Human Movement Science最新文献_第2页

Trial-to-trial motor behavior during a reinforcement learning task in children ages 6 to 12 6至12岁儿童强化学习任务中的运动行为。

IF 1.6 3区心理学 Q4 NEUROSCIENCES

Human Movement Science

Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2024.103317

Jeffrey D. Konrad , Keith R. Lohse , Natasha Marrus , Catherine E. Lang

Introduction

During practice, learners use available feedback from one trial to develop and implement motor commands for the next trial. Unsuccessful trials (i.e., “misses”) should be followed by different motor behavior (e.g., goal-directed changes and/or exploration of movement parameters), while successful trials (i.e., “hits”) should maintain the same behavior (e.g., minimize variance and recapitulate the same motor plan to the best of one's ability). Measuring the trial-to-trial changes in motor behavior can provide insights into how the motor system uses feedback and regulates movement variability while trying to improve performance. There have been no reports on the trial-to-trial motor behavior of typically developing children despite the profound motor development that occurs in this period and its relevance to long-term functional outcomes.

Methods

We recruited 72 typically developing children from ages 6 to 12 to perform a reinforcement learning beanbag toss to a target. Their target errors were used to examine their motor exploration and autocorrelation.

Results

Comparing variability at different trial-to-trial intervals showed that children exhibit motor exploration above and beyond the effect of sampling bias. Mean autocorrelations of different lags were near zero suggesting that successive trials were largely unrelated.

Conclusion

We found evidence that children utilize motor exploration in the target space of a target throwing task. After failed trials they exhibited increased variability to search for more optimal motor solutions. After successes, they minimized variability to create the same successful performance.

在练习过程中，学习者使用一次练习的反馈来发展和执行下一个练习的动作命令。失败的试验（即“失误”）之后应该有不同的运动行为（例如，目标导向的变化和/或运动参数的探索），而成功的试验（即“命中”）应该保持相同的行为（例如，最小化方差并尽自己最大的能力概括相同的运动计划）。测量每次试验中运动行为的变化，可以深入了解运动系统是如何使用反馈和调节运动变异性的，同时试图提高表现。尽管在这一时期发生了深刻的运动发展，并与长期的功能结果相关，但尚未有关于典型发育儿童的试验对试验运动行为的报道。方法：我们招募了72名6至12岁的正常发育儿童，向目标投掷强化学习豆袋。他们的目标误差被用来检查他们的运动探索和自相关性。结果：比较不同试验间隔的变异性表明，儿童表现出的运动探索超越了抽样偏差的影响。不同滞后的平均自相关性接近于零，表明连续试验在很大程度上是不相关的。结论：我们发现了儿童在投掷目标任务的目标空间中使用运动探索的证据。在试验失败后，它们表现出更大的可变性，以寻找更优的运动解决方案。成功之后，他们将可变性最小化，以创造同样成功的表现。

{"title":"Trial-to-trial motor behavior during a reinforcement learning task in children ages 6 to 12","authors":"Jeffrey D. Konrad , Keith R. Lohse , Natasha Marrus , Catherine E. Lang","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2024.103317","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2024.103317","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>During practice, learners use available feedback from one trial to develop and implement motor commands for the next trial. Unsuccessful trials (i.e., “misses”) should be followed by different motor behavior (e.g., goal-directed changes and/or exploration of movement parameters), while successful trials (i.e., “hits”) should maintain the same behavior (e.g., minimize variance and recapitulate the same motor plan to the best of one's ability). Measuring the trial-to-trial changes in motor behavior can provide insights into how the motor system uses feedback and regulates movement variability while trying to improve performance. There have been no reports on the trial-to-trial motor behavior of typically developing children despite the profound motor development that occurs in this period and its relevance to long-term functional outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We recruited 72 typically developing children from ages 6 to 12 to perform a reinforcement learning beanbag toss to a target. Their target errors were used to examine their motor exploration and autocorrelation.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Comparing variability at different trial-to-trial intervals showed that children exhibit motor exploration above and beyond the effect of sampling bias. Mean autocorrelations of different lags were near zero suggesting that successive trials were largely unrelated.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>We found evidence that children utilize motor exploration in the target space of a target throwing task. After failed trials they exhibited increased variability to search for more optimal motor solutions. After successes, they minimized variability to create the same successful performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 103317"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142820339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Inter-subject variability in muscle synergies during squatting movements

