Pathokinesiology Laboratory
- Abstracts of Currently Funded Projects
- Abstracts from Published Manuscripts (2004-2005)
- Abstracts from Conference Presentations (2003-2005)
Abstracts of Currently Funded Projects
Spinal Cord Injury
Interventions for SCI Shoulder Function in Wheelchairs
(National Institutes of Health #RO1 HD37098)
Following a Spinal Cord Injury, many individuals must
rely on pushing a manual wheelchair for mobility. Better wheelchair
designs and improved community accessibility have significantly
increased work and recreational opportunities. Unfortunately,
after many years of increased arm use, some persons develop
disabling shoulder pain. In an attempt to reduce the demands
placed on the shoulder during manual wheelchair propulsion,
this project evaluates two therapeutic interventions: adjusting
seating posture and exercise.
Engineering Solutions for a Shoulder Preserving Wheelchair
(National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research
#H133E020732)
The Engineering Solutions for a Shoulder Preserving
Wheelchair project is being conducted in the Pathokinesiology
Laboratory as part of a Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center
(RERC); Keep Moving: Technologies to Enhance Mobility and Function
for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). This project is
designed to evaluate the effectiveness of alternative propulsion systems
for reducing the demands associated with manual wheelchair use.
This includes a lever design, power-assisted push-rim design,
and compliant push-rim design. A combined approach using
laboratory-based experimentation and computer modeling
techniques will be used to develop specific clinical criteria
for prescription of currently available manual wheelchair propulsion
devices. Upper extremity mechanical and muscular demands, and
metabolic energy cost will be quantified from individuals with
varying strength levels during wheelchair propulsion.
Dynamic simulation, numerical optimization, and analysis techniques
will be utilized to identify factors that may further reduce
stress on the shoulder of individuals with SCI.
Strengthening and Optimal Movement for Painful Shoulders in
Chronic Spinal Cord Injury “STOMPS”
(Foundation for Physical Therapy and National Institute of
Disability and Rehabilitation Research #H133B031002-04)
The STOMPS project is being conducted as part of a clinical
research network in collaboration with the Department of Biokinesiology
and Physical Therapy at the University of Southern California.
This clinical investigation is designed to evaluate the efficacy
of an exercise program on shoulder pain in persons with paraplegia
following spinal cord injury. Participants are
randomly assigned to receive either a 12-week home exercise program or
education about shoulder care. Pre- and post-intervention evaluations,
performed at the Pathokinesiology Laboratory, will evaluate shoulder function,
pain, and activity level.
Diabetes/Amputee
Quantified Custom Inserts - An Amputation Prevention Program
for Diabetes Mellitus
(National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research H133G020002)
Structural irregularities in the forefoot are a common cause
of injurious pressure concentrations during walking. Persons
with normal sensation recognize these areas of high pressure as painful and
quickly seek relief. Persons with diabetes, who lack sensation in
their feet, frequently develop foot ulcers, which often lead to
infection and amputation. Preservation of the patient’s limb
depends on reducing the foot’s injurious pressure experienced
while walking. Today’s techniques of shoe and insert production
are inconsistent and varied because no objective criteria for
an effective shoe system has been developed. This project is designed to
identify the footwear factors that will reduce plantar pressures in the
diabetic foot to a safe walking level.
Stroke
Strength Training Effectiveness Programs for Stroke
(Foundation for Physical Therapy)
The Strength Training Effectiveness Programs for Stroke
(STEPS) project is being conducted as part of a clinical research
network in collaboration with the Department of Biokinesiology and
Physical Therapy at the University of Southern California.
This multi-center clinical investigation is designed to evaluate
the effectiveness of various therapeutic treatment interventions in persons
with stroke. Six-week treatment interventions include combinations of
body-weight supported treadmill training, stationary bicycle ergometry, and
lower extremity resistance exercises. In addition to clinical testing and
isometric strength assessments, a subset of 20 subjects in the project will
have quantitative gait evaluations at the Pathokinesiology Laboratory. Pre- and
post-intervention gait evaluations will include stride analysis, motion and
forceplate analysis, as well as dynamic electromyography.
