View clinical trials related to Biomechanics.
Filter by:Caffeine is one of the few supplements that have enough scientific evidence to state that can notably improve performance, as different remarkable organizations in the sports nutrition context have classified it as an ergogenic aid with strong evidence regarding its efficacy and that is apparently safe. The beneficial effect of this substance on physical and cognitive performance has been identified in aerobic and anaerobic efforts, including aerobic and muscular endurance, power, or strength. However, it seems that the benefits of caffeine are usually measured only by its effect on performance, while a comprehensive analysis of its impact on other aspects of the movement technique of the exercise is not considered. Therefore, although caffeine generates better performance, a null or negative effect may occur on technique execution. As such, some consequences might arise (e.g., an increase in injury risk or a decrease in energy efficiency). The objective of this randomized controlled trial is to assess the influence of caffeine on certain biomechanical parameters of the technique of physical exercises in circumstances without fatigue and under neuromuscular fatigue. The study hypothesis is that caffeine generates modifications in the technical execution of certain movements in fatigued and unfatigued circumstances due to its physiological effects, which may be beneficial for performance and injury prevention. The participants will have to attend 5 sessions (enrollment, familiarization, control, placebo, and caffeine), at least 7 days apart. In the last 3 sessions, different measurements will be done to their technique while jumping, squatting, and running, without fatigue and with it. Other data will be collected throughout the study to contextualize and analyze in more detail the obtained information.
As of 2020, 53 million Americans provide unpaid care to an individual with a disability. One commonly performed activity of daily living (ADL) provided by informal caregivers is assisted transfers, which requires moving an individual from one surface to another. Approximately 94% of informal caregivers who assist with ADLs to persons with adult-onset chronic physical disabilities affecting mobility reported musculoskeletal discomfort, with pain and discomfort made worse by performing caregiving activities. Although many informal caregivers assist with transfers, most have never received any formal training in proper manual lifting or mechanical lifting techniques. Improper transfer techniques can be detrimental to not only caregiver health but also to the persons they assist resulting in shoulder injury, bruising and pain from manual lift techniques, hip fractures from falls, and skin tears from shear force that occurs with sliding during transfers. Current standard of care provides limited in-person training of caregivers, as most of the rehabilitation process is client-focused. When training is provided clinicians have no means to objectively evaluate if proper techniques are being performed at discharge or when the caregiver and care recipient return home. For this reason, an outcome measure called the Caregiver Assisted Transfer Technique Instrument (CATT) was developed to provide a quick, objective way to evaluate proper technique of caregivers who provide transfer assistance to individuals with disabilities. The CATT evaluates the caregiver's performance on setup, quality of the task performance, and results. After a formal assessment through stakeholder review involving clinicians, informal caregivers, and individuals with physical disabilities who require transfer assistance, the CATT was expanded to include two versions; one that evaluates manual lift technique (CATT-M) and one that evaluates mechanical lift techniques (CATT-L). However, the CATT must undergo further testing with informal caregivers and the individuals they assist to determine if the CATT is a reliable, valid, and responsive tool for identifying skill deficits in caregivers performing assisted transfers. The purpose of this study is to establish the psychometric properties (reliability, validity, and responsiveness) of the CATT and to evaluate the effects of an individualized training session for participants who have transfer technique deficits as identified by the CATT. The long-term goal of this research is to develop the CATT so that it can be used as an objective indicator of transfer performance as well as guide training and educational interventions for informal caregivers to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal pain and injury associated with assisted transfers.
The study consists of collecting measurement data of the rachis in pregnant women and the subsequent outcome of her delivery. This will make it possible to validate a non-invasive imaging technique through software that can be used to study this anatomical curve proposing a new measurement method for the angle of lordosis. Finally, with the research data, the investigators will try to find a correlation between these variables (angle of lordosis and delivery outcome.
