The Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) is often used for sport-related concussion balance assessment. However, moderate intratester and intertester reliability may cause low initial sensitivity, suggesting that a more objective balance assessment method is needed. The MobileMat BESS was designed for objective BESS scoring, but the outcome measures must be validated with reliable balance measures. Thus, the purpose of this investigation was to compare MobileMat BESS scores to linear and nonlinear measures of balance. Eighty-eight healthy collegiate student-athletes (age: 20.0 ± 1.4 y, height: 177.7 ± 10.7 cm, mass: 74.8 ± 13.7 kg) completed the MobileMat BESS. MobileMat BESS scores were compared with 95% area, sway velocity, approximate entropy, and sample entropy. MobileMat BESS scores were significantly correlated with 95% area for single-leg (r = .332) and tandem firm (r = .474), and double-leg foam (r = .660); and with sway velocity for single-leg (r = .406) and tandem firm (r = .601), and double-leg (r = .575) and single-leg foam (r = .434). MobileMat BESS scores were not correlated with approximate or sample entropy. MobileMat BESS scores were low to moderately correlated with linear measures, suggesting the ability to identify changes in the center of mass–center of pressure relationship, but not higher-order processing associated with nonlinear measures. These results suggest that the MobileMat BESS may be a clinically-useful tool that provides objective linear balance measures.
Search Results
Sway Area and Velocity Correlated with MobileMat Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) Scores
Jaclyn B. Caccese, Thomas A. Buckley, and Thomas W. Kaminski
The Effect of the Frontal Plane Tibiofemoral Angle and Varus Knee Moment on the Contact Stress and Strain at the Knee Cartilage
Nicholas H. Yang, Paul K. Canavan, and Hamid Nayeb-Hashemi
Subject-specific models were developed and finite element analysis was performed to observe the effect of the frontal plane tibiofemoral angle on the normal stress, Tresca shear stress and normal strain at the surface of the knee cartilage. Finite element models were created for three subjects with different tibiofemoral angle and physiological loading conditions were defined from motion analysis and muscle force mathematical models to simulate static single-leg stance. The results showed that the greatest magnitude of the normal stress, Tresca shear stress and normal strain at the medial compartment was for the varus aligned individual. Considering the lateral knee compartment, the individual with valgus alignment had the largest stress and strain at the cartilage. The present investigation is the first known attempt to analyze the effects of tibiofemoral alignment during single-leg support on the contact variables of the cartilage at the knee joint. The method could be potentially used to help identify individuals most susceptible to osteoarthritis and to prescribe preventive measures.
Early Changes in Postural Balance Following Inverted V-Shaped High Tibial Osteotomy in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis
Kento Sabashi, Takeshi Chiba, Koji Iwasaki, Tomohiro Onodera, Eiji Kondo, Norimasa Iwasaki, and Harukazu Tohyama
that postural sway during single-leg standing, which was assessed by the center-of-pressure (COP) movements, was significantly correlated with the severity of knee OA. Hunt et al 13 also reported that COP sway was predicted by varus alignment as well as the severity of knee OA, symptoms, pain, and
Unanticipated Ankle Inversions Are Significantly Different From Anticipated Ankle Inversions During Drop Landings: Overcoming Anticipation Bias
Jeremy R. Dicus and Jeff G. Seegmiller
Few ankle inversion studies have taken anticipation bias into account or collected data with an experimental design that mimics actual injury mechanisms. Twenty-three participants performed randomized single-leg vertical drop landings from 20 cm. Subjects were blinded to the landing surface (a flat force plate or 30° inversion wedge on the force plate). After each trial, participants reported whether they anticipated the landing surface. Participant responses were validated with EMG data. The protocol was repeated until four anticipated and four unanticipated landings onto the inversion wedge were recorded. Results revealed a significant main effect for landing condition. Normalized vertical ground reaction force (% body weights), maximum ankle inversion (degrees), inversion velocity (degrees/second), and time from contact to peak muscle activation (seconds) were significantly greater in unanticipated landings, and the time from peak muscle activation to maximum VGRF (second) was shorter. Unanticipated landings presented different muscle activation patterns than landings onto anticipated surfaces, which calls into question the usefulness of clinical studies that have not controlled for anticipation bias.
Relationship Between Eccentric Hip Torque and Lower-Limb Kinematics: Gender Differences
Rodrigo de Marche Baldon, Daniel Ferreira Moreira Lobato, Lívia Pinheiro Carvalho, Paulo Roberto Pereira Santiago, Benedito Galvão Benze, and Fábio Viadanna Serrão
The purposes of this study were to compare lower-limb kinematics between genders, and determine the relationships among eccentric hip abductor and lateral rotator torques and lower-limb kinematics. The movements of the pelvis, femur, and knee were calculated for 16 women and 16 men during the single-leg squat. Eccentric hip abductor and lateral rotator torques were measured using an isokinetic dynamometer. The results showed that women had greater contralateral pelvic depression, femur adduction, and knee abduction than men. The eccentric hip abductor and lateral rotator torques were correlated with coronal plane femur and knee movements in the overall sample. When the genders were analyzed separately, it was observed that women with greater eccentric hip abductor torque exhibited less femur adduction and femur medial rotation, and greater knee adduction excursion. No significant relationship was observed between the isokinetic and kinematic variables in the male group. The differences between the genders help to explain the greater rate of knee disorders observed in women. Moreover, the eccentric hip abduction action seemed to be more important in women to control the lower-limb movements.