IF 1.6 3区心理学 Q4 NEUROSCIENCES

Human Movement Science

Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2025.103322

Yushin Kim

This study investigated muscle synergies during squats, focusing on the individual variability in motor control strategies. Sixteen healthy young adults performed 20 squats at a consistent speed. Muscle synergies were extracted using non-negative matrix factorization, followed by k-means clustering and discriminant analysis to categorize similar muscle synergies. The analysis revealed an average of 3.3 ± 0.4 muscle synergies per squat. Further clustering analysis identified six distinct types of muscle synergies across subjects. Among them, one synergy involving trunk, hip, and knee extensors was universal across all subjects, representing a fundamental motor strategy for successful squat execution. In contrast, the remaining synergies varied across subjects, exhibiting mutual exclusivity, where individuals systematically select one synergy type or another during the same squatting phase. These findings demonstrate inter-subject variability in muscle synergies during the squat and underscore the coexistence of universal and individualized muscle synergies in human motor control, providing practical insights for designing personalized squat training and rehabilitation strategies guided by neuromechanical principles.

{"title":"Inter-subject variability in muscle synergies during squatting movements","authors":"Yushin Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103322","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103322","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated muscle synergies during squats, focusing on the individual variability in motor control strategies. Sixteen healthy young adults performed 20 squats at a consistent speed. Muscle synergies were extracted using non-negative matrix factorization, followed by k-means clustering and discriminant analysis to categorize similar muscle synergies. The analysis revealed an average of 3.3 ± 0.4 muscle synergies per squat. Further clustering analysis identified six distinct types of muscle synergies across subjects. Among them, one synergy involving trunk, hip, and knee extensors was universal across all subjects, representing a fundamental motor strategy for successful squat execution. In contrast, the remaining synergies varied across subjects, exhibiting mutual exclusivity, where individuals systematically select one synergy type or another during the same squatting phase. These findings demonstrate inter-subject variability in muscle synergies during the squat and underscore the coexistence of universal and individualized muscle synergies in human motor control, providing practical insights for designing personalized squat training and rehabilitation strategies guided by neuromechanical principles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 103322"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143030412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Effect of obstacle depth and height on step-over behavior: Focus on age-related changes

IF 1.6 3区心理学 Q4 NEUROSCIENCES

Human Movement Science

Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2025.103323

Ryota Sakurai , Yuka Miura , Kentaro Kodama

Obstacle avoidance during locomotion is a crucial motor skill, especially in environments with uneven terrain. However, the combined effects of obstacle dimensions and aging on this ability remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether the action of stepping over an obstacle changes proportionally with obstacle size and how these movements evolve with age. We recruited fourteen young participants and fourteen older participants. Participants were instructed to step over an obstacle placed five meters away under nine different conditions with varying obstacle dimensions. The smallest obstacle had dimensions of 5 cm × 5 cm (height × depth), and both height and depth were increased by 5 cm increments to reach the largest obstacle size of 15 cm × 15 cm, resulting in three levels each of depth and height conditions. An analysis of variance on the leading-foot clearance revealed significant interactions between height and depth, demonstrating a height-dependent depth effect on clearance, independent of age. Furthermore, significant interactions between height and age were observed for the heel-obstacle distance, which refers to the landing position after stepping over the obstacle. This indicates that older adults consistently landed closer to the same position at each obstacle height, whereas the landing positions of young adults moved farther away as the obstacle height increased. Our findings suggest that although both young and older adults can immediately scale the dimensions of the obstacle and consistently adjust their leading-foot movement accordingly, the landing movements of older adults follow an inflexible strategy that could potentially be riskier.

{"title":"Effect of obstacle depth and height on step-over behavior: Focus on age-related changes","authors":"Ryota Sakurai , Yuka Miura , Kentaro Kodama","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103323","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103323","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Obstacle avoidance during locomotion is a crucial motor skill, especially in environments with uneven terrain. However, the combined effects of obstacle dimensions and aging on this ability remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether the action of stepping over an obstacle changes proportionally with obstacle size and how these movements evolve with age. We recruited fourteen young participants and fourteen older participants. Participants were instructed to step over an obstacle placed five meters away under nine different conditions with varying obstacle dimensions. The smallest obstacle had dimensions of 5 cm × 5 cm (height × depth), and both height and depth were increased by 5 cm increments to reach the largest obstacle size of 15 cm × 15 cm, resulting in three levels each of depth and height conditions. An analysis of variance on the leading-foot clearance revealed significant interactions between height and depth, demonstrating a height-dependent depth effect on clearance, independent of age. Furthermore, significant interactions between height and age were observed for the heel-obstacle distance, which refers to the landing position after stepping over the obstacle. This indicates that older adults consistently landed closer to the same position at each obstacle height, whereas the landing positions of young adults moved farther away as the obstacle height increased. Our findings suggest that although both young and older adults can immediately scale the dimensions of the obstacle and consistently adjust their leading-foot movement accordingly, the landing movements of older adults follow an inflexible strategy that could potentially be riskier.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 103323"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143043396","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Expansion of perceived passable width in older adults

