ScienceDirect Publication: Human Movement Science

Metabolic cost and mechanical work for the step-to-step transition in walking after successful total ankle arthroplasty☆

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:53:24 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 10 July 2009
H. Cornelis, Doets , David, Vergouw , H.E.J. (Dirkjan), Veeger , Han, Houdijk

The aim of this study was to investigate whether impaired ankle function after total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) affects the mechanical work during the step-to-step transition and the metabolic cost of walking. Respiratory and force plate data were recorded in 11 patients and 11 healthy controls while they walked barefoot at a fixed walking speed (FWS, 1.25m/s) and at their self-selected speed (SWS). At FWS metabolic cost of transport was 28% higher for the TAA group, but at SWS there was no significant increase. During the step-to-step transition, positive mechanical work generated by the trailing TAA leg was lower and negative...

Editorial Board

Sat, 23 May 2009 19:47:48 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, Volume 28, Issue 3, June 2009, Page IFC
[No author name available]

Editorial

Sat, 23 May 2009 19:47:48 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, Volume 28, Issue 3, June 2009, Pages v-vii
[No author name available]

Motion pattern analysis of gait in horseback riding by means of Principal Component Analysis

Wed, 13 May 2009 21:07:19 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 13 May 2009
K., Witte , H., Schobesberger , C., Peham

As a consequence of the three interacting systems of horse, saddle, and rider, horseback riding is a very complex movement that is difficult to characterize by a limited number of biomechanical parameters or characteristic curves. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is a technique for reducing multidimensional datasets to a minimal (i.e., optimally economic) set of dimensions. To apply PCA to horseback riding data, a “pattern vector” composed of the horizontal velocities of a set of body markers was determined. PCA was used to identify the major dynamic constituents of the three natural gaits of the horse: walk, trot, and canter. It...

Motor assessment of preschool aged children: A preliminary investigation of the validity of the Bruininks–Oseretsky test of motor proficiency – Short form

Wed, 13 May 2009 21:07:19 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 13 May 2009
Fotini, Venetsanou , Antonis, Kambas , Nickos, Aggeloussis , Ioannis, Fatouros , Kyriakos, Taxildaris

The aim of this study was to examine the validity of the Bruininks–Oseretsky test of motor proficiency – short form (BOTMP-SF) [Bruininks, R. (1978). Bruininks–Oseretsky test of motor proficiency: Examiners manual. Circle Pines, MN] for the assessment of preschool aged children. Three-hundred and eighteen children 48–71months old (M=58.97months, SD=6.73) participated in the study. For the data analysis both an ANOVA and a MANOVA were applied with the total battery score and the 14 item scores being the dependent variables, respectively. Age was found to have a significant effect on both children’s total battery score (F(3, 314)=110.65, p<.001, η2=.68) and 13...

The influence of a long term exercise program on lower limb movement variability and walking performance in patients with peripheral arterial disease

Mon, 11 May 2009 20:48:48 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 10 May 2009
Robert G., Crowther , Warwick L., Spinks , Anthony S., Leicht , Kunwarjit, Sangla , Frank, Quigley , ...

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a 12month exercise program on lower limb movement variability in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Participants (n=21) with an appropriate history of PAD and intermittent claudication (IC) volunteered for this study and were randomly allocated to either a control group (CPAD–IC) (n=11), which received normal medical therapy and a treatment group (TPAD–IC) (n=10), which received normal medical therapy treatment and a 12month supervised exercise program. All participants underwent 2D joint angular kinematic analysis during normal walking to assess lower limb movement variability and walking speed. Between-group differences were...

Support vector machine for classification of walking conditions of persons after stroke with dropped foot

Sat, 09 May 2009 20:55:45 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 9 May 2009
Hong-yin, Lau , Kai-yu, Tong , Hailong, Zhu

Walking with dropped foot represents a major gait disorder, which is observed in hemiparetic persons after stroke. This study explores the use of support vector machine (SVMs) to classify different walking conditions for hemiparetic subjects. Seven participants with dropped foot (category 4 of functional ambulatory category) walked in five different conditions: level ground, stair ascent, stair descent, upslope, and downslope. The kinematic data were measured by two portable sensor units, each comprising an accelerometer and gyroscope attached to the lower limb on the shank and foot segments. The overall classification accuracy of stair ascent, stair descent, and other walking conditions...

