Search results for "Walking Speed"
showing 10 items of 126 documents
Age-associated changes in skeletal muscles and their effect on mobility: an operational diagnosis of sarcopenia.
2003
Sarcopenia, the reduction of muscle mass and strength that occurs with aging, is widely considered one of the major causes of disability in older persons. Surprisingly, criteria that may help a clinician to identify persons with impaired muscle function are still lacking. Using data from a large representative sample of the general population, we examined how muscle function and calf muscle area change with aging and affect mobility in men and women free of neurological conditions. We tested several putative indicators of sarcopenia, including knee extension isometric torque, handgrip, lower extremity muscle power, and calf muscle area. For each indicator, sarcopenia was considered to be p…
Physical activity at age of 20-64 years and mobility and muscle strength in old age: a community-based study.
2012
Background. Physical activity in midlife has been related to lower mortality and better health in old age. The present study evaluated whether physical activity at age of 20–64 years was associated with mobility and muscle strength in old age. Methods. A random sample of 1,000 persons was extracted from all the ≥75-year-old people living in Kuopio, Finland, and 679 community-dwelling participants were included in the present analyses. Data on health status, ability to walk outside or 400 m, and physical activity level were obtained through structured interviews. Participants’ walking speed, grip strength, and knee extension strength were measured by physiotherapists. Relationship between ph…
Factors associated with maximal walking speed among older community-living adults.
2011
Background and aims: The relative contribution of different domains on walking speed is largely unknown. This study investigated the central factors associated with maximal walking speed among older people. Methods: Cross-sectional analyses of baseline data from the SCAMOB study (ISRCTN 07330512) involving 605 community-living ambulatory adults aged 75–81 years. Maximal walking speed, leg extensor power, standing balance and body mass index were measured at the research center. Physical activity, smoking, use of alcohol, chronic diseases and depressive symptoms were self-reported by standard questionnaires. Results: The mean maximal walking speed was 1.4 m/s (range 0.3–2.9). In linear regre…
One-year persistence of individual gait patterns identified in a follow-up study – A call for individualised diagnose and therapy
2017
Abstract Although a hunch about the individuality of human movements generally exists, differences in gait patterns between individuals are often neglected. To date, only a few studies distinguished individual gait patterns in terms of uniqueness and emphasised the relevance of individualised diagnoses and therapy. However, small sample sizes have been a limitation on identifying subjects based on gait patterns, and little is known about the permanence of subject-specific characteristics over time. The purpose of this study was (1) to prove the uniqueness of individual gait patterns within a larger sample and (2) to prove the long-term permanence of individual gait patterns. A sample of 128…
In vivo fascicle behavior of the flexor hallucis longus muscle at different walking speeds.
2017
Ankle plantar flexor muscles support and propel the body in the stance phase of locomotion. Besides the triceps surae, flexor hallucis longus muscle (FHL) may also contribute to this role, but very few in vivo studies have examined FHL function during walking. Here, we investigated FHL fascicle behavior at different walking speeds. Ten healthy males walked overground at three different speeds while FHL fascicle length changes were recorded with ultrasound and muscle activity was recorded with surface electromyography (EMG). Fascicle length at heel strike at toe off and at peak EMG activity did not change with speed. Range of FHL fascicle length change (3.5-4.5 and 1.9-2.9 mm on average in s…
EMG and force production of the flexor hallucis longus muscle in isometric plantarflexion and the push-off phase of walking
2015
Large forces are generated under the big toe in the push-off phase of walking. The largest flexor muscle of the big toe is the flexor hallucis longus (FHL), which likely contributes substantially to these forces. This study examined FHL function at different levels of isometric plantarflexion torque and in the push-off phase at different speeds of walking. FHL and calf muscle activity were measured with surface EMG and plantar pressure was recorded with pressure insoles. FHL activity was compared to the activity of the calf muscles. Force and impulse values were calculated under the big toe, and were compared to the entire pressed area of the insole to determine the relative contribution of…
Nordic walking practice might improve plantar pressure distribution.
2012
Nordic walking (NW), characterized by the use of two walking poles, is becoming increasingly popular (Morgulec-Adamowicz, Marszalek, & Jagustyn, 2011). We studied walking pressure patterns of 20 experienced and 30 beginner Nordic walkers. Plantar pressures from nine foot zones were measured during trials performed at two walking speeds (preferred and 20% faster), and under two walking conditions (NW vs. normal walking). In comparison to normal walking, NW experience led to a significant (p < .05) pressure reduction of about 50% on the central metatarsals. No significant increases were detected in other foot regions. The differences between experienced and beginners during normal walking inc…
Differences in contractile behaviour between the soleus and medial gastrocnemius muscles during human walking
2012
The functional roles of individual lower limb muscles during human walking may differ depending on walking speed or duration. In this study, 11 volunteers walked on a treadmill for 60 min at speeds corresponding to both optimal and 20% above optimal energetic cost of transport whilst oxygen consumption and medial gastrocnemius (MG) and soleus fascicle lengths were measured. Although energetic cost of transport was ∼12% higher at the faster speed, it remained constant over 60 min at both speeds, suggesting that humans can walk for prolonged periods at a range of speeds without compromising energetic efficiency. The fascicles of both muscles exhibited rather ‘isometric’ behaviour during the e…
The Role of Vitamin D in Early Knee Osteoarthritis and Its Relationship with Their Physical and Psychological Status
2021
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint condition and one of the greatest causes of disability worldwide. The role of vitamin D in the origin and development of the disease is not clear, although it could have important implications for diagnosis and treatment. For this proposal, a cross-sectional study with a non-probabilistic sample was performed. In total, 48 with early osteoarthritis (EOA) and 48 matched controls were selected, and serum 25(OH)D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were analyzed. In addition, physical and psychological variables were measured to establish their relationship with vitamin D levels. Patients with EOA showed lower levels (22.3 ± 7.3 ng/mL) in comparison to ma…
Evidence for the effectiveness of walking training on walking and self-care after stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control…
2014
Objective: To examine the effect of randomized controlled trials of walking training on walking and self-care in patients with stroke. Data sources: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PEDro, OTSeeker, Central, and manual search to the end of August 2012. Study selection: English, Finnish, Swedish, or German language walking training randomized controlled trials for patients over 18 years of age with stroke. Data synthesis: The meta-analyses included 38 randomized controlled trials from 44 reports. There was high evidence that in the subacute stage of stroke, specific walking training resulted in improved walking speed and distance compared with traditional walking training of the same intensity. In t…