IF 1.6 3区心理学 Q4 NEUROSCIENCES

Human Movement Science

Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2025.103324

Naoki Kuroda , Ryo Teraoka , Shinya Harada , Wataru Teramoto

Humans can perceive whether an aperture is passable; this ability is known as passable width perception. Previous studies have shown that passable width in older adults is larger when walking and suggested the effect of larger body sway in older adults while walking on passable width expansion. However, no studies have directly investigated this. Thus, the present study conducted two experiments to investigate the effect of body instability on passable width perception in young and older adults. In Experiment 1, young and older adult participants kept standing upright with their feet together (i.e., Romberg stance) or with their feet in line (i.e., Tandem stance) while observing various aperture widths presented on a large display at a distance of 3 m. The participants were required to judge whether the aperture was passable without turning their shoulders. During the task, body sway was measured using a motion capture device. The results showed larger sway in the Tandem stance than in the Romberg stance, irrespective of age group; however, a change in perceived passable width was observed only in older adults: it expanded in the unstable condition compared to the stable condition. In Experiment 2, the young adults performed the same task with a more unstable stance (i.e., one-leg standing) than that adopted in Experiment 1. Nevertheless, it did not affect their passable width perception. These results suggest that only older adults exploit the online status of their body sway to estimate their safety margins even during a non-walking situation. Future studies on passable width perception are expected to measure body sway.

{"title":"Expansion of perceived passable width in older adults","authors":"Naoki Kuroda , Ryo Teraoka , Shinya Harada , Wataru Teramoto","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103324","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103324","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Humans can perceive whether an aperture is passable; this ability is known as passable width perception. Previous studies have shown that passable width in older adults is larger when walking and suggested the effect of larger body sway in older adults while walking on passable width expansion. However, no studies have directly investigated this. Thus, the present study conducted two experiments to investigate the effect of body instability on passable width perception in young and older adults. In Experiment 1, young and older adult participants kept standing upright with their feet together (i.e., Romberg stance) or with their feet in line (i.e., Tandem stance) while observing various aperture widths presented on a large display at a distance of 3 m. The participants were required to judge whether the aperture was passable without turning their shoulders. During the task, body sway was measured using a motion capture device. The results showed larger sway in the Tandem stance than in the Romberg stance, irrespective of age group; however, a change in perceived passable width was observed only in older adults: it expanded in the unstable condition compared to the stable condition. In Experiment 2, the young adults performed the same task with a more unstable stance (i.e., one-leg standing) than that adopted in Experiment 1. Nevertheless, it did not affect their passable width perception. These results suggest that only older adults exploit the online status of their body sway to estimate their safety margins even during a non-walking situation. Future studies on passable width perception are expected to measure body sway.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 103324"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143061543","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Effect of induced extrinsic and intrinsic hand and forearm muscular fatigue on the control of finger force during piano playing 诱发外源性和内源性手和前臂肌肉疲劳对钢琴演奏中手指力控制的影响。

IF 1.6 3区心理学 Q4 NEUROSCIENCES

Human Movement Science

Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2024.103319

Kuan-Yin Lai , Chieh-Hsiang Hsu , Yu-Chen Lin , Chung-Hung Tsai , Kai-Nan An , Fong-Chin Su , Li-Chieh Kuo

This study aimed to investigate the effect of hand muscle fatigue on finger control and force efficiency during piano performance, which is crucial for skilled piano playing among professional pianists engaged in prolonged periods of high-intensity practice or concert preparation. Thirty-one professional pianists were recruited as participants. This study was divided into three sequential experimental parts: pre-fatigue test, fatigue protocol, and post-fatigue test. Each participant was assigned eight piano skills and instructed to perform two fatigue tasks: finger extension and finger grasping exercises. The study recorded and analyzed the finger force of professional pianists using a sensor-embedded kinetic assessment piano system; wrist movements were assessed using a three-dimensional motion capture system. Paired t-tests were used to determine the differences between the pre- and post-tests. The findings showed that the average peak striking force of most fingers in Chords 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7 decreased significantly after the fatigue task, indicating a reduction in the finger-striking force following fatigue across the various chord fingerings. The analysis of wrist movements demonstrated strategic adjustments made by pianists after experiencing fatigue, particularly in the ulnar/radial deviation movements. This study highlights the influence of muscle fatigue on finger control and wrist movements of pianists across different fingerings. We recommend that pianists focus on strengthening the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the hand and the muscle groups responsible for controlling ulnar/radial movements to mitigate the effects of muscular fatigue on hand performance.