The Effect of Isolated Hamstrings Fatigue on Landing and Cutting Mechanics
Kristian M. O’Connor, Carl Johnson, and Lauren C. Benson
The function of the hamstrings in protecting the ACL is not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to determine how landing knee mechanics were affected by hamstrings fatigue, analyzed with principal components analysis (PCA). Knee joint mechanics were collected during single-leg stride landings that were followed by lateral and vertical jumps. An isokinetic fatigue protocol was employed to reduce hamstrings strength by 75% at the cessation of the exercise protocol. On the landing test day, participants performed the stride landing maneuvers before and after the fatigue protocol. PCA was performed on the landing knee joint angle, moment, and power waveforms, and MANOVAs were conducted on the retained PCs of each waveform (P < .05). On the strength test day, hamstrings strength recovery was assessed with an identical fatigue protocol followed by strength assessment ~75 s after the cessation of exercise. Pre- and postexercise hamstrings strength on this day was assessed with a dependent t test (P < .05). The hamstrings strength remained significantly reduced by ~8% postexercise (75 s). For stride landings followed by vertical jumps, there were significantly reduced knee flexion angles, extensor moments, and energy absorption. This was indicative of a stiffer landing strategy postfatigue, which has been associated with increased ACL loading.
Decision Making and Experience Level Influence Frontal Plane Knee Joint Biomechanics During a Cutting Maneuver
Kristof Kipp, Tyler N. Brown, Scott G. McLean, and Riann M. Palmieri-Smith
The purpose of this study was to examine the combined impact of experience and decision making on frontal plane knee joint biomechanics during a cutting maneuver. Kinematic and kinetic data were collected from 12 recreationally active and 18 NCAA Division I female athletes during execution of anticipated and unanticipated single-leg land-and-cut maneuvers. Knee joint abduction angles and external knee joint abduction torques were calculated and discrete peak stance-phase variables were extracted. Angle and torque time-series data were also submitted to separate functional data analyses. Variables derived from the functional data analyses indicated that decision making influenced knee abduction angle and torque time series in the recreational group only. Specifically, these variables pointed to greater knee abduction at the end of stance as well as a greater, albeit delayed peak in knee abduction torque at the beginning of landing in the recreational athletes during the unanticipated condition. In addition, the recreational athletes displayed greater discrete peak knee abduction angles than the Division I athletes regardless of condition. Discrete peak knee abduction torque did not differ between groups or conditions.
Quadriceps and Hamstrings Fatigue Alters Hip and Knee Mechanics
Abbey C. Thomas, Scott G. McLean, and Riann M. Palmieri-Smith
Neuromuscular fatigue exacerbates abnormal landing strategies, which may increase noncontact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk. The synergistic actions of quadriceps and hamstrings (QH) muscles are central to an upright landing posture, though the precise effect of simultaneous fatigue of these muscles on landing and ACL injury risk is unclear. Elucidating neuromechanical responses to QH fatigue thus appears important in developing more targeted fatigue-resistance intervention strategies. The current study thus aimed to examine the effects of QH fatigue on lower extremity neuromechanics during dynamic activity. Twenty-five healthy male and female volunteers performed three single-leg forward hops onto a force platform before and after QH fatigue. Fatigue was induced through sets of alternating QH concentric contractions, on an isokinetic dynamometer, until the first five repetitions of a set were performed at least 50% below QH peak torque. Three-dimensional hip and knee kinematics and normalized (body mass × height) kinetic variables were quantified for pre- and postfatigue landings and subsequently analyzed by way of repeated- measures mixed-model ANOVAs. QH fatigue produced significant increases in initial contact (IC) hip internal rotation and knee extension and external rotation angles (p < .05), with the increases in knee extension and external rotation being maintained at the time of peak vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) (p < .05). Larger knee extension and smaller knee fexion and external rotation moments were also evident at peak vGRF following fatigue (p < .05). Females landed with greater hip fexion and less abduction than males at both IC and peak vGRF as well as greater knee fexion at peak vGRF (p < .05). The peak vGRF was larger for females than males (p < .05). No sex × fatigue effects were found (p > .05). Fatigue of the QH muscles altered hip and knee neuromechanics, which may increase the risk of ACL injury. Prevention programs should incorporate methods aimed at countering QH fatigue.
Impairments of Postural Balance in Surgically Treated Lumbar Disc Herniation Patients
Ziva M. Rosker, Jernej Rosker, and Nejc Sarabon
(dominant leg in the control group) was positioned in front of the involved leg (ie, tandem stance—uninvolved), (5) single-leg stance with the involved and (6) uninvolved side, and (7) the sitting balance task on an unstable platform (ie, dynamic sitting balance task). During the stance task, the
Comparison Between Movement Pattern Training and Strengthening on Kinematics and Kinetics in Patients With Chronic Hip-Related Groin Pain
Ramya Palaniappan, Michael D. Harris, Karen Steger-May, Allyn M. Bove, G. Kelley Fitzgerald, John C. Clohisy, and Marcie Harris-Hayes
was to compare joint kinematics and kinetics at the hip joint during a single-leg squat between patients who received MoveTrain versus standard strengthening and flexibility (standard) treatment. We previously completed a pilot randomized clinical trial (RCT; ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT02913222) comparing