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Armstrong DP, Fischer SL. Sensitivity of principal component analysis outcomes to data pre-processing conditions when quantifying trial-to-trial variability in whole-body kinematics. Comput Methods Biomech Biomed Engin 2024:1-13. [PMID: 38884341 DOI: 10.1080/10255842.2024.2367745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
This study investigated whether modes of variance in trial-to-trial whole-body kinematic variability identified by principal component analysis (PCA) were consistent across data pre-processing conditions generated from a common dataset. Comparisons made included 1) when trajectory data was expressed in a global vs. local reference frame; 2) when the number of landmarks used to represent whole-body motion differed, and; 3) whether input trajectory data were normalized to participant stature. Varying data pre-processing conditions prior to PCA does not bias the total variance identified. However, it can influence how modes of variance are dispersed across PCs, which in turn, can influence interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Armstrong
- Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
| | - Steven L Fischer
- Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
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2
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Promsri A, Deedphimai S, Promthep P, Champamuang C. Effects of Different Wearable Resistance Placements on Running Stability. Sports (Basel) 2024; 12:45. [PMID: 38393265 PMCID: PMC10892856 DOI: 10.3390/sports12020045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Stability during running has been recognized as a crucial factor contributing to running performance. This study aimed to investigate the effects of wearable equipment containing external loads on different body parts on running stability. Fifteen recreational male runners (20.27 ± 1.23 years, age range 19-22 years) participated in five treadmill running conditions, including running without loads and running with loads equivalent to 10% of individual body weight placed on four different body positions: forearms, lower legs, trunk, and a combination of all three (forearms, lower legs, and trunk). A tri-axial accelerometer-based smartphone sensor was attached to the participants' lumbar spine (L5) to record body accelerations. The largest Lyapunov exponent (LyE) was applied to individual acceleration data as a measure of local dynamic stability, where higher LyE values suggest lower stability. The effects of load distribution appear in the mediolateral (ML) direction. Specifically, running with loads on the lower legs resulted in a lower LyE_ML value compared to running without loads (p = 0.001) and running with loads on the forearms (p < 0.001), trunk (p = 0.001), and combined segments (p = 0.005). These findings suggest that running with loads on the lower legs enhances side-to-side local dynamic stability, providing valuable insights for training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arunee Promsri
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand; (S.D.); (P.P.); (C.C.)
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3
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Sozzi S, Ghai S, Schieppati M. The 'Postural Rhythm' of the Ground Reaction Force during Upright Stance and Its Conversion to Body Sway-The Effect of Vision, Support Surface and Adaptation to Repeated Trials. Brain Sci 2023; 13:978. [PMID: 37508910 PMCID: PMC10377030 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13070978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The ground reaction force (GRF) recorded by a platform when a person stands upright lies at the interface between the neural networks controlling stance and the body sway deduced from centre of pressure (CoP) displacement. It can be decomposed into vertical (VGRF) and horizontal (HGRF) vectors. Few studies have addressed the modulation of the GRFs by the sensory conditions and their relationship with body sway. We reconsidered the features of the GRFs oscillations in healthy young subjects (n = 24) standing for 90 s, with the aim of characterising the possible effects of vision, support surface and adaptation to repeated trials, and the correspondence between HGRF and CoP time-series. We compared the frequency spectra of these variables with eyes open or closed on solid support surface (EOS, ECS) and on foam (EOF, ECF). All stance trials were repeated in a sequence of eight. Conditions were randomised across different days. The oscillations of the VGRF, HGRF and CoP differed between each other, as per the dominant frequency of their spectra (around 4 Hz, 0.8 Hz and <0.4 Hz, respectively) featuring a low-pass filter effect from VGRF to HGRF to CoP. GRF frequencies hardly changed as a function of the experimental conditions, including adaptation. CoP frequencies diminished to <0.2 Hz when vision was available on hard support surface. Amplitudes of both GRFs and CoP oscillations decreased in the order ECF > EOF > ECS ≈ EOS. Adaptation had no effect except in ECF condition. Specific rhythms of the GRFs do not transfer to the CoP frequency, whereas the magnitude of the forces acting on the ground ultimately determines body sway. The discrepancies in the time-series of the HGRF and CoP oscillations confirm that the body's oscillation mode cannot be dictated by the inverted pendulum model in any experimental conditions. The findings emphasise the robustness of the VGRF "postural rhythm" and its correspondence with the cortical theta rhythm, shed new insight on current principles of balance control and on understanding of upright stance in healthy and elderly people as well as on injury prevention and rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shashank Ghai
