No Influence of Mechatronic Poles on the Movement Pattern of Professional Nordic Walkers

Effects of nordic walking training on gait and exercise tolerance in male ischemic heart disease patients

This technique-focused observational study explores the impact of a 6-week Nordic Walking (NW) program on physiological and biomechanical aspects in ischemic heart disease (IHD) patients. Twelve male IHD patients (66.2 ± 5.2 years, 12.2 ± 7.5 years of disease duration) were evaluated pre- and post-training for (i) gait parameters, (ii) exercise tolerance using electrocardiographic (ECG) stress test, (iii) a 6-min walk test (6MWT). The NW training, adhering to IHD patient guidelines, involved a 100-m walk at a self-selected, preferred speed without sticks, with classic NW sticks and mechatronic sticks. A mechatronic measuring system, specifically engineered for measuring, diagnosing and monitoring the patient's gait, was integrated into mechatronic sticks. Post-training, significant enhancements were observed in ECG stress test duration, metabolic equivalency, and 6MWT distance, irrespective of the stick type. However, no significant changes were noted in spatiotemporal parameters concerning the measured side, stick utilisation, or type. The results suggest that NW training boosts exercise capacity and refines gait mechanics in male IHD patients. However, the improvement in exercise capacity was not linked to changes in gait mechanics from NW training but rather to the movement during NW gait. Hence, the key to enhancing exercise capacity in IHD patients is the movement during NW gait, not the quality of gait mechanics.

Mechatronic Pole System for Monitoring the Correctness of Nordic Walking

Marching with Nordic walking (NW) poles is a common form of physical activity. It is recommended in the treatment and rehabilitation of many diseases. NW's wide range of applications in rehabilitation and its effectiveness are limited by the need for experienced physiotherapists to supervise patients during the training. A prerequisite for good rehabilitation results is correctly using the poles during walking. Essential parameters of NW include the angle of inclination of the pole, the force of the pole on the ground, and proper coordination of performed movements. The purpose of this paper is to present the design and operating principle of a mechatronic NW pole system for measuring and recording the gait parameters. The subject of the work was the assessment of the usefulness of the mechatronic NW pole system for phases identified during marching. The study was conducted in field conditions. The study's main objective was to compare the obtained results from the developed system with those of a commercial system for measuring foot pressure distributions on the ground. The paper also presents sample results measuring walkers' gait with NW poles in the field and the resulting gait phase analysis.

Do Mechatronic Poles Change the Gait Technique of Nordic Walking in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease?

The study aimed to compare the technique of normal gait with the Nordic walking (NW) gait with classical and mechatronic poles in patients with ischemic heart disease. It was assumed that equipping classical NW poles with sensors enabling biomechanical gait analysis would not cause a change in the gait pattern. The study involved 12 men suffering from ischemic heart disease (age: 66.2 ± 5.2 years, body height: 173.8 ± 6.74 cm; body mass: 87.3 ± 10.89 kg; disease duration: 12.2 ± 7.5 years). The MyoMOTION 3D inertial motion capture system (Noraxon Inc., Scottsdale, AZ, USA) was used to collect biomechanical variables of gait (spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters). The subject's task was to cover the 100 m distance with three types of gait-walking without poles (normal gait), walking with classical poles to NW, and walking with mechatronic poles from the so-called preferred velocity. Parameters were measured on the right and left sides of the body. The data were analyzed using two-way repeated measures analysis of variance with the between-subject factor "body side." Friedman's test was used when necessary. For most kinematic parameters, with the exception of knee flexion-extension (p = 0.474) and shoulder flexion-extension (p = 0.094), significant differences were found between normal and walking with poles for both the left and right side of the body and no differences due to the type of pole. Differences between the left and right movement ranges were identified only for the ankle inversion-eversion parameter (gait without poles p = 0.047; gait with classical poles p = 0.013). In the case of spatiotemporal parameters, a reduction in the cadence step value using mechatronic poles and the stance phase using classical poles compared to normal walking was observed. There was also an increase in the values for step length and step time regardless of the type of poles, stride length, and swing phase when using classical poles and stride time when using mechatronic poles. The differences between the right and left sides of the measurement occurred when walking with both types of poles for single support (gait with classical poles p = 0.003; gait with mechatronic poles p = 0.030), stance phase (gait with classical poles p = 0.028; gait with mechatronic poles p = 0.017) and swing phase (gait with classical poles p = 0.028; gait with mechatronic poles p = 0.017). Mechatronic poles can be used in the study of the biomechanics of gait in real-time with feedback on its regularity because no statistically significant differences were found between the NW gait with classical and mechatronic poles in the studied men with ischemic heart disease.