Abstracts from Published Manuscripts (2004-2005)
Effect of spinal cord injury level on the activity of shoulder muscles during wheelchair propulsion: An electromyographic study. Mulroy SJ, Farrokhi S, Newsam CJ, Perry J. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2004;85:925-934.
Energy expenditure and gait characteristics of a person with bilateral amputations walking with the C-leg. Perry J, Burnfield JM, Newsam CJ, Conley P. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2004;85:1711-1717.
The supine hip extensor manual muscle test: a reliability and validity study. Perry J, Weiss WB, Burnfield JM, Gronley JK. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2004;85:1711-7
The influence of walking speed and footwear on plantar pressures in older adults. Burnfield JM, Few CD, Mohamed OS, Perry J. Clin Biomech 2004;19:78-84.
Upper extremity kinetics during lofstrand crutch-assisted gait. Requejo PS, Wahl DP, Bontrager EL, Newsam CJ, Gronley JK, Mulroy SJ, Perry J. Med Eng Physics 2005;27:19-29.
Effect of fore-aft seat position on shoulder demands during wheelchair propulsion: Part 1 – A kinetic analysis. Mulroy SJ, Newsam CJ, Gutierrez DD, Requejo P, Gronley JK, Lighthall Haubert L, Perry J. J Spinal Cord Med 2005;28:214-221.
Effect of fore-aft seat position on shoulder demands during wheelchair propulsion: Part 2 – An electromyographic analysis. Gutierrez DD, Mulroy SJ, Newsam CJ, Gronley JK, Perry J. J Spinal Cord Med 2005;28:222-229.
Intratester reliability for determining an eight-repetition maximum for three shoulder exercises using elastic bands. Newsam CJ, Leese C, Fernandez-Silva J. J Sport Rehabil 2005;14:35-47.
A comparison of shoulder joint forces during ambulation with crutches and a walker in persons with incomplete spinal cord injury. Lighthall Haubert L, Gutierrez DD, Newsam CJ, Gronley JK, Mulroy SJ, Perry J. Arch Phys Med Rehabil (In Press)
Comparison of energy expenditure and propulsion characteristics in a standard and three pushrim-activated power-assisted wheelchairs. Lighthall Haubert L, Requejo PS, Newsam CJ, Mulroy SJ. Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil (In Press)
(Back to Top)Abstracts from Conference Presentations (2003-2005)
Spinal Cord Injury
Effect of seat position on shoulder joint demand during manual wheelchair propulsion: A preliminary report. Newsam CJ, Gutierrez DD, Gronley JK, Mulroy SJ, Perry J. J Spinal Cord Med 2003;26(1):S13.
Effect of seat position on shoulder muscle activity during manual wheelchair propulsion: A preliminary report. Gutierrez DD, Newsam CJ, Gronley JK, Mulroy SJ, Perry J. J Spinal Cord Med 2003;26(1):S43.
Effect of lower extremity torque on vertical shoulder joint force during walking with assistive devices in persons with incomplete spinal cord injury. Gutierrez DD, Lighthall Haubert L, Newsam CJ, Gronley JK, Mulroy SJ, Perry J. Combined Sections Meeting of the American Physical Therapy Association: February 2003, Tampa, FL
Upper extremity kinetics during lofstrand crutch assisted gait. Wahl DP, Bontrager EL, Requejo PS, Gronley JK, Mulroy S, Perry J. Clinical Gait and Movement Analysis Society conference: April 2003; Wilmington, DE
Interventions to reduce postural muscle demand during manual wheelchair propulsion: A case study. Chun S, Newsam CJ, Perry J. J Spinal Cord Med 2004:27(2):183.