- Department of Political, Historical, Religious and Cultural Studies, Karlstad University, 65188 Karlstad, Sweden
- Centre for Societal Risk Research, Karlstad University, 65188 Karlstad, Sweden
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4
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Promsri A. Age and Visual Contribution Effects on Postural Control Assessed by Principal Component Analysis of Kinematic Marker Data. Sports (Basel) 2023; 11:sports11050098. [PMID: 37234054 DOI: 10.3390/sports11050098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Postural control, the ability to control the body's position in space, is considered a critical aspect of health outcomes. This current study aimed to investigate the effects of age and visual contribution on postural control. To this end, principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to extract movement components/synergies (i.e., principal movements, PMs) from kinematic marker data of bipedal balancing on stable and unstable surfaces with eyes closed and open, pooled from 17 older adults (67.8 ± 6.6 years) and 17 young adults (26.6 ± 3.3 years), one PCA-analysis for each surface condition. Then, three PCA-based variables were computed for each PM: the relative explained variance of PM-position (PP_rVAR) and of PM-acceleration (PA_rVAR) for measuring the composition of postural movements and of postural accelerations, respectively, and the root mean square of PM-acceleration (PA_RMS) for measuring the magnitude of neuromuscular control. The results show the age and visual contribution effects observed in PM1, resembling the anteroposterior ankle sway in both surface conditions. Specifically, only the greater PA1_rVAR and PA1_RMS are observed in older adults (p ≤ 0.004) and in closed-eye conditions (p < 0.001), reflecting their greater need for neuromuscular control of PM1 than in young adults and in open-eye conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arunee Promsri
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
- Unit of Excellence in Neuromechanics, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
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5
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Promsri A, Cholamjiak P, Federolf P. Walking Stability and Risk of Falls. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:bioengineering10040471. [PMID: 37106658 PMCID: PMC10135799 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10040471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Walking stability is considered a necessary physical performance for preserving independence and preventing falls. The current study investigated the correlation between walking stability and two clinical markers for falling risk. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to extract the three-dimensional (3D) lower-limb kinematic data of 43 healthy older adults (69.8 ± 8.5 years, 36 females) into a set of principal movements (PMs), showing different movement components/synergies working together to accomplish the walking task goal. Then, the largest Lyapunov exponent (LyE) was applied to the first five PMs as a measure of stability, with the interpretation that the higher the LyE, the lower the stability of individual movement components. Next, the fall risk was determined using two functional motor tests-a Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and a Gait Subscale of Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA-G)-of which the higher the test score, the better the performance. The main results show that SPPB and POMA-G scores negatively correlate with the LyE seen in specific PMs (p ≤ 0.009), indicating that increasing walking instability increases the fall risk. The current findings suggest that inherent walking instability should be considered when assessing and training the lower limbs to reduce the risk of falling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arunee Promsri
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
| | - Prasit Cholamjiak
- Department of Mathematics, School of Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
| | - Peter Federolf
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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6
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Promsri A, Bangkomdet K, Jindatham I, Jenchang T. Leg Dominance—Surface Stability Interaction: Effects on Postural Control Assessed by Smartphone-Based Accelerometry. Sports (Basel) 2023; 11:sports11040075. [PMID: 37104149 PMCID: PMC10145104 DOI: 10.3390/sports11040075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The preferential use of one leg over another in performing lower-limb motor tasks (i.e., leg dominance) is considered to be one of the internal risk factors for sports-related lower-limb injuries. The current study aimed to investigate the effects of leg dominance on postural control during unipedal balancing on three different support surfaces with increasing levels of instability: a firm surface, a foam pad, and a multiaxial balance board. In addition, the interaction effect between leg dominance and surface stability was also tested. To this end, a tri-axial accelerometer-based smartphone sensor was placed over the lumbar spine (L5) of 22 young adults (21.5 ± 0.6 years) to record postural accelerations. Sample entropy (SampEn) was applied to acceleration data as a measure of postural sway regularity (i.e., postural control complexity). The results show that leg dominance (p < 0.001) and interaction (p < 0.001) effects emerge in all acceleration directions. Specifically, balancing on the dominant (kicking) leg shows more irregular postural acceleration fluctuations (high SampEn), reflecting a higher postural control efficiency or automaticity than balancing on the non-dominant leg. However, the interaction effects suggest that unipedal balancing training on unstable surfaces is recommended to reduce interlimb differences in neuromuscular control for injury prevention and rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arunee Promsri
