Faculty Collaboration Database

Upper extremity kinetics of children with myelomeningocele during Lofstrand crutch-assisted gait. Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2008;2008:4583-6

Date

01/24/2009

Pubmed ID

19163736

DOI

10.1109/IEMBS.2008.4650233

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-61849085803 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   2 Citations

Abstract

The use of quantitative methods for evaluating upper extremity (UE) dynamics in children with myelomeningocele (MM) is currently limited. We present a novel biomechanical model for assessment of UE dynamics during Lofstrand (forearm) crutch-assisted gait with application in 9 children with MM. Two prominent types of forearm, crutch-assisted gait patterns were studied: 1) reciprocal gait (RG) and 2) swing-through gait (STG). The model demonstrated the ability to successfully detect meaningful differences in wrist, elbow, shoulder and crutch dynamics in the population of 9 children tested. Significant differences in kinetics with reciprocal and swing-through gait patterns were found bilaterally at all joints. Notable differences were found in the mean superior/inferior joint forces, ranges of joint force, and maximum inferior joint forces. Accurate quantitative assessment may help to prevent injury from longer-term crutch use and has the potential for improving clinical intervention and therapeutic management of ambulation in children with MM.

Author List

Slavens BA, Sturm PF, Harris GF

Authors

Gerald Harris PhD Director in the Orthopaedic Research Engineering Center (OREC) department at Marquette University
Brooke Slavens BS,MS,PhD Professor in the Mechanical Engineering department at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Biomechanical Phenomena
Child
Crutches
Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted
Equipment Failure Analysis
Gait Disorders, Neurologic
Humans
Kinetics
Meningomyelocele
Muscle Contraction
Muscle, Skeletal
Reproducibility of Results
Spinal Cord Injuries
Stress, Mechanical
Upper Extremity