本研究旨在探讨手肌疲劳对钢琴演奏过程中手指控制和力量效率的影响，这对从事长时间高强度练习或音乐会准备的专业钢琴家的熟练钢琴演奏至关重要。招募了31名专业钢琴家作为参与者。本研究分为三个连续实验部分：疲劳前试验、疲劳方案试验和疲劳后试验。每位参与者被分配了八种钢琴技能，并被要求完成两项疲劳任务：手指伸展和手指抓握练习。采用嵌入式传感器钢琴动力学评估系统对专业钢琴家的手指受力进行了记录和分析；使用三维运动捕捉系统评估手腕运动。配对t检验用于确定前后检验之间的差异。结果表明，在疲劳任务后，和弦1、2、4、5、6和7中大多数手指的平均峰值敲击力显著下降，表明疲劳后手指敲击力在各个和弦指法中都有所降低。对手腕运动的分析表明钢琴家在经历疲劳后会进行战略性调整，特别是在尺侧/桡骨偏移运动中。本研究强调肌肉疲劳对不同指法钢琴家手指控制和手腕运动的影响。我们建议钢琴家着重加强手部的外在和内在肌肉以及负责控制尺骨/桡骨运动的肌肉群，以减轻肌肉疲劳对手部演奏的影响。

{"title":"Effect of induced extrinsic and intrinsic hand and forearm muscular fatigue on the control of finger force during piano playing","authors":"Kuan-Yin Lai , Chieh-Hsiang Hsu , Yu-Chen Lin , Chung-Hung Tsai , Kai-Nan An , Fong-Chin Su , Li-Chieh Kuo","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2024.103319","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2024.103319","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to investigate the effect of hand muscle fatigue on finger control and force efficiency during piano performance, which is crucial for skilled piano playing among professional pianists engaged in prolonged periods of high-intensity practice or concert preparation. Thirty-one professional pianists were recruited as participants. This study was divided into three sequential experimental parts: pre-fatigue test, fatigue protocol, and post-fatigue test. Each participant was assigned eight piano skills and instructed to perform two fatigue tasks: finger extension and finger grasping exercises. The study recorded and analyzed the finger force of professional pianists using a sensor-embedded kinetic assessment piano system; wrist movements were assessed using a three-dimensional motion capture system. Paired <em>t</em>-tests were used to determine the differences between the pre- and post-tests. The findings showed that the average peak striking force of most fingers in Chords 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7 decreased significantly after the fatigue task, indicating a reduction in the finger-striking force following fatigue across the various chord fingerings. The analysis of wrist movements demonstrated strategic adjustments made by pianists after experiencing fatigue, particularly in the ulnar/radial deviation movements. This study highlights the influence of muscle fatigue on finger control and wrist movements of pianists across different fingerings. We recommend that pianists focus on strengthening the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the hand and the muscle groups responsible for controlling ulnar/radial movements to mitigate the effects of muscular fatigue on hand performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 103319"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142973330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Exploring the role of ankle muscle function in gait impairments and fall risk in Parkinson's disease 探讨踝关节肌肉功能在帕金森病步态障碍和跌倒风险中的作用。

IF 1.6 3区心理学 Q4 NEUROSCIENCES

Human Movement Science

Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2024.103316

Jared W. Skinner , Alan R. Needle

Introduction: Parkinson's disease (PD) significantly impacts mobility, with gait disturbances and muscle impairments contributing to a fall risk five times higher than similarly aged adults. Falls significantly impact the quality of life in those with PD, yet the role of ankle muscle function in gait disturbances remains underexplored. This study investigated whether deficits in ankle force and steadiness contribute to gait variability and fall risk, potentially uncovering therapeutic targets for fall prevention in individuals with PD compared with age-matched older adults (OA). Methods: A case-control design involving 15 individuals with PD and 15 age-matched OA patients was employed. Gait variables and variability were assessed during a 12-m walking task. Ankle muscle strength and force steadiness were measured using an isokinetic dynamometer. Statistical analyses, including Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients, examined relationships between muscle function and gait variability. Results: The PD group exhibited reduced ankle plantarflexion and dorsiflexion strength compared to OA (p < 0.05). Force steadiness was impaired in the PD group, particularly at lower submaximal intensities. In those with PD, lower plantarflexor (ρ = −0.69) and dorsiflexor (ρ = −0.67) strength were significantly correlated with a higher number of falls, as was impaired force steadiness (p < 0.05). No significant relationships were observed in the OA group. Conclusions: These findings underscore the critical role of ankle muscle function in influencing gait variability in individuals with PD. The associations between reduced muscle strength, force steadiness, and increased gait variability highlight the potential of targeted ankle muscle-strengthening interventions to mitigate gait disturbances and reduce fall risk in this population.