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
- Unit of Excellence in Neuromechanics, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +66-54-466-666 (ext. 3817)
| | - Kotchakorn Bangkomdet
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
| | - Issariya Jindatham
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
| | - Thananya Jenchang
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
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7
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Promsri A. Analysis of bilateral muscle coordination for characterizing neuromuscular function in postural control. MethodsX 2022; 9:101944. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2022.101944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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8
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Promsri A. Assessing Walking Stability Based on Whole-Body Movement Derived from a Depth-Sensing Camera. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 22:s22197542. [PMID: 36236642 PMCID: PMC9571104 DOI: 10.3390/s22197542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Stability during walking is considered a crucial aspect of assessing gait ability. The current study aimed to assess walking stability by applying principal component analysis (PCA) to decompose three-dimensional (3D) whole-body kinematic data of 104 healthy young adults (21.9 ± 3.5 years, 54 females) derived from a depth-sensing camera into a set of movement components/synergies called "principal movements" (PMs), forming together to achieve the task goal. The effect of sex as the focus area was tested on three PCA-based variables computed for each PM: the relative explained variance (rVAR) as a measure of the composition of movement structures; the largest Lyapunov exponent (LyE) as a measure of variability; and the number of zero-crossings (N) as a measure of the tightness of neuromuscular control. The results show that the sex effects appear in the specific PMs. Specifically, in PM1, resembling the swing-phase movement, females have greater LyE (p = 0.013) and N (p = 0.017) values than males. Moreover, in PM3, representing the mid-stance-phase movement, females have smaller rVAR (p = 0.020) but greater N (p = 0.008) values than males. These empirical findings suggest that the inherent sex differences in walking stability should be considered in assessing and training locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arunee Promsri
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, 19 Moo 2, Maeka, Muang, Phayao 56000, Thailand;
- Unit of Excellence in Neuromechanics, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, 19 Moo 2, Maeka, Muang, Phayao 56000, Thailand
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9
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Promsri A. Sex Difference in Running Stability Analyzed Based on a Whole-Body Movement: A Pilot Study. Sports (Basel) 2022; 10:sports10090138. [PMID: 36136393 PMCID: PMC9506143 DOI: 10.3390/sports10090138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A sex-specific manner in running tasks is considered a potential internal injury risk factor in runners. The current study aimed to investigate the sex differences in running stability in recreational runners during self-preferred speed treadmill running by focusing on a whole-body movement. To this end, principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to kinematic marker data of 22 runners (25.7 ± 3.3 yrs.; 12 females) for decomposing the whole-body movements of all participants into a set of principal movements (PMs), representing different movement synergies forming together to achieve the task goal. Then, the sex effects were tested on three types of PCA-based variables computed for individual PMs: the largest Lyapunov exponent (LyE) as a measure of running variability; the relative standard deviation (rSTD) as a measure of movement structures; and the root mean square (RMS) as a measure of the magnitude of neuromuscular control. The results show that the sex effects are observed in the specific PMs. Specifically, female runners have lower stability (greater LyE) in the mid-stance-phase movements (PM4−5) and greater contribution and control (greater rSTD and RMS) in the swing-phase movement (PM1) than male runners. Knowledge of an inherent sex difference in running stability may benefit sports-related injury prevention and rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arunee Promsri
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand; ; Tel.: +66-54-466-666 (ext. 3817)
- Unit of Excellence in Neuromechanics, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
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10
