Accurate distal limb spatiotemporal characteristics are useful parameters for a mobile kinematic system to quantify lameness and ataxia in horses. The objective was to compare spatial (position estimates) and temporal characteristics (hoof-on/off and stance time) from fetlock mounted inertial measurement units (IMUs) to motion capture and force plates during walk. Seven horses were walked across a 25 m runway with a central 4.8 m data collection area. We used IMUs (sampling at 200 Hz) that were placed proximal to all four fetlock joints and synchronized to a 12 camera motion capture system sampling at 200 Hz and eight force plates sampling at 500 Hz. We found the temporal characteristics were obtained with an accuracy of -0.02 to -7.38 ms and spatial characteristics with an accuracy of 0.9 to -29.79 mm with good precision for spatial and temporal characteristics, showing the potential for a reliable portable kinematic system based on IMUs.

Background: Freezing of Gait (FOG) is a phenomenon primarily experienced by persons with advanced Parkinson’s Disease (PD). The laser cane provides visual cues to ameliorate the gait problem. Objective: To utilize the laser cane which is a need for a training program at home to reduce the gait problems. Methods: An individual PD patient, 59-year old with H&Y stage 3 at “Off time” duration of disease 9 years. He was recruited from the CCEPDRD, Thailand, since he had been receiving treatment for PD for 9 years and had been coping with FOG for several years. Required to walk; 1. Before training (walking with preferred speed without the laser cane) 2. At T0 (start training with the laser cane) 3. At T30 (after training 30 minutes) 4. At T60 (after training 60 minutes) 5. After training 20 minutes. Getting rest after walking 2 rounds for 2 minutes. The spatio-temporal parameter was measured through GAITRite. Results: Training the patient with the laser cane until 60 minutes (T60), both of his step length was equal. Moreover, ambulation time, step length, stride length and velocity were improved when compared with the walking at T0. The effects the visual stimuli were remained after training with the cane. Conclusions: Training the PD patient with FOG about 60 minutes is suitable for modifying to be a gait training program. Since its effect prolongs for a period, we need to explore studies and find out more the efficacy of the gait training with the laser cane.

Stepping down during continuous gait is a common functional activity. Muscle fatigue has an adverse effect on gait parameters, which may contribute to an increased risk of falling. The purpose of this pilot work is to evaluate the role of ankle evetor fatigue on lower limb biomechanics during stepping down in continuous gait. Six healthy subjects (3M/3F, 27.0±2.3 years, 1.69±0.08m, 63.88±8.49kg) were recruited for the study. A custom 8.5m long walkway was built with a 15cm step to simulate a street curb. Only kinematic, kinetic and EMG data from the leg used to step down (leading leg) were reported. Subjects were instructed to walk barefoot at self-selected speed on the elevated walkway, step down onto the lower walkway, and keep walking until the end of the platform. The evertor muscles were fatigued using an isokinetic dynamometer. Immediately after the fatigue protocol, subjects were asked to perform the step-down task in the same manner as the pre-fatigue trials. Due to the nature of the study only descriptive statistics were reported. The fatigue protocol generated a 5-8% decrease in activation of the peroneals, tibialis anterior and medial gastrocnemius muscles. Following the fatigue protocol, a decrease of dorsiflexion moment was observed after touchdown. Additionally, there was a decrease of the peak of negative power suggesting that less energy was absorbed at the ankle. It appears that the isokinetic evertor fatigue altered muscle activation and may change the biomechanics of stepping down to accommodate for the decreased muscle activity.