简介帕金森病（PD）严重影响患者的行动能力，步态障碍和肌肉损伤导致患者跌倒的风险比同龄成人高五倍。跌倒严重影响帕金森病患者的生活质量，但踝关节肌肉功能在步态障碍中的作用仍未得到充分探讨。本研究调查了踝关节力量和稳定性的缺陷是否会导致步态变异和跌倒风险，从而发现与年龄匹配的老年人（OA）相比，预防帕金森病患者跌倒的治疗目标：方法：采用病例对照设计，包括 15 名帕金森病患者和 15 名年龄匹配的 OA 患者。在 12 米步行任务中对步态变量和变异性进行了评估。使用等动测力计测量踝关节肌肉力量和力量稳定性。统计分析（包括皮尔逊和斯皮尔曼相关系数）检验了肌肉功能和步态变异性之间的关系：结果：与 OA 相比，PD 组的踝关节跖屈和背伸力量减弱（p 结论：PD 组的踝关节跖屈和背伸力量减弱：这些发现强调了踝关节肌肉功能在影响帕金森病患者步态变异性方面的关键作用。肌肉力量减弱、力量稳定性和步态变异性增加之间的关联突出表明，有针对性的踝关节肌肉强化干预措施具有减轻步态障碍和降低该人群跌倒风险的潜力。

{"title":"Exploring the role of ankle muscle function in gait impairments and fall risk in Parkinson's disease","authors":"Jared W. Skinner , Alan R. Needle","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2024.103316","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2024.103316","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Introduction: Parkinson's disease (PD) significantly impacts mobility, with gait disturbances and muscle impairments contributing to a fall risk five times higher than similarly aged adults. Falls significantly impact the quality of life in those with PD, yet the role of ankle muscle function in gait disturbances remains underexplored. This study investigated whether deficits in ankle force and steadiness contribute to gait variability and fall risk, potentially uncovering therapeutic targets for fall prevention in individuals with PD compared with age-matched older adults (OA). Methods: A case-control design involving 15 individuals with PD and 15 age-matched OA patients was employed. Gait variables and variability were assessed during a 12-m walking task. Ankle muscle strength and force steadiness were measured using an isokinetic dynamometer. Statistical analyses, including Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients, examined relationships between muscle function and gait variability. Results: The PD group exhibited reduced ankle plantarflexion and dorsiflexion strength compared to OA (<em>p</em> < 0.05). Force steadiness was impaired in the PD group, particularly at lower submaximal intensities. In those with PD, lower plantarflexor (ρ = −0.69) and dorsiflexor (ρ = −0.67) strength were significantly correlated with a higher number of falls, as was impaired force steadiness (<em>p</em> < 0.05). No significant relationships were observed in the OA group. Conclusions: These findings underscore the critical role of ankle muscle function in influencing gait variability in individuals with PD. The associations between reduced muscle strength, force steadiness, and increased gait variability highlight the potential of targeted ankle muscle-strengthening interventions to mitigate gait disturbances and reduce fall risk in this population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 103316"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142822928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Older adults exhibit lesser smoothness despite increased caution than younger adults when navigating turns during walking 尽管老年人在行走时比年轻人更加谨慎，但他们在转弯时表现出的平稳性不如年轻人。

IF 1.6 3区心理学 Q4 NEUROSCIENCES

Human Movement Science

Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2025.103320

Kevin Lima , Andrew D. Shelton , Jessica L. Allen , Vicki S. Mercer , Jason R. Franz

Straight line walking currently dominates research into mechanisms associated with walking-related instability; however, the dynamics of everyday walking behavior are far more complex. The figure-8 walk test (F8W) is a clinically-feasible activity that focuses on turning mobility and provides a convenient and relevant task for understanding age-related differences in walking beyond our present knowledge of steady-state behavior. Our purpose was to investigate the effects of age (n = 30 older versus n = 31 younger adults) on path characteristics and the “smoothness” of turning mobility – herein measured via normalized center of mass jerk - during the F8W. Compared to younger adults, older adults completed the F8W with longer paths and slower speeds. We interpret this outcome to suggest that older adults adopt a more cautious strategy when navigating turns during walking than younger adults. In addition, older adults completed the F8W with increased jerk and thus lesser smoothness than younger adults. Thus, despite adopting what we view as a more cautious strategy of longer and wider paths, older adults have worse movement quality and thus perhaps lesser stability than younger adults during turning tasks critical to safe and effective community ambulation.