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Werner I, Peer-Kratzer M, Mohr M, van-Andel S, Federolf P. Intervention for Better Knee Alignment during Jump Landing: Is There an Effect of Internally vs. Externally Focused Instructions? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:10763. [PMID: 36078475 PMCID: PMC9518031 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191710763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Externally focused attention is known to induce superior results in the movement outcome, whereas focusing attention on the moving body (internal focus) causes conscious control and constrains action. The study investigated effects on knee trajectory and whole-body movement complexity when addressing knee alignment using externally (EF) vs. internally (IF) focused instructions. Young ski racers, n = 24 (12 male), performed landings with subsequent jumps to submaximal height. Movements were tracked and analyzed during the ground contact phase. Sets of jumps were executed without instruction (CON), followed by EF and IF instructions on knee alignment in a random order. Medial-lateral displacement of the knee in landing quantified task achievement, and whole-body principal component analysis was used to compute movement complexity. Knee alignment instructions led to a significantly lower medial knee displacement compared to CON (p = 0.001, ηp2 = 0.35). EF vs. IF did not reach significance. EF, as well as IF instructions increased the prominence of the first movement pattern (p = 0.01, ηp2 = 0.22) with a reduction of higher-order patterns (p = 0.002, W = 0.11), suggesting a strategy of freezing degrees of freedom. Both instructions addressing the movement form positively influenced knee displacement during landing, and both led to a freezing strategy, simplifying whole-body coordination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inge Werner
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Maurice Mohr
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Steven van-Andel
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Peter Federolf
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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11
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Federolf P, Angulo-Barroso RM, Busquets A, Ferrer-Uris B, Gløersen Ø, Mohr M, Ó' Reilly D, Promsri A, van Andel S, Wachholz F, Werner I, Zago M. Letter to the editor regarding "The assessment of center of mass and center of pressure during quiet stance: Current applications and future directions". J Biomech 2021; 128:110729. [PMID: 34536902 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Federolf
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Rosa M Angulo-Barroso
- Institut Nacional d'Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Northridge, CA, United States
| | - Albert Busquets
- Institut Nacional d'Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Blai Ferrer-Uris
- Institut Nacional d'Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Øyvind Gløersen
- Department of Physical Performance, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Maurice Mohr
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - David Ó' Reilly
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Arunee Promsri
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, Muang, Phayao, Thailand; Unit of Excellence in Well-Being and Health Innovation, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, Muang, Phayao, Thailand
| | - Steven van Andel
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Felix Wachholz
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Inge Werner
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Matteo Zago
- Dipartimento di Meccanica, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy; E4Sport Laboratory, Politecnico di Milano, Lecco, Italy
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12
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Promsri A. Modulation of bilateral lower-limb muscle coordination when performing increasingly challenging balance exercises. Neurosci Lett 2021; 767:136299. [PMID: 34699944 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.136299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Balance exercises have proven effective in enhancing and regaining neuromuscular control. However, how the bilateral homonymous muscles are coordinated to achieve bipedal equilibrium remains unclear. In terms of increasingly difficult balance tasks, the current study focused on two levels of muscle coordination: individual homonymous muscles and groups of homonymous muscles. In 25 physically active young adults, a cross-correlation between the bilateral electromyographic (EMG) signals of both legs (i.e., bilateral EMG-EMG correlation) was conducted on seven muscles measured when performing bipedal balancing on three different support surface instabilities. Then, the patterns of bilateral EMG-EMG cross-correlation coefficients were determined through a principal component analysis (PCA). It was hypothesized that modulations of bilateral lower-limb muscle coordination should be observed in the specific relevant muscles or in the patterns of bilateral muscle coordination. The results showed that only the first hypothesis was supported as changes in the strength of bilateral EMG-EMG correlation (p ≤ 0.005) and in the time delays (p < 0.001) were mostly restricted in the lower-leg muscles. The dorsiflexor and plantar flexor muscles showed opposite coordination behaviors. Larger bilateral EMG-EMG correlation and shorter time delays appeared only in the tibialis anterior muscle, suggesting that bilateral dorsiflexor muscle coordination is needed for exercising on multiaxial-unstable platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arunee Promsri
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, 19 Moo 2, Maeka, Muang, Phayao 56000, Thailand; Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Fürstenweg 185, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Unit of Excellence in Well-Being and Health Innovation, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, 19 Moo 2, Maeka, Muang, Phayao 56000, Thailand.
