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Colton Belnap, Jong Sung, and Karen Appleby, Human Performance and Sports Studies, Idaho State University,921 South 8th Avenue, Pocatello , Idaho, 83209
Gait is an essential task to facilitate proper life functioning and daily activities. During the gaitcycle, different muscles in the lower limbs produce necessary movements. A normal task, suchas walking can become very complicated for people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury(TBI). A TBI victim has suffered an injury to the brain that often inhibits properly relayingneural signals to muscles. Consequently, the TBI can cause walking impairment by changinghow the leg muscles activate and can cause muscle co-activation or overactivation. Thus, thisstudy aims to analyze the abnormalities of gait in TBI victims by monitoring muscular activity inthe lower limbs. It is hypothesized that a TBI victim will have an abnormal walking pattern suchas muscle co-activation of the quadriceps/hamstring muscles and overactivation of plantarflexors. To investigate our hypothesis, we will recruit ten ambulatory people (5 with TBI andgait impairment, and 5 healthy age and gender-matched controls). To assess the neuromuscularactivities during walking in the study participants, electromyography (EMG) will be used. Atotal of 8 EMG sensors will be placed on the participants’ right and left vastus lateralis, bicepsfemoris, anterior tibialis, and the gastrocnemius. Then, the participants will be asked to walk on atreadmill for 4 minutes at their comfortable speeds. Once the EMG signal is recorded duringwalking, the lower limb neuromuscular activities will be evaluated and compared between thosewith TBI and healthy age and gender-matched controls. It is anticipated that the agonist andantagonist muscle co-activations and muscle overactivation in gastrocnemius will be observed inpeople with TBI. The results will help give more insight into the effects of TBI on walking andimprove the treatment plans for people with TBI.
Presenter: Colton Belnap
Institution: Idaho State University
Type: Poster
Subject: Exercise Science & Nutrition
Status: Approved