People with degenerative cervical myelopathy have impaired reactive balance during walking. Gait Posture 2024 Mar;109:303-310
Date
02/28/2024Pubmed ID
38412683Pubmed Central ID
PMC11181995DOI
10.1016/j.gaitpost.2024.02.014Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85186398300 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)Abstract
BACKGROUND: People with degenerative cervical myelopathy are known to have impaired standing balance and walking abilities, but less is known about balance responses during walking.
RESEARCH QUESTION: The aim of this project was to assess reactive balance impairments during walking in people with degenerative cervical myelopathy (PwDCM). We hypothesized that center of mass motion following perturbations would be larger in PwDCM and gluteus medius electromyographic amplitude responses would be decreased in PwDCM.
METHODS: Reactive balance responses were quantified during unanticipated lateral pulls to the waist while treadmill walking. Walking biomechanics data were collected from 10 PwDCM (F=6) and 10 non-myelopathic controls (F=7) using an 8 camera Vicon System (Vicon MX T-Series). Electromyography was collected from lower limb muscles. Participants walked on an instrumented treadmill and received lateral pulls at random intervals and in randomized direction at 5% and 2.5% body mass. Participants walked at 3 prescribed foot placements to control for effects of the size of base of support.
RESULTS: As compared with controls, the perturbation-related positional change of the center of mass motion (ΔCOM) was increased in PwDCM (p=0.001) with similar changes in foot placement (p>0.05). Change in gluteus medius electromyography, however, was less in PwDCM than in controls (p<0.001).
SIGNIFICANCE: After experimentally controlling step width, people with mild-to-moderate degenerative cervical myelopathy at least 3 months following cervical spine surgery have impaired reactive balance during walking likely coupled with reduced gluteus medius electromyographic responses. Rehabilitation programs focusing on reactive balance and power are likely necessary for this population.
Author List
Boerger TF, McGinn L, Bellman M, Wang MC, Schmit BD, Hyngstrom ASAuthors
Allison Hyngstrom PhD Associate Professor in the Physical Therapy department at Marquette UniversityBrian Schmit PhD Professor in the Biomedical Engineering department at Marquette University
Marjorie Wang MD Clinical Transformation Officer, Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
ButtocksElectromyography
Humans
Muscle, Skeletal
Postural Balance
Spinal Cord Diseases
Walking