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13
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Busquets A, Ferrer-Uris B, Angulo-Barroso R, Federolf P. Gymnastics Experience Enhances the Development of Bipedal-Stance Multi-Segmental Coordination and Control During Proprioceptive Reweighting. Front Psychol 2021; 12:661312. [PMID: 33935920 PMCID: PMC8081832 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.661312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Performance and control of upright bipedal posture requires a constant and dynamic integration of relative contributions of different sensory inputs (i. e., sensory reweighting) to enable effective adaptations as individuals face environmental changes and perturbations. Children with gymnastic experience showed balance performance closer to that of adults during and after proprioceptive alteration than children without gymnastic experience when their center of pressure (COP) was analyzed. However, a particular COP sway can be achieved through performing and coordinating different postural movements. The aim of this study was to assess how children and adults of different gymnastic experience perform and control postural movements while they have to adjust balance during and after bilateral tendon vibration. All participants were equipped with spherical markers attached to their skin and two vibrators strapped over the Achilles tendons. Bipedal stance was performed in three 45-s trials in two visual conditions (eyes open, EO, and eyes closed, EC) ordered randomly in which vibration lasted 10 s. Posture movements were analyzed by a principal component analysis (PCA) calculated on normalized and weighted markers coordinates. The relative standard deviation of each principal movement component (principal position, PP-rSTD) quantified its contribution to the whole postural movements, i.e., quantified the coordinative structure. The first (principal velocities, PV-rSTD) and second (principal accelerations, PA-rSTD) time-derivatives characterized the rate-dependent sensory information associated with and the neuromuscular control of the postural movements, respectively. Children without gymnastic experience showed a different postural coordinative structure and different sensory-motor control characteristics. They used less ankle movements in the anterior-posterior direction but increased ankle movements in medio-lateral direction, presented larger hip and trunk velocities, and exhibited more hip actions. Gymnastic experience during childhood seemed to benefit the development of proprioceptive reweighting processes in children, leading to a more mature form of coordinating and controlling posture similarly to adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Busquets
- Institut Nacional d'Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Blai Ferrer-Uris
- Institut Nacional d'Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosa Angulo-Barroso
- Institut Nacional d'Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Northridge, CA, United States
| | - Peter Federolf
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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14
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Promsri A, Mohr M, Federolf P. Principal postural acceleration and myoelectric activity: Interrelationship and relevance for characterizing neuromuscular function in postural control. Hum Mov Sci 2021; 77:102792. [PMID: 33862279 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2021.102792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
One approach to investigating sensorimotor control is to assess the accelerations that produce changes in the kinematic state of the system. When assessing complex whole-body movements, structuring the multi-segmental accelerations is important. A useful structuring can be achieved through a principal component analysis (PCA) performed on segment positions followed by double-differentiation to obtain "principal accelerations" (PAs). In past research PAs have proven sensitive to altered motor control strategies, however, the interrelationship between PAs and muscle activation (surface electromyography, sEMG) have never been determined. The purpose of the current study was therefore to assess the relationship between PAs and sEMG signals recorded from muscles controlling the ankle joint during one-leg standing trials. It was hypothesized that medium correlation should be observed when accounting for neurophysiologic latencies (electro-mechanical delay). Unipedal balancing on a level-rigid ground was performed by 25 volunteers. sEMG activities were recorded from the tibialis anterior, peroneus longus, gastrocnemius medialis, and soleus muscles of the stance leg. The first eight PA-time series were determined from kinematic marker data. Then, a cross-correlation analysis was performed between sEMG and PA time series. We found that peak correlation coefficients for many participants aligned at time delays between 0.116 and 0.362 s and were typically in the range small to medium (|r| = 0.1 to 0.6). Thus, the current study confirmed a direct association between many principal accelerations PA(t) and muscle activation signals recorded from four muscles crossing the ankle joint complex. The combined analysis of PA and sEMG signals allowed exploring the neuromuscular function of each muscle in different postural movement components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arunee Promsri
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Fürstenweg 185, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, 19 Moo 2 Maeka, Muang, Phayao 56000, Thailand; Unit of Excellence in Well-Being and Health Innovation, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, 19 Moo2 Maeka, Muang, Phayao 56000, Thailand.