直线行走目前主导了与行走相关的不稳定性相关机制的研究；然而，日常行走行为的动态要复杂得多。8字形行走测试（F8W）是一项临床可行的活动，侧重于转向灵活性，并为理解年龄相关的行走差异提供了一个方便和相关的任务，超出了我们目前对稳态行为的了解。我们的目的是研究年龄（n = 30名老年人和n = 31名年轻人）对F8W期间路径特征和转弯灵活性的“平稳性”的影响（这里通过标准化质心抖动来测量）。与年轻人相比，老年人完成F8W的路径更长，速度更慢。我们对这一结果的解释是，老年人在行走时比年轻人在转弯时采取更谨慎的策略。此外，与年轻人相比，老年人完成F8W时抽搐增加，因此平滑度较低。因此，尽管我们认为老年人采取了更谨慎的策略，选择了更长更宽的路径，但老年人的运动质量更差，因此在进行对安全有效的社区行走至关重要的转弯任务时，他们的稳定性可能不如年轻人。

{"title":"Older adults exhibit lesser smoothness despite increased caution than younger adults when navigating turns during walking","authors":"Kevin Lima , Andrew D. Shelton , Jessica L. Allen , Vicki S. Mercer , Jason R. Franz","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103320","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103320","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Straight line walking currently dominates research into mechanisms associated with walking-related instability; however, the dynamics of everyday walking behavior are far more complex. The figure-8 walk test (F8W) is a clinically-feasible activity that focuses on turning mobility and provides a convenient and relevant task for understanding age-related differences in walking beyond our present knowledge of steady-state behavior. Our purpose was to investigate the effects of age (<em>n</em> = 30 older versus <em>n</em> = 31 younger adults) on path characteristics and the “smoothness” of turning mobility – herein measured via normalized center of mass jerk - during the F8W. Compared to younger adults, older adults completed the F8W with longer paths and slower speeds. We interpret this outcome to suggest that older adults adopt a more cautious strategy when navigating turns during walking than younger adults. In addition, older adults completed the F8W with increased jerk and thus lesser smoothness than younger adults. Thus, despite adopting what we view as a more cautious strategy of longer and wider paths, older adults have worse movement quality and thus perhaps lesser stability than younger adults during turning tasks critical to safe and effective community ambulation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 103320"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143016439","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Benefits of swaying while standing to higher selective attention in goal-directed visual tasks 在目标导向的视觉任务中，站立时摇摆对更高选择性注意力的好处。

IF 1.6 3区心理学 Q4 NEUROSCIENCES

Human Movement Science

Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2024.103318

Anke Hua , Mélen Guillaume , Sergio T. Rodrigues , Fabio A. Barbieri , Cédrick T. Bonnet

Background and aim: Sit-stand desks allow individuals to work in either sitting or standing position. While previous studies have reported better performance on the attention network test (ANT) while standing compared to sitting, the relationship between body sway induced by these positions and ANT performance remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to test and expect benefits of body sway (in terms of magnitude and complexity) and improvements in ANT performance when standing (e.g. shorter reaction time) but not when sitting. Methods: Seventeen young adults (mean age = 21) performed reading tasks, questionnaires and ANTs sequentially in both standing and sitting positions. We measured body kinematics from the head, upper back and lower back during the study. We calculated the linear (i.e., velocity) and nonlinear (i.e., fractal dimension) variables of body sway, reaction times and alerting scores from the ANT. Our results showed that when standing, the complexity of sway was significantly negatively correlated with ANT reaction times (shorter reaction time indicating better performance) and significantly positively correlated with the scores of alerting from ANT. Hence, consistent with our expectation, ANT performance was higher when standing potentially because participants adjusted their sway. In contrast, while sitting, there was no significant correlation between body sway and ANT performance. Overall, the complexity of body sway in the standing position may increase alertness levels, potentially leading to better visual task performance. Practically, these findings suggest that working occasionally in the standing position is beneficial, as dynamic postural sway can enhance visual task performance.

背景和目的：坐立两用办公桌允许个人在坐着或站着的位置工作。虽然之前的研究表明，站着比坐着在注意力网络测试（ANT）中的表现更好，但这些姿势引起的身体摇摆与ANT表现之间的关系尚不清楚。在这项研究中，我们的目的是测试和期望身体摇摆的好处（在幅度和复杂性方面）以及站立时（例如反应时间缩短）对ANT性能的改善，而不是坐着时。方法：17名年轻成人（平均年龄21岁）分别以站立和坐姿进行阅读任务、问卷调查和蚁群测试。在研究过程中，我们测量了头部、上背部和下背部的身体运动学。我们计算了身体摇摆的线性（即速度）和非线性（即分形维数）变量，反应时间和ANT的警报分数。我们的研究结果表明，站立时，摇摆复杂性与ANT反应时间呈显著负相关（反应时间越短表明表现越好），与ANT报警得分呈显著正相关。因此，与我们的预期一致，站立时ANT的表现更高，可能是因为参与者调整了他们的摇摆。相比之下，坐着时，身体摆动与ANT表现之间没有显著相关性。总的来说，站立时身体摆动的复杂性可能会提高警觉性水平，从而可能导致更好的视觉任务表现。实际上，这些研究结果表明，偶尔站着工作是有益的，因为动态的姿势摇摆可以提高视觉任务的表现。

