Thesis

A comparison of human walking using a conventional gait laboratory and the Motek Medical Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN)

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Awarding institution
  • University of Strathclyde
Date of award
  • 2014
Thesis identifier
  • T13907
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Department, School or Faculty
Abstract
  • The primary aim of this study was to investigate the variation of human gait biomechanics during different walking conditions, with and without optic flow. The secondary aim was to investigate the accuracy of the two motion-analysis systems used. Following ethical approval of this investigation, testing was initiated. Participants walked under four different walking conditions, over ground, treadmill walking, treadmill walking with a virtually generated grass pathway, and treadmill walking with a grass pathway and a simplified interactive avatar. In addition to fully instrument biomechanical analysis of gait, an unstructured interview was used to gain insight to participants' sensations experienced during the different environments. Data was then subjected to an analysis that determined the effect of the optic flow environment on the six chosen gait parameters. A static and dynamic accuracy analysis was performed in both laboratories to determine the accuracy of the motion analysis systems. The study reported a variation in the gait cycle parameters between the four walking conditions evaluated. The results obtained in this study were negatively influenced by the repercussive effects of fixed treadmill speeds and the level of immersion in the virtual environment due to optic flow. The negative effects of fixed treadmill speed had a distinct effect on the cadence and stride length values, while the negative effect of optic flow echoed similar cadences and stride lengths from the treadmill walking environment to the treadmill walking with optic flow (grass pathway only) environment, due to the participants' similar sensations during the two walks. The knee kinematics measured showed that they are not affected by the change in environment, while the ankle kinematics showed significantly different results for the various walking conditions, such that it was speculated that this gait parameter varies in relation to the level of optic flow immersion. Furthermore, the accuracy analysis performed in this study showed both motion analysis systems analysed showed excellent accuracies.
Resource Type
DOI
Date Created
  • 2014
Former identifier
  • 1041992

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