| | - Maurice Mohr
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Fürstenweg 185, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Peter Federolf
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Fürstenweg 185, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
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Ó' Reilly D. Slow walking synergies reveal a functional role for arm swing asymmetry in healthy adults: A principal component analysis with relation to mechanical work. Gait Posture 2021; 85:126-130. [PMID: 33549966 DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2021.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The purpose of this study was to reveal a functional role for arm-swing asymmetry during gait in healthy adults. To this end, the primary aim was to investigate the role of neuromuscular control on the asymmetry of propulsive and collision joint work at either end of the double-support phase (WDS) in the context of sidedness. The secondary aim was to investigate the effect of neuromuscular control on propulsive and collision joint work at either end of the single-support phase (WSS) in the context of arm-swing asymmetry. METHODS Slow -walking trials of 25 participants were analysed using principal component analysis to generate movement synergies (PMk). Independent variables included the tightness of neuromuscular control (N1) formulated from the first PMk and the directional Arm-swing asymmetry index (dASI). Dependent variables included the difference between double-support collision and propulsive joint work (WDS) and a ratio consisting of the difference between single-support collision and propulsive work of both sides (WSS). A linear mixed-effects model was utilized for aim 1 while a multiple linear regression analysis was undertaken for aim 2. RESULTS Healthy adult gait was accompanied by a left-side dominant arm-swing on average. For aim 1, N1 demonstrated a significant negative effect on WDS while sidedness had a negative direct effect and positive indirect effect through N1 on WDS. The most notable finding was the interaction between dASI and N1 which demonstrated a highly significant positive effect on WSS. INTERPRETATION Evidence was put forward that arm-swing asymmetry during gait is related to footedness among healthy adults. Future studies should look to formally confirm this finding.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Ó' Reilly
- Catherine McAuley School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, Co. Cork, Ireland; Faculty of Biological Sciences, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.
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16
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Ó’Reilly D, Federolf P. Identifying differences in gait adaptability across various speeds using movement synergy analysis. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0244582. [PMID: 33411749 PMCID: PMC7790368 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to identify movement synergies during normal-walking that can differentiate healthy adults in terms of gait adaptability at various speeds. To this end, the association between movement synergies and lower-limb coordination variability or Deviation Phase (DP) was investigated. This study also investigated the moderating effect of movement synergies on the relationship between DP and the smoothness of arm-swing motion (NJI). METHOD A principal component analysis of whole-body marker trajectories from normal-walking treadmill trials at 0.8m/s, 1.2m/s and 1.6m/s was undertaken. Both DP and NJI were derived from approx. 8 minutes of perturbed-walking treadmill trials. Principal movement components, PMk, were derived and the RMS of the 2nd-order differentiation of these PMk (PAkRMS) were included as independent variables representing the magnitude of neuromuscular control in each PMk. Each PAkRMS were input into maximal linear mixed-effects models against DP and (DP x NJI) respectively. A stepwise elimination of terms and comparison of models using Anova identified optimal models for both aims. RESULTS The principal movement related to the push-off mechanism of gait (PA4RMS) was identified as an optimal model and demonstrated a significant negative effect on DP however this effect may differ considerably across walking-speeds. An optimal model for describing the variance in (DP x NJI) included a fixed-effect of PA6RMS representing Right-Left side weight transfer was identified. INTERPRETATION The hypotheses that individuals who exhibited greater control on specific kinematic synergies would exhibit variations during perturbed walking was substantiated. Supporting evidence for the role of movement synergies during the double-support phase of gait in proactively correcting balance was presented as well as the potential for this approach in targeted rehabilitation. The potential influence of leg dominance on gait adaptability was also discussed. Future studies should investigate further the role of walking-speed and leg dominance on movement synergies and look to generalize these findings to patient populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Ó’Reilly