Walking boots are a common form of durable medical equipment Orthopaedic surgeons prescribe both post-operatively and in the treatment of lower extremity injuries. Walking boots create a limb length discrepancy (LLD) which effects joint angles and moment arms in the lower extremities and the spine. These altered mechanics lead to reported back, hip, and knee pain in patients who are prescribed walking boots. Current walking boot literature evaluates gait and ground reaction forces (GRF), focusing primarily on the lower extremities, neglecting the remainder of the kinetic chain including the spine. Alternatively, there is a body of literature evaluating the effects of congenital LLD on spine and posture. However, there is paucity in the literature reporting both the effects of a walking boot on the entire kinematic chain and the subsequent effects of a corrective foot lift. The investigators seek to evaluate lower extremity and spinal kinematics using a motion analysis capture system with healthy subjects undergoing walking trials while wearing normal shoes, a walking boot, and a walking boot with contralateral foot lift. The investigators hypothesize a corrective foot lift will decrease the asymmetrical effects of a walking boot, recreating the kinematics of a more normal gait.
This research is being performed to characterize the rowing stroke in active and inactive individuals who use a manual wheelchair. The investigators will be looking at muscle activity of four shoulder muscles (upper trapezius, lower trapezius, serratus anterior, and posterior deltoid) and motion of the arms, shoulder blade, and trunk during rowing. This will be done for three rowing conditions (1: adapted rowing ergometer, 2: rowing ergometer from a chair, 3: standard seated row exercise using an elastic band [TheraBand]). The investigators are also looking at shoulder strength, range of motion, quality of life, and community participation.
Regular exercise during pregnancy and postpartum leads to health benefits for mother and child. Inactivity during pregnancy and after delivery is now treated as risky behavior. Physically active pregnant women significantly less often suffer from, among others, gestational diabetes, excessive weight gain, lipids disorders, hypertension, preeclampsia, depressive symptoms, functional and structural disorders, including stress urinary incontinence, back pain or diastasis recti abdominis (DRA). Prenatal physical activity reduces the risk of premature delivery and miscarriage, fetal macrosomia, complications in labor or the risk of metabolic disorders in children. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has become one of the most popular trends in the fitness sector. The effectiveness of HIIT on a number of health indicators has been proven in various populations but limited data are available on HIIT during pregnancy. The first hypothesis is that the HIIT, implemented during pregnancy and after childbirth, as a stronger exercise stimulus, will have a better impact on selected biological and psychological parameters of mothers, as well as on selected health parameters of their children, compared to the MICT (moderate intensity continuous training). Therefore, it promises better preventive effects on pregnancy complications and ailments as well as non-communicable diseases occurring in these populations. In the second hypothesis, it was assumed that HIIT and MICT implemented during pregnancy and after childbirth, tailored to the specific needs of the perinatal period, will not differ in the effectiveness of maintaining normal functional parameters in women, including prevention of urinary incontinence, back pain, DRA, etc. Pregnant women who apply for the study will be divided into three groups: those attending the HIIT, MICT or educational programs. During the study, the participants will be under standard obstetric care. As comparative groups, non-pregnant women will be also recruited. The investigators will collect data on selected biological, functional and psychological parameters in the study women at each trimester of pregnancy, during the puerperium and one year after childbirth. The data from the medical documentation on the course of childbirth and the assessment of the new-born, as well as the results of preventive examinations in the study women's children aged one, two, four and six years will be also analyzed.
The study is a randomized controlled trial aimed to compare the effects of blood flow restriction (BFR) in different phases (i.e., exercise versus interval) during high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) on aerobic capacity, anaerobic capacity, isokinetic knee strength, lower limb biomechanics during single-leg landing and cycling economy among healthy adult males. Participants were randomized to three groups. Intervention was conducted for 12 weeks with 2 sessions per week. During intervention, all groups conducted HIEE on cycle ergometer with or without BFR. Assessments were conducted before the intervention, on the 6th week of intervention and after the intervention. Assessments included physical characteristics, aerobic and anaerobic capacity, lower limb biomechanics during single-leg landing and isokinetic knee strength.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the additional effects of Short Foot Exercises on pain, biomechanical characteristics and functionality of lower extremity in patients with patellofemoral pain.