 m/s for amplitude. EMG amplitudes following perturbations ranged between 106 +/- 97% and 909 +/- 979% of unperturbed gait and EMG latencies between 82 +/- 14 ms and 106 +/- 16 ms. Minor differences between preset and observed perturbation characteristics and results of test-retest analysis prove a high validity with excellent reliability of the setup. Therefore, the protocol tested can be recommended to provoke muscular reflex responses at lower extremities and the trunk in perturbed walking. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
KW - Perturbation
KW - Stumbling
KW - Gait
KW - Treadmill
KW - Reliability
KW - MiSpEx
Y1 - 2017
U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2017.02.026
SN - 0021-9290
SN - 1873-2380
VL - 55
SP - 152
EP - 155
PB - Elsevier
CY - Oxford
ER -
TY - JOUR
A1 - Mueller, Juliane
A1 - Engel, Tilman
A1 - Mueller, Steffen
A1 - Kopinski, Stephan
A1 - Baur, Heiner
A1 - Mayer, Frank
T1 - Neuromuscular response of the trunk to sudden gait disturbances: Forward vs. backward perturbation
JF - Journal of electromyography and kinesiology
N2 - The study aimed to analyse neuromuscular activity of the trunk comparing four different perturbations during gait. Thirteen subjects (28 +/- 3 yrs) walked (1 m/s) on a split-belt treadmill, while 4 (belt) perturbations (F1, F2, B1, B2) were randomly applied. Perturbations differed, related to treadmill belt translation, in direction (forward (F)/backward (B)) and amplitude (20 m/s(2) (1)/40 m/s(2) (2)). Trunk muscle activity was assessed with a 12-lead-EMG. EMG-RMS [%] (0-200 ms after perturbation; normalized to RMS of normal gait) was analyzed for muscles and four trunk areas (ventral left/right; dorsal left/right). Ratio of ventral: dorsal muscles were calculated. Muscle onset [ms] was determined. Data analysis was conducted descriptively, followed by ANOVA (post hoc Tukey-Kramer (alpha = 0.05)). All perturbations lead to an increase in EMG-RMS (428 +/- 289%). F1 showed the lowest and F2 the highest increase for the flexors. B2 showed the highest increase for the extensors. Significant differences between perturbations could be observed for 6 muscles, as well as the 4 trunk areas. Ratio analysis revealed no significant differences (range 1.25 (B1) to 1.71 (F2) between stimuli. Muscle response time (ventral: 87.0 +/- 21.7 ms; dorsal: 88.4 +/- 17.0 ms) between stimuli was only significant (p = 0.005) for the dorsal muscles. Magnitude significantly influences neuromuscular trunk response patterns in healthy adults. Regardless of direction ventral muscles always revealed higher relative increase of activity while compensating the walking perturbations. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
KW - Stumbling
KW - Gait perturbation
KW - EMG
KW - Core
KW - MiSpEx*
Y1 - 2016
U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2016.07.005
SN - 1050-6411
SN - 1873-5711
VL - 30
SP - 168
EP - 176
PB - Elsevier
CY - Oxford
ER -