Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ross M. Neuman, Nicholas P. Fey
Summary: In order to improve therapeutic and device interventions for mobility-impaired individuals, it is important to understand the mechanics of individuals as they transition between different ambulatory tasks and encounter terrains of differing severity. This study examines lower-limb joint kinematics during the transitions between level walking and stair ascent and descent over a range of stair inclination angles. The results show unique transition kinematics primarily in the swing phase, which are sensitive to stair inclination.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Orthopedics
Xiaomeng Wang, Huixin Liu, Zhenyue Dong, Xiaobo Chen, Chenyue Xu, Gang Ji, Huijun Kang, Fei Wang
Summary: This study investigated the differences in patellofemoral joint pressure and contact area between stair ascent and stair descent. The results showed that during stair descent, the contact pressure of the patella was 2.59 +/- 0.06Mpa, while the contact pressure of the femoral trochlea cartilage was 2.57 +/- 0.06Mpa. During stair ascent, the contact pressure with patellar cartilage was 2.82 +/- 0.08Mpa, and the contact pressure of the femoral trochlea cartilage was 3.03 +/- 0.11Mpa. The contact area between patellar cartilage and femoral trochlea cartilage was 249.27 +/- 1.35mm2 during stair descent, which was less than 434.32 +/- 1.70mm2 during stair ascent.
BMC MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Timmion K. Skervin, Neil M. Thomas, Andrew J. Schofield, Mark A. Hollands, Constantinos N. Maganaris, Thomas D. O'Brien, Vasilios Baltzopoulos, Richard J. Foster
Summary: The study showed that foot clearance reductions over inconsistently taller risers can be offset by a stair horizontal-vertical illusion. The illusion also improved foot overhang and stability, providing a practical solution for inconsistently taller stair risers.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ali Dostan, Catherine Dobson, Natalie Vanicek
Summary: This study investigated the gait biomechanics of stair ascent in postmenopausal women in relation to walking speed and bone health. The results found that stair ascent speed and T-score explained variance in most gait parameters, and T-score also explained additional variance in stride width, pelvic hike, pelvic drop, and hip adduction. Increased stride width and frontal plane hip kinematics could be important strategies to improve dynamic stability during stair ascent among this group of women.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Teng Ma, Jiale Zhu, Kuangen Zhang, Wentao Xiao, Haiyuan Liu, Yuquan Leng, Haoyong Yu, Chenglong Fu
Summary: This study aims to investigate a methodology to estimate leg stiffness during stair climbing and subdivide the stair climbing gait cycle. The leg stiffness curve, which represents the normalized stiffness during stair climbing, was determined based on the changes of leg force and length. The stair ascent and descent gait cycles were subdivided based on the characteristics of leg stiffness and the fluctuations of the center-of-mass work rate curve.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Astrini Sie, Maxim Karrenbach, Charlie Fisher, Shawn Fisher, Nathaniel Wieck, Callysta Caraballo, Elisabeth Case, David Boe, Brittney Muir, Eric Rombokas
Summary: This study collected gait data from 101 participants descending an unconstrained staircase outside of a laboratory, providing quantitative observations on gait characteristics such as lower limb joint angle ranges, self-selected walking speed, and foot placement behavior. The dataset serves as a valuable resource for understanding typical stair descent and is significant for studying stair gait behavior.
Article
Neurosciences
Eryn D. Gerber, Paris Nichols, Camilo Giraldo, Logan Sidener, Chun-Kai Huang, Carl W. Luchies
Summary: Research suggests that RM-TR measures may provide greater sensitivity than traditional COP measures in detecting and monitoring fall risk in aging and pathological populations.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Isla S. Mackenzie, Amy Rogers, Neil R. Poulter, Bryan Williams, Morris J. Brown, David J. Webb, Ian Ford, David A. Rorie, Greg Guthrie, J. W. Kerr Grieve, Filippo Pigazzani, Peter M. Rothwell, Robin Young, Alex McConnachie, Allan D. Struthers, Chim C. Lang, Thomas M. MacDonald
Summary: The TIME study aimed to investigate whether evening dosing of antihypertensive medication improves cardiovascular outcomes compared with morning dosing. The results showed that there was no difference in major cardiovascular outcomes between evening dosing and morning dosing, and patients can choose a convenient time to take their medications.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chen Deng, Jason C. Gillette, Timothy R. Derrick
Summary: This study compared the differences in femoral neck strains between stair ascent and descent, as well as between young and older populations. It found that femoral neck strains were greater during stair descent than ascent, with no significant difference between age groups. Femoral neck strains may more directly reflect the bone loading environment, suggesting higher risk of hip pain, falls, and stress fractures during stair descent. Possible preventative measures should be developed in future studies.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Dimitrios-Sokratis Komaris, Salvatore Tedesco, Brendan O'Flynn, Cheral Govind, Jon Clarke, Philip Riches
Summary: This study found that patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty did not show significant improvement in stability during stair negotiation, despite experiencing reduced pain and fear of falling post-surgery. Therefore, the impact of total knee arthroplasty on dynamic stability appears to be limited.
CLINICAL BIOMECHANICS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
HyeYoung Cho, Amanda Arnold, Chuyi Cui, Zihan Yang, Tim Becker, Ashwini Kulkarni, Anvesh Naik, Shirley Rietdyk
Summary: This observational study reveals risky behaviors during stair descent in young adults, especially young women, including not using the handrail, carrying items, engaging in conversations, and wearing improper footwear. These behaviors may contribute to the high injury rate of stair-related falls in young women.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
HyeYoung Cho, Amanda J. Arnold, Chuyi Cui, Zihan Yang, Tim Becker, Ashwini Kulkarni, Anvesh Naik, Shirley Rietdyk
Summary: This study observed the behaviors of young adults during stair descent and found differences in behavior between men and women. Women were less likely to use handrails and more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as carrying items and having conversations. Men were more likely to exhibit protective behaviors. Women had a higher number of co-occurring risky behaviors and a higher injury rate.
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Marko Bjelica, Iris C. Levine, Alison C. Novak
Summary: This study found that higher-contrast tread edge highlighters can improve stair safety, especially during simulated vision impairment. Low contrast had a negative effect on cadence and heel clearance, while blurred vision was a greater factor influencing biomechanical measures of fall risk.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Jianyu Wang, Jian Ma, Peng Lin, Majid Sarvi, Ruoyu Li
Summary: This study investigates the effects of stair geometry on pedestrian locomotion properties through controlled pedestrian experiments, revealing a unified behavioral mechanism between pedestrian single-file movement on horizontal plane and stairs, and developing a linear regression model that predicts free walking speed based on tread depth and riser height of the stair. It also analyzes the significant effect of stair gradient on pedestrian density-specific flow relation and provides insights for the design and simulation of human walking on stairs in large buildings or stations.
Article
Orthopedics
Derek S. Yocum, Kevin A. Valenzuela, Tyler W. Standifird, Harold E. Cates, Songning Zhang
Summary: This study investigated the biomechanical differences between the first and second replaced limbs in bilateral total knee replacement (TKR) patients during stair negotiation, as well as compared them with unilateral TKR patients. The results showed substantial biomechanical differences in bilateral patients during stair ascent and descent, which may indicate a more complex adaptation strategy in these patients.
