ABSTRACT
Objective:To explore any effect of the single- and dual-task treadmill training on the functioning of children with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy.Methods:Fifty children with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy were randomly divided into a single-task treadmill training group (the control group, n=25) and a dual-task treadmill training group (the observation group, n=25). All of the children also received routine rehabilitation training, and the control and observation groups also conducted single- and dual-task treadmill training in addition to the routine rehabilitation training, respectively. Before and after 2 months of treatment, each child′s gross motor functioning was quantified using sections D (standing) and E (walking, running and jumping) of the Gross Motor Function Measurement-88 (GMFM-88) instrument. Balance was quantified using the Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) and walking mobility was quantified using a 1 minute walking test (1MWT). Modified and dual task Timed Up and Go (mTUG) tests and dual-task effects (DTE) tests were also administered. Results:There were no significant differences in average test scores between the two groups before the treatment. After the treatment significant improvement was observed in both groups. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of average GMFM-88, PBS and 1MWT scores, but significantly greater improvement was observed in the average dual-task mTUG and DTE results of the observation group.Conclusion:Both single- and dual-task treadmill training are effective supplements to routine rehabilitation training for children with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy. Dual-task treadmill training is more effective than the single-task version.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To explore the relationship between executive function and gait in cases of mild amnestic cognitive impairment (aMCI).Methods:Twenty aMCI hospital patients formed an observation group, while 20 healthy counterparts were the control group. Both groups underwent the Tinetti test, followed by the " normal walking" single-task test and the " normal walking + Go/No-go" dual-task test. The pace, step width, stride length, Go/No-go task response time and accuracy rate were recorded.Results:In the single-task test, there was no significant difference in pace or stride width between the two groups, but the average stride length of the observation group (1.11±0.04)cm was significantly shorter than that of the control group. However, in the dual-task test, the average pace time (0.96±0.08)sec and stride length (1.02±0.06)cm of the observation group were significantly smaller than the control group′s averages, while their step width (0.11±0.02)cm was significantly wider. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the response time in a single (Go/No-go) task, but in the dual-task test, the observation group′s average time was significantly longer than the control group′s and the accuracy was significantly poorer. Both the error rate and the non-response rate were significantly higher than among the control group.Conclusions:Mild amnestic cognitive impairment reduces stride length and pace when walking and impairs executive function.
ABSTRACT
Background: Mobile phones are becoming one of the necessities now a day. Divided attention leads to affected performance in one or both tasks. Effects of such dual tasking using mobile while walking needs to be explored as the use of mobile phones during walking/stair climbing etc. are very common. Methods: 132 female students of age 18 yrs to 21 yrs were made for walking under three conditions (walking, walking and reading on mobile, walking and texting). Gait indices (step and stride length, toe out angle) were compared in all conditions using the paired t-test. Results: Step length, stride length reduced and angle of toe out increased significantly in reading during walking and texting during walking as compared to only walking (p<0.0001). Parameters during texting while walking showed maximum affection. Conclusion: Reading or texting during walking can affect walking performance adversely. You are texting while walking is most deleterious in the above three conditions.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a major public health problem. Knee OA leads to impaired balance and reduction in speed of walking, which is accentuated under dual-task conditions. Walking relies on continuous visual processing to obstacles as one navigates through a visually defined environment. Objectives: The study aimed to compare the speed of walking with and without vis subjects with OA knee and with normal individuals. Material and methods: Fifteen subjects with OA knee and 15 without OA knee of same age and gender were selected. Subjects were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Experiment was carried out over straight path of 50 m length and 2.5 m width. Subjects walked on two consecutive days at preferred speed 3 times back and forth covering total distance of 300 m. Charts were shown on either of the two days. Subjects passed 12 times through charts of various objects held by two assistants. Some objects were kept upright or inverted and subjects needed to reply by saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Charts of various colors were also shown and they were asked to identify them. The speed was noted. They also walked same distance without distraction. Level of significance will be kept at 5%. Results: Wilcoxon test was used for within group analysis for speed of walking with and without distraction. Significant difference was seen for both subjects with OA knee (W= 2.897, p=0.004) and normal subjects (W=-3.266, p=0.001). Mann Whitney U test was used for between groups analysis. With distraction groups showed significant difference (W=2.219, p=0.026). But there was no significant difference in analysis in between groups without distraction (w=-1.701,p=0.089). Conclusion: Visual distraction leads to reduction in speed of walking in subjects with OA knee as compared to normal subjects.