Corrigendum to “Developmental trajectory of dynamic resource utilization during walking: Toddlers with and without Down syndrome” [Human Movement Science 28 (2009) 141–154]

Mon, 04 May 2009 20:03:09 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 2 May 2009
D., Black , C.-L., Chang , M., Kubo , K., Holt , B., Ulrich

An assessment of the pressure distribution exerted by a rider on the back of a horse during hippotherapy

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:59:46 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 29 April 2009
Miroslav, Janura , Christian, Peham , Tereza, Dvorakova , Milan, Elfmark

Hippotherapy employs locomotion impulses that are emitted from the back of a horse while the horse is walking. These impulses stimulate the rider’s postural reflex mechanisms, resulting in training of balance and coordination. The aim of the present study was to assess the changes in magnitude and distribution of the contact pressure between the rider and the horse during a series of hippotherapy lessons. The monitored group, consisting of four healthy women (mean age 22.75years, mean body weight 59.75kg, mean height 167.25cm) without any previous horse riding experience, received five 20 minute-lessons lessons in a three-week period. Hippotherapy was given...

Theories and models for 1/fβ noise in human movement science

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:35:46 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 28 April 2009
Kjerstin, Torre , Eric-Jan, Wagenmakers

Human motor behavior is often characterized by long-range, slowly decaying serial correlations or 1/fβ noise. Despite its prevalence, the role of the 1/fβ phenomenon in human movement research has been rather modest and unclear. The goal of this paper is to outline a research agenda in which the study of 1/fβ noise can contribute to scientific progress. In the first section of this article we discuss two popular perspectives on 1/fβ noise: the nomothetic perspective that seeks general explanations, and the mechanistic perspective that seeks domain-specific models. We believe that if 1/fβ noise is to have an impact on the...

Self-controlled concurrent feedback and the education of attention towards perceptual invariants

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 21:39:28 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 24 April 2009
Michaël, Huet , Cyril, Camachon , Laure, Fernandez , David M., Jacobs , Gilles, Montagne

The present study investigates the effects of different types of concurrent feedback on the acquisition of perceptual-motor skills. Twenty participants walked through virtual corridors in which rhythmically opening and closing sliding doors were placed. The participants aimed to adjust their walking speed so as to cross the doors when the doors were close to their maximal aperture width. The highest level of performance was achieved by learners who practiced the task with unambiguous self-controlled concurrent feedback, which is to say, by learners who could request that feedback at wish. Practice with imposed rather than self-controlled feedback and practice without concurrent...

Changes in grasping kinematics due to different start postures of the hand

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 21:39:28 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 24 April 2009
Constanze, Hesse , Heiner, Deubel

It was proposed that grasping is a relatively stereotyped movement pattern which can be subdivided into the components of manipulation, transport, and orientation of the hand. However, it is still a matter of debate whether these components are independent of each other. In three experiments we altered the start posture of the hand by either changing the size of the start aperture or the orientation of the hand prior to movement onset. The variation of the aperture size primarily affected the manipulation component of the grip resulting in an overall change of the pre-shaping profile. In contrast, an alteration of...

Alcohol consumption and handwriting: A kinematic analysis

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:54:25 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 22 April 2009
James G., Phillips , Rowan P., Ogeil , Friedemann, Müller

Cerebellar dysfunction is associated with deficits in the control of movement extent, as well as changes in the amplitude and relative amounts of acceleration and deceleration and action tremor. The present study sought to identify whether cerebellar symptoms occur in the handwriting of intoxicated individuals. Twenty participants in two sub-groups (alcohol dependent and non-alcohol dependent) were asked to write four cursive letter ‘l’s on a Wacom SD420 graphics tablet before and after consumption of a dose of vodka and orange producing a peak blood alcohol concentration of 0.048%. There was a relationship between blood alcohol concentration and stroke length. Kinematic...

A kinematic and dynamic comparison of surface and underwater displacement in high level monofin swimming

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:54:25 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 22 April 2009
Guillaume, Nicolas , Benoit, Bideau

Fin swimming performance can be divided into underwater and surface water races. World records are about 10% faster for underwater swimming vs. surface swimming, but little is known about the advantage of underwater swimming for monofin swimming. Some authors reported that the air–water interface influences the kinematics and leads to a narrow vertical amplitude of the fin. On the one hand, surface swimming is expected to affect drag parameters (cross-sectional area (S) and active drag (AD)) when compared to underwater swimming. On the other hand, the surface swimming technique may also affect efficiency (ηF). The aim of this study is...

