Back pain was related to changes in the kinematics and coordination of the lumbar spine and hips during sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit. Assessment of back pain patients should include kinematic analysis of the hips as well as the spine.

No abstract

Functional ankle instability is not associated with deficits in evertor strength. Deficits in eccentric invertor strength were found, and this may contribute to the symptoms of functional ankle instability. Weak invertors may contribute to functional ankle instability because of a reduced ability to assist in controlling lateral displacement of the shank over the weight-bearing foot. Excess lateral postural sway outside of the base of support results in the foot's medial border rising from the floor once the limits of closed chain eversion is reached, which may result in the foot being forced into rapid inversion.

No abstract

fall detection using a mobile phone is a feasible and highly attractive technology for older adults, especially those living alone. It may be best achieved with an accelerometer attached to the waist, which transmits signals wirelessly to a phone.

Back pain subjects exhibit compensatory movements and altered load sharing strategies during the sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit activities. Exercise therapy should take account of these changes so that the normal kinematic and kinetic characteristics of the spine and hips can be restored.

No abstract

The effect of low back pain, with or without nerve root signs, on the joint coordination and kinematics of the lumbar spine and hips during everyday activities, such as picking up an object from the floor, are largely unknown. An experimental study was designed to compare lumbar spine and hip joint kinematics and coordination in subjects with and without sub-acute low back pain, while picking up an object in a sitting position. A three-dimensional real-time electromagnetic tracking device was used to measure movements of the lumbar spine and hips. Sixty participants with subacute low back pain, with or without straight leg raise signs, and twenty healthy asymptomatic participants were recruited. The ranges of motions of lumbar spine and hips were determined. Movement coordination between the two regions was examined by cross-correlation. Results showed that mobility was significantly reduced in subjects with back pain, who compensated for limited motion through various strategies. The contribution of the lumbar spine relative to that of the hip was, however, found to be similar in all groups. The lumbar spine-hip joint coordination was substantially altered in subjects with back pain, in particular, those with a positive straight leg raise sign. We conclude that changes in the lumbar and hip kinematics were related to back pain and limitation in straight leg raise. Lumbar-hip coordination was mainly affected by the presence of positive straight leg raise sign when picking up an object in a sitting position.