The reaction strategy of lower extremity muscles when slips occur to individuals with trans-femoral amputation.

The aim of this study is to investigate the surface electromyography (sEMG) responses of lower extremity muscles for both healthy people and individuals with trans-femoral amputation (TFA), when slip events occur during level walking. Six male individuals with unilateral TFA and five healthy subjects participated in this study. Each subject was required to walk at a self-selected comfortable pace along a 5m plastic walkway, and to perform walking trials on dry and oily conditions respectively. The sEMG signals of muscles on legs and around waist were recorded in each trial and the normalized instantaneous muscle power (IMP) values were employed to quantify the response intensity. The IMP profiles of each muscle in oily-surface walking trials were compared quantitatively with that in dry-surface trials. There are three main findings in this study. (1) Different muscle reaction strategies are employed in slip events by the healthy persons and the individuals with TFA, respectively. Moreover, when the slip event occurs on the prosthetic leg and the intact leg of the individuals with TFA respectively, the muscle reaction strategies are also different. (2) The individuals with TFA face higher risks of fall than the healthy persons no mater slips occur on the prosthetic side or the intact side. (3) The hip muscles, especially the gluteus maximus (GMA) muscles, always enormously contribute to posture adjustment and balance recovery in slip events.

[1]  R Grönqvist,et al.  An apparatus and a method for determining the slip resistance of shoes and floors by simulation of human foot motions. , 1989, Ergonomics.

[2]  T K Courtney,et al.  Disabling occupational morbidity in the United States. An alternative way of seeing the Bureau of Labor Statistics' data. , 1999, Journal of occupational and environmental medicine.

[3]  Mark S. Redfern,et al.  Slip resistance of the shoe-floor interface under biomechanically-relevant conditions , 1994 .

[4]  S. Leclercq,et al.  The prevention of slipping accidents: a review and discussion of work related to the methodology of measuring slip resistance , 1999 .

[5]  T. Moritani,et al.  1998 ISEK Congress Keynote Lecture: The use of electromyography in applied physiology. International Society of Electrophysiology and Kinesiology. , 1998, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[6]  Y. Pai,et al.  Induced limb collapse in a sudden slip during termination of sit-to-stand. , 1999, Journal of biomechanics.

[7]  C. Detrembleur,et al.  Relationship between antagonistic leg muscles co-contractions and body centre of gravity mechanics in different level gait disorders. , 2002, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[8]  W. Miller,et al.  The prevalence and risk factors of falling and fear of falling among lower extremity amputees. , 2001, Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation.

[9]  Linhong Ji,et al.  The Investigation on sEMG of Lower Extremity When a Slip Occurs in Level Walking , 2005, 2005 IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology 27th Annual Conference.

[10]  U Della Croce,et al.  Muscle Fatigue and Fatigue-Related Biomechanical Changes During a Cyclic Lifting Task , 2003, Spine.

[11]  R. B. Davis.  Reflections on clinical gait analysis. , 1997, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[12]  F. Su,et al.  Effect of slip on movement of body center of mass relative to base of support. , 2001, Clinical Biomechanics.

[13]  Chuansi Gao,et al.  The assessment of the integration of slip resistance, thermal insulation and wearability of footwear on icy surfaces , 2002 .

[14]  A. Patla,et al.  Strategies for dynamic stability during locomotion on a slippery surface: effects of prior experience and knowledge. , 2002, Journal of neurophysiology.

[15]  M. Woollacott,et al.  Inefficient postural responses to unexpected slips during walking in older adults. , 1998, The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences.

[16]  R. Norton,et al.  Circumstances of Falls Resulting in Hip Fractures Among Older People , 1997, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

[17]  A. Patla,et al.  Role of the unperturbed limb and arms in the reactive recovery response to an unexpected slip during locomotion. , 2003, Journal of neurophysiology.

[18]  B. Nigg,et al.  Changing the texture of footwear can alter gait patterns. , 2005, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[19]  Toshio Moritani,et al.  Electrophysiology and kinesiology for health and disease. , 2005, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[20]  M S Redfern,et al.  Predicting slips and falls considering required and available friction. , 1999, Ergonomics.

[21]  J. Hidler,et al.  Quantification of the dynamic properties of EMG patterns during gait. , 2005, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[22]  T. Moritani,et al.  Motor unit activity and surface electromyogram power spectrum during increasing force of contraction , 2004, European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology.

[23]  J. Hunter,et al.  Preventing falls and stump injuries in lower limb amputees during inpatient rehabilitation: completion of the audit cycle , 2004, Clinical rehabilitation.

[24]  W. Miller,et al.  The influence of falling, fear of falling, and balance confidence on prosthetic mobility and social activity among individuals with a lower extremity amputation. , 2001, Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation.

[25]  T. M. Owings,et al.  Foot displacement but not velocity predicts the outcome of a slip induced in young subjects while walking. , 2000, Journal of biomechanics.

[26]  Ge Wu.  Head movement during sudden base translations as a measure of risks for falls in the elderly. , 2001, Clinical Biomechanics.

[27]  W C Hayes,et al.  Etiology and prevention of age-related hip fractures. , 1996, Bone.

[28]  R Myung,et al.  The effect of load carrying and floor contaminants on slip and fall parameters. , 1997, Ergonomics.

[29]  D. Vlahov,et al.  Epidemiology of falls among patients in a rehabilitation hospital. , 1990, Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation.

[30]  Reed Ferber,et al.  Reactive balance adjustments to unexpected perturbations during human walking. , 2002, Gait & posture.

[31]  R. Cham,et al.  Lower extremity corrective reactions to slip events. , 2001, Journal of biomechanics.

[32]  R Grönqvist,et al.  Slipperiness of the shoe-floor interface: comparison of objective and subjective assessments. , 1993, Applied ergonomics.

[33]  R. Cham,et al.  Changes in gait when anticipating slippery floors. , 2002, Gait & Posture.