Increased rate of force development of elbow flexors by antagonist conditioning contraction

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:54:25 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 22 April 2009
Takashi, Kamimura , Koichi, Yoshioka , Susumu, Ito , Tatsumi, Kusakabe

The effects of isometric antagonist conditioning contraction (ACC) at various durations and intensities on the contractile force, electromyographic (EMG) amplitude, and their rates of rise of elbow flexor muscles were examined in healthy participants. In particular, we focused on the change in the maximum rate of initial force development of agonists (dFagonist/dtmax), which was evaluated by subtracting antagonist force decaying from apparent initial force development. While the ACC caused no statistically significant effect on the average force during elbow flexion, dFagonist/dtmax was significantly increased by the ACC of short durations (1–2s) and large intensities. Similarly, the ACC did not affect...

Visual and tactile action effects determine bimanual coordination performance☆

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:54:25 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 22 April 2009
Markus, Janczyk , Stefanie, Skirde , Matthias, Weigelt , Wilfried, Kunde

Effect-based models of motor control assign a crucial role to anticipated perceptual feedback in action planning. Two experiments were conducted to test the validity of this proposal for discrete bimanual key press responses. The results revealed that the normally observed performance advantage for the preparation of two responses with homologous rather than non-homologous fingers becomes inverted when homologous fingers produce non-identical visual effects, and non-homologous fingers produce identical visual effects. In the second experiment the finger homology effect was strongly reduced when homologous fingers produced non-identical tactile feedback. The results show that representations of to-be-produced visual and tactile action effects...

Can Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder be differentiated by motor and balance deficits?

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 04:36:42 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 3 April 2009
Libbe, Kooistra , Barbara, Ramage , Susan, Crawford , Marja, Cantell , Shirley, Wormsbecker , ...

There is an ongoing debate regarding the diagnostic overlap between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Differential diagnosis is important because of treatment implications. Children aged 7–10years (47 ADHD, 30 FASD, 39 controls) participated. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children (M-ABC) and the Clinical Observations of Motor and Postural Skills (COMPS) were used. Force plate and electromyography data were collected during static balance and balance perturbation. On the M-ABC both children with ADHD and FASD had more motor problems than controls. The ADHD-Combined and the ADHD-Predominantly Inattentive subgroups were similarly affected in their fine motor...

Effects of joint immobilization on standing balance

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 05:05:25 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 1 April 2009
Paulo B. de, Freitas , Sandra M.S.F., Freitas , Marcos, Duarte , Mark L., Latash , Vladimir M., Zatsiorsky

We investigated the effect of joint immobilization on the postural sway during quiet standing. We hypothesized that the center of pressure (COP), rambling, and trembling trajectories would be affected by joint immobilization. Ten young adults stood on a force plate during 60 s without and with immobilized joints (only knees constrained, CK; knees and hips, CH; and knees, hips, and trunk, CT), with their eyes open (OE) or closed (CE). The root mean square deviation (RMS, the standard deviation from the mean) and mean speed of COP, rambling, and trembling trajectories in the anterior–posterior and medial–lateral directions were analyzed. Similar...

Information–movement coupling in developing cricketers under changing ecological practice constraints

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:33:44 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 31 March 2009
Ross A., Pinder , Ian, Renshaw , Keith, Davids

Changing informational constraints of practice, such as when using ball projection machines, has been shown to significantly affect movement coordination of skilled cricketers. To date, there has been no similar research on movement responses of developing batters, an important issue since ball projection machines are used heavily in cricket development programmes. Timing and coordination of young cricketers (n=12, age=15.6±0.7years) were analyzed during the forward defensive and forward drive strokes when facing a bowling machine and bowler (both with a delivery velocity of 28.14±0.56ms−1). Significant group performance differences were observed between the practice task constraints, with earlier initiation of the backswing,...

Studying the variability of handwriting patterns using the Kinematic Theory

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 04:32:08 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 27 March 2009
M., Djioua , R., Plamondon

The variability observed in handwriting patterns is analyzed from the perspective of integrating the resulting motor control knowledge in the design of more powerful handwriting recognizers in personal digital assistants (PDAs) and smartphones. Using the highest representational level of the Kinematic Theory of Rapid Human Movement, the Sigma-Lognormal model, this article reports basic theoretical and practical results that could be taken into account in the design of such systems. The main movement variability introduced by the neuromuscular system (NMS) and induced through the scheduling of motor tasks by the central nervous system (CNS) is divided into global and local fluctuations....

