Academic literature on the topic 'Gait parameter'

Cerebral palsy is the most common cause of chronic childhood motor disability and it describes a group of permanent disorders affecting movement and posture. Spasticity is often the dominant motor disorder and it causes secondary musculoskeletal problems that, occurring at multiple levels, affect the quality and efficiency of gait. The instrumented gait analysis is an assessment tool that allows a precise quantification of gait characteristics, through objective data that cannot be appreciated visually. This doctoral thesis provides new evidence on clinically relevant gait parameters for the gait assessment of children with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy. Through a systematic review, gait parameters responsive to treatments have been identified. Through a correlational study, the relationship between spatiotemporal parameters, impairments and activity limitations has been evaluated. A gait event detection method for children with cerebral palsy has also been validated.<br>La paràlisi cerebral és la causa més freqüent de discapacitat motora crònica en la població infantil i descriu un conjunt de trastorns que afecten el moviment i la postura. L’espasticitat és el trastorn motor predominant i provoca problemes múscul-esquelètics secundaris que, actuant a múltiples nivells, afecten la capacitat de marxa. L’anàlisi instrumentada de la marxa és una eina de valoració que permet quantificar les característiques de la marxa mitjançant dades objectives no apreciables visualment. Aquesta tesi doctoral aporta noves evidències sobre paràmetres clínicament rellevants per a la valoració de la marxa dels infants amb paràlisi cerebral espàstica bilateral. Mitjançant una revisió sistemàtica, s’han identificat paràmetres de la marxa sensibles als tractaments. Mitjançant un estudi correlacional, s’ha avaluat la relació dels paràmetres espai-temporals amb deficiències i limitacions en l’activitat. També s’ha validat un mètode de detecció d’esdeveniments de la marxa per a infants amb paràlisi cerebral.<br>La parálisis cerebral es la causa más frecuente de discapacidad motora crónica en la población infantil y describe un conjunto de trastornos del movimiento y de la postura. La espasticidad es el trastorno motor predominante y provoca problemas músculo-esqueléticos secundarios que, actuando a múltiples niveles, afectan a la capacidad de marcha. El análisis instrumental de la marcha es una herramienta de valoración que permite cuantificar las características de la marcha mediante datos objetivos no apreciables visualmente. Esta tesis doctoral aporta nueva evidencia sobre parámetros clínicamente relevantes para la valoración de la marcha en niños con parálisis cerebral espástica bilateral. Mediante una revisión sistemática, se han identificado parámetros de la marcha sensibles a los tratamientos. Mediante un estudio correlacional, se ha evaluado la relación entre parámetros espacio-temporales, deficiencias y limitaciones en la actividad. También se ha validado un método de detección de eventos de la marcha para niños con parálisis cerebral.<br>Cures Integrals i Serveis de Salut

Movement analysis carried out in laboratory settings is a powerful, but costly solution since it requires dedicated instrumentation, space and personnel. Recently, new technologies such as the magnetic and inertial measurement units (MIMU) are becoming widely accepted as tools for the assessment of human motion in clinical and research settings. They are relatively easy-to-use and potentially suitable for estimating gait kinematic features, including spatio-temporal parameters. The objective of this thesis regards the development and testing in clinical contexts of robust MIMUs based methods for assessing gait spatio-temporal parameters applicable across a number of different pathological gait patterns. First, considering the need of a solution the least obtrusive as possible, the validity of the single unit based approach was explored. A comparative evaluation of the performance of various methods reported in the literature for estimating gait temporal parameters using a single unit attached to the trunk first in normal gait and then in different pathological gait conditions was performed. Then, the second part of the research headed towards the development of new methods for estimating gait spatio-temporal parameters using shank worn MIMUs on different pathological subjects groups. In addition to the conventional gait parameters, new methods for estimating the changes of the direction of progression were explored. Finally, a new hardware solution and relevant methodology for estimating inter-feet distance during walking was proposed. Results of the technical validation of the proposed methods at different walking speeds and along different paths against a gold standard were reported and showed that the use of two MIMUs attached to the lower limbs associated with a robust method guarantee a much higher accuracy in determining gait spatio-temporal parameters. In conclusion, the proposed methods could be reliably applied to various abnormal gaits obtaining in some cases a comparable level of accuracy with respect to normal gait.