The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of normal gait imagery and gait on a line imagery on lower limb muscle activity and lower body kinematics in stroke survivors.
Gait imagery is a cognitive process involving the mental simulation of a gait that is not actually performed. According to current studies, gait imagery has very similar neural activity to that observed in real gait. This activity can be observed not only at the central level, but also at the end effector - the muscle - using surface electromyography. Across studies, muscle activity and kinematics are evaluated in particular when imagining analytical movements of the upper or lower limbs, but complex and posturally more demanding movements (in our case, gait and its modification - gait on a line) are studied to a lesser extent. Independent walking and the ability to adapt it to the terrain is important in rehabilitation therapy for patients with limited mobility. These individuals include, among others, a stroke survivors. The aim of the study is therefore to evaluate the effect of normal gait imagery and gait on a line imagery on lower limb muscle activity and lower body kinematics in these individuals.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
40
The initial position, which is identical for all measured tasks, consisted of an upright bipedal stance in front of an unobtrusive white screen with feet at pelvic width, upper limbs held loosely along the body, eyes open and facing forward. During the rest task, non-motor imagery task, participants are instructed to sing the song "Happy Birthday" in their minds. NGI before the real execution of normal gait and GLI before the real execution of gait on the line are tasks associated with the imagery of normal gait or tandem gait on the line. Participants first observed a 5 m section of the corridor for NGI, or a line located in the middle of the same corridor for GLI. The last tasks, NGI after the real execution of normal gait and GLI after the real execution of gait on the line, differed from above mentioned tasks in the immediate real experience of normal gait or gait on the line.
Palacky University
Olomouc, Czechia
University Hospital Olomouc
Olomouc, Czechia
Objective measurement of muscle activity
Muscle activity \[V\] will be measured by surface electromyography during all tasks (rest and gait imagery before/after real gait execution) across both gait imagery modalities (normal gait imagery and gait on the line imagery).
Time frame: Day 1
Objective measurement of lower body kinematics 1
Lower body kinematics will be measured by gyroscope \[deg/s\] during all tasks (rest and gait imagery before/after real gait execution) across both gait imagery modalities (normal gait imagery and gait on the line imagery).
Time frame: Day 1
Objective measurement of lower body kinematics 2
Lower body kinematics will also be measured by accelerometer \[g\] during all tasks (rest and gait imagery before/after real gait execution) across both gait imagery modalities (normal gait imagery and gait on the line imagery).
Time frame: Day 1
Questionnaire - Evaluation of gait imagery
Individuals will be asked about ease/difficulty of imagining both normaI gait imagery/gait on the line imagery before and after the real execution of gait tasks using a five-point scale (maximum value - 5 points \[easy\] to minimum value - 1 point \[difficult\]).
Time frame: Day 1
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