Shoulder EMG during manual wheelchair propulsion: The influence of seat position, terrain, and propulsion speed. Gutierrez DD, Mulroy SJ, Newsam CJ, Gronley JK, Perry J. Clinical Gait and Movement Analysis Society conference: May 2004; Lexington, KY
The influence of stroke pattern on shoulder kinetics during wheelchair propulsion. Requejo PS, Bontrager EL, Gronley JK, Newsam CJ, Mulroy SJ, Perry J. Clinical Gait and Movement Analysis Society conference: May 2004; Lexington, KY
Comparison of vertical shoulder joint reaction forces during free and fast ambulation with crutches and a walker in persons with incomplete spinal cord injury. Lighthall-Haubert L, Newsam CJ, Gutierrez DD, Gronley JK, Mulroy SJ, Perry J. J Spinal Cord Med 2004:27(2):159.
The influence of gender and shoulder torque on wheelchair propulsion characteristics. Gutierrez DD, Mulroy SJ, Newsam CJ, Gronley JK, Perry J. Combined Section Meeting of the American Physical Therapy Association: February 2005, New Orleans, LA
Energy expenditure of modified wheelchair propulsion systems: A case study. Newsam CJ, Requejo PS, Mulroy SJ. J Spinal Cord Med 2005:28(2):152.
Effect of gender on shoulder kinematics and kinetics during wheelchair propulsion in persons with spinal cord injury. Gutierrez DD, Newsam CJ, Mulroy SJ, Gronley JK, Perry J. Clinical Gait and Movement Analysis Society conference: April 2005; Portland, OR
Energy Expenditure and Propulsion Characteristics when Propelling a Standard and Three Pushrim-Activated Power-Assisted Wheelchairs. Requejo PS, Lighthall Haubert L, Newsam CJ, Mulroy SJ. Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America conference: June 2005, Atlanta, GA
Upper extremity kinetics during wheelchair lever propulsion. Requejo PS, Bontrager EL, Mulroy SJ. International Society of Biomechanics conference: August 2005, Cleveland, OH
Wrist electromyography and kinematics when propelling standard, compliant, and power-assisted pushrim wheelchairs: A pilot study. Requejo PS, Bontrager EL, Newsam CJ, Eberly V, Gronley JK, Mulroy SJ. International Society of Biomechanics conference: August 2005, Cleveland, OH
Energy expenditure and propulsion characteristics during pushrim-activated power-assisted wheelchair propulsion following battery power failure. Lighthall Haubert L, Newsam CJ, Requejo PS, Mulroy SJ. Submitted to Combined Section Meeting of the American Physical Therapy Association: February 2006, San Diego, CA
Relationship between shoulder pain and quality of life, physical function and community activities in persons with spinal cord injury. Gutierrez DD, Kemp B, Mulroy SJ. Submitted to Combined Section Meeting of the American Physical Therapy Association: February 2006, San Diego, CA
Stroke
Clinical Indications for AFO Prescription in Individuals Post CVA. Eberly VJ, Weiss WB, Mulroy SJ, Newsam CJ, Gronley JK, Perry J. Combined Sections Meeting of the American Physical Therapy Association: February 2005, New Orleans, LA
Diabetes/Amputee
The influence of walking speed and footwear on plantar pressure values in older adults. Cummings CD, Burnfield JM, Mohamed O, Perry J. Combined Sections Meeting of the American Physical Therapy Association: February, 2003, Tampa, FL
The influence of custom inserts on plantar pressures during ambulation in persons at risk for ulceration secondary to diabetes mellitus. Whitney JA, Burnfield JM, Few CD, Taji SS, O’Hara M, Perry J. Combined Sections Meeting of the American Physical Therapy Association: February 2004, Nashville, TN.
Longitudinal effectiveness of custom molded inserts at reducing walking plantar pressures in persons with Partial foot amputation secondary to diabetes mellitus. Burnfield JM, Few CD, Whitney JA, Taji S, Perry J. Clinical Gait and Movement Analysis Society: April 2005, Portland, OR
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