Background Treadmill workstations that enable office workers to walk on a treadmill while working at their computers might increase physical activity in offices, but long-term effects are unknown. We therefore investigated whether treadmill workstations in offices increased daily walking time.Methods We did a randomised controlled trial of healthy office workers who were either overweight or obese. We recruited participants from 13 different companies, which comprised 17 offices, in Umeå, Sweden. We included people who were aged 40-67 years, had sedentary work tasks, and had a body-mass index (BMI) between 25 kg/m² and 40 kg/m². After the baseline measurement, we stratified participants by their BMI (25-30 kg/m² and >30 to 40 kg/m²); subsequently, an external statistician randomly assigned these participants (1:1) to either the intervention group (who received treadmill workstations for optional use) or the control group (who continued to work at their sit-stand desks as usual). Participants in the intervention group received reminders in boosting emails sent out to them at four occasions during the study period. Researchers were masked to group assignment until after analysis of the primary outcome. After the baseline measurement, participants were not masked to group belongings. The primary outcome was total daily walking time at weekdays and weekends, measured at baseline, 2 months, 6 months, 10 months, and 13 months with the accelerometer activPAL (PAL Technologies, Glasgow, UK), which was worn on the thigh of participants for 24 h a day for 7 consecutive days. We used an intention-to-treat approach for our analyses. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01997970, and is closed to new participants.Findings Between Nov 1, 2013, and June 30, 2014, a total of 80 participants were recruited and enrolled (n=40 in both the intervention and control groups). Daily walking time during total time awake at weekdays increased between baseline and 13 months by 18 min (95% CI 9 to 26) in the intervention group and 1 min (-7 to 9) in the control group (difference 22 min [95% CI 7 to 37], p interaction =0•00045); for weekend walking, the change from baseline to 13 months was 5 min (−8 to 18) in the intervention group and 8 min (−5 to 21) in the control group (difference -1 min [-19 to 17]; p interaction =0•00045). Neither measure met our predetermined primary outcome of 30 min difference in total walking time between the intervention and control group, so the primary outcome of the trial was not met. One adverse event was reported in a participant who accidently stepped on their Achilles tendon.Interpretation In a sedentary work environment, treadmill workstations result in a statistically significant but smallerthan-expected increase in daily walking time. Future studies need to investigate how increasing physical activity at work might have potentially compensatory effects on non-work activity.

This paper presents an assessment tool for objective neck movement analysis of subjects suffering from chronic whiplash-associated disorders (WAD). Three-dimensional (3-D) motion data is collected by a commercially available motion analysis system. Head rotation, defined in this paper as the rotation angle around the instantaneous helical axis (IHA), is used for extracting a number of variables (e.g., angular velocity and range, symmetry of motion). Statistically significant differences were found between controls and subjects with chronic WAD in a number of variables.

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The 3D-camera is a viable method for measuring arm volume, performing on level with the established methods WD and CM.

Sensorimotor synchronization is hypothesized to arise through two different processes, associated with continuous or discontinuous rhythmic movements. This study investigated synchronization of continuous and discontinuous movements to different pacing signals (auditory or visual), pacing interval (500, 650, 800, 950 ms) and across effectors (non-dominant vs. non-dominant hand). The results showed that mean and variability of asynchronization errors were consistently smaller for discontinuous movements compared to continuous movements. Furthermore, both movement types were timed more accurately with auditory pacing compared to visual pacing and were more accurate with the dominant hand. Shortening the pacing interval also improved sensorimotor synchronization accuracy in both continuous and discontinuous movements. These results show the dependency of temporal control of movements on the nature of the motor task, the type and rate of extrinsic sensory information as well as the efficiency of the motor actuators for sensory integration.

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate effects of a multicomponent program promoting physical activity on sedentary behavior, physical activity, and body measures, when relocating from cell offices to either a flex or cell office. Methods The Active Office Design (AOD) study is a longitudinal non-randomized controlled study performed in a municipality in northern Sweden. A subsample of 86 participants were randomly recruited from the AOD study to objectively measure sedentary behavior and physical activity, using ActivPAL and ActiGraph, before and after relocation to the two different office types. The multicomponent program promoting physical activity was performed in both offices. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models. Results Eighteen months after relocation, the total number of steps per work day increased by 21% in the flex office and 3% in the cell office group, compared to baseline. Moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during work hours increased by 42% in the flex office group and 19% in the cell office group. No changes were seen regarding sitting time at work. Small additive effects for walking and MVPA were seen for both groups during non-work time. Weight increased in the flex office group. Conclusions This long-term study shows that a multicomponent workplace intervention can lead to increased walking time, steps, and MVPA in a flex compared to a cell office. Small additive increases of physical activity were seen during non-work time in both groups. More long-term controlled studies are needed to confirm these results.

For all segments and tests, a modified Kalman filter and a quasi-static sensor fusion algorithm were equally accurate (precision and accuracy ∼2–3°) compared to normalized least mean squares filtering, recursive least-squares filtering and standard Kalman filtering. The aims were to: (1) compare adaptive filtering techniques used for sensor fusion and (2) evaluate the precision and accuracy for a chosen adaptive filter. Motion sensors (based on inertial measurement units) are limited by accumulative integration errors arising from sensor bias. This drift can partly be handled with adaptive filtering techniques. To advance the measurement technique in this area, a new modified Kalman filter is developed. Differences in accuracy were observed during different tests especially drift in the internal/external rotation angle. This drift can be minimized if the sensors include magnetometers.

A hip prosthesis design with larger femoral head size may improve functional outcomes compared to the conventional total hip arthroplasty (THA) design. Our aim was to compare the range of motion (RoM) in lower body joints during squats, gait and stair walking using a wearable movement analysis system based on inertial measurement units (IMUs) in three age-matched male groups: 6 males with a conventional THA (THAC), 9 with a large femoral head (LFH) design, and 8 hip- and knee-asymptomatic controls (CTRL). We hypothesized that the LFH design would allow a greater hip RoM, providing movement patterns more like CTRL, and a larger side difference in hip RoM in THAC when compared to LFH and controls. IMUs were attached to the pelvis, thighs and shanks during five trials of squats, gait, and stair ascending/descending performed at self-selected speed. THAC and LFH participants completed the Hip dysfunction and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS). The results showed a larger hip RoM during squats in LFH compared to THAC. Side differences in LFH and THAC groups (operated vs. non-operated side) indicated that movement function was not fully recovered in either group, further corroborated by non-maximal mean HOOS scores (LFH: 83 ± 13, THAC: 84 ± 19 groups, vs. normal function 100). The IMU system may have the potential to enhance clinical movement evaluations as an adjunct to clinical scales.