- Catherine McAuley School of Nursing & Midwifery, Brookfield Campus, University College Cork, Co. Cork, Ireland
- Faculty of Biological sciences, School of Biomedical sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Federolf
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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Promsri A, Federolf P. Analysis of Postural Control Using Principal Component Analysis: The Relevance of Postural Accelerations and of Their Frequency Dependency for Selecting the Number of Movement Components. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:480. [PMID: 32509755 PMCID: PMC7248432 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
One criterion when selecting the number of principal components (PCs) to be considered in a principal component analysis (PCA) is the fraction of overall variance that each PC represents. When applying a PCA to kinematic marker data in postural control research, this criterion relates to the amplitude of postural changes, recently often called "principal (postural) positions" (PPs). However, in the assessment of postural control, important aspects are also how fast posture changes and the acceleration of postural changes, i.e., "principal accelerations" (PAs). The current study compared how much of the total position variance each PP explained (PP_rVAR) and how much of the total acceleration variance each PA explained (PA_rVAR). Furthermore, the frequency content of PP and PA signals were evaluated. Postural movements of 26 participants standing on stable ground or balancing on a multiaxial balance board were analyzed by applying a PCA on 90 marker coordinates. For each PC, PP_rVAR, PA_rVAR, and the Fourier transformations of the PP and PA time series were calculated. The PP_rVAR and the PA_rVAR-distributions differed substantially. The PP-frequency domain was observed well below 5 Hz, the PA-frequency domain up to 5 Hz for stable standing and up to 10 Hz on the balance board. These results confirm that small-amplitude but fast movement components can have a higher impact on postural accelerations-and thus on the forces active in the system-than large-amplitude but slow lower-order movement components. Thus, PA variance and its dependence on filter frequencies should be considered in dimensionality reduction decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arunee Promsri
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Phayao, Phayao, Thailand
| | - Peter Federolf
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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Promsri A, Haid T, Werner I, Federolf P. Leg Dominance Effects on Postural Control When Performing Challenging Balance Exercises. Brain Sci 2020; 10:E128. [PMID: 32106392 PMCID: PMC7139434 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10030128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Leg dominance reflects the preferential use of one leg over another and is typically attributed to asymmetries in the neural circuitry. Detecting leg dominance effects on motor behavior, particularly during balancing exercises, has proven difficult. The current study applied a principal component analysis (PCA) on kinematic data, to assess bilateral asymmetry on the coordinative structure (hypothesis H1) or on the control characteristics of specific movement components (hypothesis H2). Marker-based motion tracking was performed on 26 healthy adults (aged 25.3 ± 4.1 years), who stood unipedally on a multiaxial unstable board, in a randomized order, on their dominant and non-dominant leg. Leg dominance was defined as the kicking leg. PCA was performed to determine patterns of correlated segment movements ("principal movements" PMks). The control of each PMk was characterized by assessing its acceleration (second-time derivative). Results were inconclusive regarding a leg-dominance effect on the coordinative structure of balancing movements (H1 inconclusive); however, different control (p = 0.005) was observed in PM3, representing a diagonal plane movement component (H2 was supported). These findings supported that leg dominance effects should be considered when assessing or training lower-limb neuromuscular control and suggest that specific attention should be given to diagonal plane movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arunee Promsri
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria; (A.P.); (T.H.); (I.W.)
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
| | - Thomas Haid
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria; (A.P.); (T.H.); (I.W.)
| | - Inge Werner
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria; (A.P.); (T.H.); (I.W.)
| | - Peter Federolf
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria; (A.P.); (T.H.); (I.W.)
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