{"title":"Benefits of swaying while standing to higher selective attention in goal-directed visual tasks","authors":"Anke Hua , Mélen Guillaume , Sergio T. Rodrigues , Fabio A. Barbieri , Cédrick T. Bonnet","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2024.103318","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2024.103318","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Background and aim: Sit-stand desks allow individuals to work in either sitting or standing position. While previous studies have reported better performance on the attention network test (ANT) while standing compared to sitting, the relationship between body sway induced by these positions and ANT performance remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to test and expect benefits of body sway (in terms of magnitude and complexity) and improvements in ANT performance when standing (e.g. shorter reaction time) but not when sitting. Methods: Seventeen young adults (mean age = 21) performed reading tasks, questionnaires and ANTs sequentially in both standing and sitting positions. We measured body kinematics from the head, upper back and lower back during the study. We calculated the linear (i.e., velocity) and nonlinear (i.e., fractal dimension) variables of body sway, reaction times and alerting scores from the ANT. Our results showed that when standing, the complexity of sway was significantly negatively correlated with ANT reaction times (shorter reaction time indicating better performance) and significantly positively correlated with the scores of alerting from ANT. Hence, consistent with our expectation, ANT performance was higher when standing potentially because participants adjusted their sway. In contrast, while sitting, there was no significant correlation between body sway and ANT performance. Overall, the complexity of body sway in the standing position may increase alertness levels, potentially leading to better visual task performance. Practically, these findings suggest that working occasionally in the standing position is beneficial, as dynamic postural sway can enhance visual task performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 103318"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142900449","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Effects of whole-body vibration-based trunk training on lumbar motor control: A randomized controlled trial

IF 1.6 3区心理学 Q4 NEUROSCIENCES

Human Movement Science

Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2025.103321

Ryo Miyachi , Yui Nagamori , Yuji Kanazawa , Takashi Kitagawa , Toshiaki Yamazaki

Lumbar motor control is an important factor for the prevention and improvement of low back pain and the enhancement of sports performance. Interventions for lumbar motor control are complex and difficult; however, training with whole-body vibrations has the potential to be simple and effective. Therefore, this study aimed to verify the effects of 4 weeks of trunk training with whole-body vibrations on each component of lumbar motor control. This single-blind, randomized controlled trial recruited 24 healthy university students (12 males and 12 females) who were randomized to undergo either whole-body or non–whole-body vibration training. The lumbar motion angle and angular jerk cost were measured during each lumbar motor control task (pelvic tilting, ball-catching, and quadruped rocking). There was a significant group × period interaction for the lumbar spine motion angle in the anterior pelvic tilt; however, no significant group × period interaction was observed in the other tasks. Regarding the comparison of pre- and post-intervention outcomes in the whole-body vibration training group, the lumbar spine motion angle of the anterior pelvic tilt was significantly smaller post-intervention than pre-intervention. In the ball-catching task, the lumbar spine motion angle was significantly smaller post-intervention than pre-intervention. Backward rocking resulted in a significantly greater lumbar spine motion angle post-intervention than pre-intervention.

In conclusion, whole-body vibration enhances the control of decreasing lumbar motion. However, it does not improve all components of lumbar motor control and should be considered based on the target component.

{"title":"Effects of whole-body vibration-based trunk training on lumbar motor control: A randomized controlled trial","authors":"Ryo Miyachi , Yui Nagamori , Yuji Kanazawa , Takashi Kitagawa , Toshiaki Yamazaki","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103321","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103321","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lumbar motor control is an important factor for the prevention and improvement of low back pain and the enhancement of sports performance. Interventions for lumbar motor control are complex and difficult; however, training with whole-body vibrations has the potential to be simple and effective. Therefore, this study aimed to verify the effects of 4 weeks of trunk training with whole-body vibrations on each component of lumbar motor control. This single-blind, randomized controlled trial recruited 24 healthy university students (12 males and 12 females) who were randomized to undergo either whole-body or non–whole-body vibration training. The lumbar motion angle and angular jerk cost were measured during each lumbar motor control task (pelvic tilting, ball-catching, and quadruped rocking). There was a significant group × period interaction for the lumbar spine motion angle in the anterior pelvic tilt; however, no significant group × period interaction was observed in the other tasks. Regarding the comparison of pre- and post-intervention outcomes in the whole-body vibration training group, the lumbar spine motion angle of the anterior pelvic tilt was significantly smaller post-intervention than pre-intervention. In the ball-catching task, the lumbar spine motion angle was significantly smaller post-intervention than pre-intervention. Backward rocking resulted in a significantly greater lumbar spine motion angle post-intervention than pre-intervention.</div><div>In conclusion, whole-body vibration enhances the control of decreasing lumbar motion. However, it does not improve all components of lumbar motor control and should be considered based on the target component.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 103321"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143061538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Effects of motor imagery and action observation on pelvic floor and related structures in healthy women: A randomized controlled trial 运动想象和动作观察对健康女性盆底及相关结构的影响：一项随机对照试验

