BackgroundThe prevalence of obesity is increasing in the population, particularly in women. Obesity has an impact on the musculoskeletal system, leading to knee and ankle overexertion, difficulty with balance, and functional disability. The aim of this study was to identify changes in kinematic parameters of gait in obese young women.MethodsA case-control study with 24 obese women (mean age 35.20 ± 9.9 years and mean body mass index of 31.85 ± 2.94 kg/m2) and 24 eutrophic women (mean age of 36.33 ± 11.14 and mean body mass index of 21.82 ± 1.58 kg/m2). The gait of women was evaluated by the system Vicon Motus® 9.2. The linear parameters of speed, cadence, right and left step, and stride lengths were studied, as well as the angular parameters of knee and ankle.ResultsThere was a decrease in linear gait parameters (P < 0.001), speed, cadence, right and left step, and stride lengths. In regard to the angular parameters of the knee and ankle, there were also differences between the analyses (P < 0.001). At the knee joint, obese women have delayed onset of the second wave of flexion, exacerbating such movement in order to compensate. In regard to the ankle, both groups showed curves of normal plantar flexion and dorsiflexion, but there was a delay in the path graph in the ankle of obese women indicating a reduced range of motion and possible over-exertion of the pretibial muscles and soleus muscles simultaneously.ConclusionThe results of this study revealed that obesity is a factor that negatively influences the kinematic parameters of gait of young women.

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Objective: This study aimed to investigate the gait pattern of elderly women with and without fall-history, with high and low fear of falling, when exposed to a disturbing factor. Materials and Methods: Forty-nine elderly women without cognitive impairment agreed to participate. Participants were divided into four groups, considering the history of falls and fear of falling. Three-dimensional gait analysis was performed to assess gait kinematics before and after exposure to the fictional disturbing factor (psychological and non-motor agent). Results: After being exposed to the perturbation, all showed shorter step length, stride length and slower walking speed. Those without fall-history and with high fear of falling showed greater changes and lower Gait Profile Score. Conclusion: The gait changes shown in the presence of a fear-of-falling causing agent led to a cautious gait pattern in an attempt to increase protection. However, those changes increased fall-risk, boosted by fear of falling. Clinical Trial Registration: www.residentialclinics.gov.br , identifier: RBR-35xhj5.

Systematic studies involving technologies such as surface electromyography (sEMG) may provide important data that enable veterinarians to recognize musculoskeletal, ligamentous, and neurological alterations. The aim of this study was to describe the gait cycle phases and the timing of muscle activation in healthy Boxer dogs during gait by means of sEMG. The gait cycle of seven Boxer dogs was evaluated and sEMG was recorded from the biceps brachii, triceps brachii, brachiocephalic, rectus femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and superficial gluteal muscles of the right hemibody. Circular monopolar Ag/AgCl electrodes were attached to the mean point between the motor point and the muscle insertion. The electromyographic signals were collected by an active interface with 20-fold gain in a bipolar differential configuration using a 16-channel signal conditioner (EMG Systems Brasil), while the dogs walked on a treadmill at a speed of 2m/s. Pearson's correlation was used for the statistical analysis. A positive correlation was found between the rectus femoris and biceps brachii (r= 0.81); superficial gluteal and triceps brachii (r= 0.69); semitendinosus-semimembranosus and biceps brachii (r= 0.76); and rectus femoris and semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscle groups (r=0.99). The biceps brachii and brachiocephalic muscles work in tandem to position the thoracic limb during the gait cycle, while the semitendinosus-semimembranosus group flexes the knee and, simultaneously with the quadriceps that flexes the hip, prevents the contact of the pelvic limb with the ground during the swing phase. The body is propelled forward by the triceps brachii muscle, which extends the elbow and flexes the shoulder at the final contact, while the superficial gluteal muscle extends the hip.

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Introduction: Postural abnormalities are common in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and lead to gait abnormalities. Relationships between changes in the trunk posture of PD patients and gait profile score (GPS) and gait spatiotemporal parameters are poorly investigated. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationships between trunk posture, GPS, and gait spatiotemporal parameters, in patients with PD. Materials and Methods: Twenty-three people with PD and nineteen age-matched healthy people participated in this study. A 3D gait kinematical analysis was applied to all participants using the Plug-In Gait Full BodyTM tool. Trunk and limb kinematics patterns and gait spatio-temporal parameters of patients with PD and the control group were compared. Additionally, correlations between trunk kinematics patterns, gait spatio-temporal parameters, and GPS of the PD group were tested. Results: Cadence, opposite foot off, step time, single support, double support, foot off, gait speed, trunk kinematics, and GPS showed significant differences between the two groups (p ≤ 0.05). Posture of the trunk during gait was not related to the spatio-temporal parameters and gait profile score in the PD group. The trunk flexor pattern influenced GPS domains, mainly of the ankle and the knee. Discussion and Conclusions: Flexed posture of the trunk in patients with PD seems to influence both ankle and knee movement patterns during the gait. The GPS analysis provided direct and simplified kinematic information for the PD group. These results may have implications for understanding the importance of considering the positioning of the trunk during gait.

Prevalência da lombalgia e sua repercussão anatomofuncional em adultos e idosos: Revisão sistemática Prevalence of low back pain and its anatomical and fnctional approaches in adults and elderly: A systematic review RESUMO A lombalgia mecânica comum ou inespecífica é caracterizada pela dor intensa ou moderada na região entre as últimas costelas e nádegas. Buscou-se identificar na literatura os fatores condicionantes que favorecem o desencadeamento da lombalgia e sua relação com estruturas anatômicas e funcionalidade em adultos e idosos. Trata-se de uma revisão sistemática da literatura que permite a análise de estudos para aplicação na prática clínica visando compreender o tema a partir de estudos independentes. Nessa perspectiva, identificou que no sexo feminino há predominância na faixa etária superior a 40 anos, enquanto no sexo masculino a faixa etária de incidência é a partir dos 31 anos. As características recorrentes de dor foram movimentos laborais repetitivos, longos períodos na postura sentada, ausência de exercícios para ativação e relaxamento das estruturas musculoesqueléticas, sedentarismo. O estudo demonstrou que os adultos divergem dos idosos no contexto etiológico das causas de lombalgia. Nos adultos os músculos são os principais afetado, seguido por estruturas articulares e ósseas, já nos idosos há predomínio dos processos de desgaste ósseos e articulares, sendo as mulheres, as mais acometidas. Uma análise crítica verifica que a condição socioeconômica determina a qualidade do tratamento e profilaxia, sendo medicamentos e fisioterapia as abordagens mais frequentes.