Variability in gait and balance control are affected differently during visual and support surface perturbation
Advisor Information
Mukul Mukherjee
Location
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
4-3-2016 9:00 AM
End Date
4-3-2016 10:30 AM
Abstract
Background: Gait variability and postural control have been studied extensively in pursuit of finding a biomarker for impaired gait and impaired balance during gait. However, such a measure has not been established conclusively. This study aimed to investigate center-of-pressure (COP) area variability during gait. Materials and Methods: Ten healthy young participants were subjected to three conditions (one control, one randomized visual perturbation, one randomized support surface perturbation). Results were evaluated using a paired t-test to determine condition effects on gait variability and COP area variability. Results: Step time variability was significantly lower for the random optical flow (OFr) condition compared to control (OFm). Step time and step length variability were significantly higher for the random treadmill (Tr) condition compared to OFm. COP area variability was significantly higher in both OFr and Tr compared to OFm. Step time and step length variability were significantly higher for Tr compared to OFr. COP area variability was also significantly higher in Tr compared to OFr. Conclusions: These results show that both random visual and random support surface perturbations affect gait variability and postural control during locomotion. Moreover, gait and posture variables showed directionally diverging variability during the stimulus conditions. Therefore, COP area variability requires further exploration since it measures balance control during locomotion differently from gait variability.
Variability in gait and balance control are affected differently during visual and support surface perturbation
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
Background: Gait variability and postural control have been studied extensively in pursuit of finding a biomarker for impaired gait and impaired balance during gait. However, such a measure has not been established conclusively. This study aimed to investigate center-of-pressure (COP) area variability during gait. Materials and Methods: Ten healthy young participants were subjected to three conditions (one control, one randomized visual perturbation, one randomized support surface perturbation). Results were evaluated using a paired t-test to determine condition effects on gait variability and COP area variability. Results: Step time variability was significantly lower for the random optical flow (OFr) condition compared to control (OFm). Step time and step length variability were significantly higher for the random treadmill (Tr) condition compared to OFm. COP area variability was significantly higher in both OFr and Tr compared to OFm. Step time and step length variability were significantly higher for Tr compared to OFr. COP area variability was also significantly higher in Tr compared to OFr. Conclusions: These results show that both random visual and random support surface perturbations affect gait variability and postural control during locomotion. Moreover, gait and posture variables showed directionally diverging variability during the stimulus conditions. Therefore, COP area variability requires further exploration since it measures balance control during locomotion differently from gait variability.