IF 1.6 3区心理学 Q4 NEUROSCIENCES

Human Movement Science

Pub Date : 2024-12-02 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2024.103313

Ferran Cuenca-Martínez , Alba Nieves-Gómez , Natalia Millán-Isasi , Laura Fuentes-Aparicio , Núria Sempere-Rubio

The main aim was to assess the effects of motor imagery (MI) and action observation (AO) plus physical exercise (PE) on pelvic floor and related structures. Forty-four healthy women were randomized into three groups: MI, AO, or sham observation (SO) group. The outcome measures included the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) condition (including basal tone and strength), lumbo-pelvic motor control, and pain sensitivity. All women performed six sessions at the rate of 3 s/week (for 2 weeks). An initial assessment was carried out (T0), another one 1-week after starting the study (T1), and a third one at the end (T2). Results showed significant PFM strength gains in MI and AO groups, but not in the SO group. Regarding lumbo-pelvic motor control, both MI and AO groups obtained statistically significant changes between pre- and post-intervention Additionally, only the AO group showed significant improvements already at 1-week of intervention. Finally, all groups showed improved pain sensitivity in the likely area of referred menstrual pain post-intervention, with only the MI group showing changes 1 week after starting the intervention. In conclusion, results showed that adding MI and AO to PE program leads to an improvement of sensorimotor function of PFM and related structures in general. Despite finding no statistically significant inter-group differences, some findings such as strength gains or the lumbo-pelvic motor control improvements were only found in MI and AO groups, and this should be considered clinically.

主要目的是评估运动想象（MI）和动作观察（AO）加体育锻炼（PE）对盆底及相关结构的影响。44名健康女性随机分为三组：MI组、AO组和假观察组（SO）。结果测量包括盆底肌肉（PFM）状况（包括基底张力和强度）、腰盆腔运动控制和疼痛敏感性。所有妇女以每周3秒的速度进行6次治疗（持续2周）。初步评估（T0），研究开始后1周再进行一次评估（T1），研究结束时进行第三次评估（T2）。结果显示心肌梗死组和AO组PFM强度显著增加，而SO组无明显增加。在腰盆腔运动控制方面，MI组和AO组在干预前和干预后均有统计学意义的变化。此外，只有AO组在干预1周时已经有了显著的改善。最后，所有组在干预后可能涉及的月经疼痛区域的疼痛敏感性都有所改善，只有MI组在干预开始1周后出现变化。综上所述，在PE方案中加入MI和AO可改善PFM及相关结构的感觉运动功能。尽管没有发现组间差异有统计学意义，但一些发现如力量增加或腰盆腔运动控制改善仅在MI组和AO组中发现，这应在临床上予以考虑。

{"title":"Effects of motor imagery and action observation on pelvic floor and related structures in healthy women: A randomized controlled trial","authors":"Ferran Cuenca-Martínez , Alba Nieves-Gómez , Natalia Millán-Isasi , Laura Fuentes-Aparicio , Núria Sempere-Rubio","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2024.103313","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2024.103313","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The main aim was to assess the effects of motor imagery (MI) and action observation (AO) plus physical exercise (PE) on pelvic floor and related structures. Forty-four healthy women were randomized into three groups: MI, AO, or sham observation (SO) group. The outcome measures included the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) condition (including basal tone and strength), lumbo-pelvic motor control, and pain sensitivity. All women performed six sessions at the rate of 3 s/week (for 2 weeks). An initial assessment was carried out (T0), another one 1-week after starting the study (T1), and a third one at the end (T2). Results showed significant PFM strength gains in MI and AO groups, but not in the SO group. Regarding lumbo-pelvic motor control, both MI and AO groups obtained statistically significant changes between pre- and post-intervention Additionally, only the AO group showed significant improvements already at 1-week of intervention. Finally, all groups showed improved pain sensitivity in the likely area of referred menstrual pain post-intervention, with only the MI group showing changes 1 week after starting the intervention. In conclusion, results showed that adding MI and AO to PE program leads to an improvement of sensorimotor function of PFM and related structures in general. Despite finding no statistically significant inter-group differences, some findings such as strength gains or the lumbo-pelvic motor control improvements were only found in MI and AO groups, and this should be considered clinically.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 103313"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142759396","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0