Editorial Board

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 05:47:48 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, Volume 28, Issue 2, April 2009, Page IFC
[No author name available]

Emergence of neuromuscular patterns during walking in toddlers with typical development and with Down syndrome

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 04:22:11 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 9 March 2009
Chia-Lin, Chang , Masayoshi, Kubo , Beverly D., Ulrich

During the development of walking, toddlers with Down syndrome (DS) and typical development (TD) face challenges controlling muscles, joints, and body segments. Toddlers with DS have additional challenges including increased joint laxity and decreased muscle tone and show delayed walking onset; the underlying activity of the neuromotor system remains unclear. Here we investigated the emergence of muscle activity from walking onset through 6months of practice in eight toddlers with DS and eight with TD. We monitored the activity of core gait muscles and motion of leg segments as toddlers walked at their self-selected speeds. At walking onset muscle bursts were...

Dynamics of coordination in cross-country skiing

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 05:25:44 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 5 March 2009
F., Cignetti , F., Schena , P.G., Zanone , A., Rouard

The aim of the present study was to identify modes of coordination in cross-country skiing from a dynamical systems perspective. Participants (N=8) skied on a treadmill using classical techniques with varying steepness (i.e., 0°–7°). Coordination was evaluated in terms of the relative frequency and relative phase between upper arms and thighs. Results revealed that the limb movements were systematically attracted towards low integer frequency ratios (i.e., 1:1 and 2:1) and in-phase (φ≈0°) and anti-phase relationships (φ≈180°). The increase in steepness produced shifts between the attractive modes of limb movements and a loss of stability was observed during transitions. These results...

The use of dimensionless scaling strategies in gait analysis

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 05:25:44 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 5 March 2009
Christopher P., Carty , Michael B., Bennett

The effectiveness of dimensionless scaling strategies was assessed using temporal–spatial data collected from an anthropometrically diverse group of participants over a range of walking speeds. Video analysis of children (aged 4–15years, mean=10years) and adults (18–40years, mean=25.2years), each walking at their freely chosen speed, showed adults to take significantly longer strides than children at any given speed (predominately due to their longer lower limbs). Regression analysis of stride length versus walking speed showed that the slopes for adults and children were similar, but that the intercept was significantly higher in adults. Childrens’ data were more scattered compared to those for adults....

Developments in brain–machine interfaces from the perspective of robotics

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 05:14:19 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 23 February 2009
Hyun K., Kim , Shinsuk, Park , Mandayam A., Srinivasan

Many patients suffer from the loss of motor skills, resulting from traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, stroke, and many other disabling conditions. Thanks to technological advances in measuring and decoding the electrical activity of cortical neurons, brain–machine interfaces (BMI) have become a promising technology that can aid paralyzed individuals. In recent studies on BMI, robotic manipulators have demonstrated their potential as neuroprostheses. Restoring motor skills through robot manipulators controlled by brain signals may improve the quality of life of people with disability. This article reviews current robotic technologies that are relevant to BMI and suggests strategies that could improve...

Does hand dominance affect the use of motor abundance when reaching to uncertain targets?

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 05:14:19 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 23 February 2009
Sandra Maria Sbeghen Ferreira, Freitas , John Peter, Scholz

This study investigated hemispheric differences in utilizing motor abundance to achieve flexible patterns of joint coordination when reaching to uncertain target locations. Right-handed participants reached with each arm to the same central target when its final location was certain or when there was a 66% probability that its location could change after movement initiation. Use of greater motor abundance was observed when participants reached to the central target under target location uncertainty regardless of the arm used to reach. Joint variance associated with variability of movement direction was larger when reaching with the left, non-dominant arm. This arm also exhibited...

Current status of the motor program: Revisited

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 05:14:19 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 23 February 2009
Jeffery J., Summers , J. Greg, Anson

The motor program is a concept that has had a major influence on theorizing in the field of motor control. However, there has been a lack of consensus as to what exactly is a motor program and its role in movement organization and execution. In 1994 Morris, Summers, Matyas, and Iansek concluded from a review of the application of the motor program concept in the field of physical therapy that continued use of the term may impede progress in the field. In this paper we examine what has happened to the motor program concept in the thirteen years since the...

Regulation of pendulum length as a control mechanism in performing the backward giant circle in gymnastics

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 05:14:48 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 3 February 2009
Violaine, Sevrez , Eric, Berton , Guillaume, Rao , Reinoud J., Bootsma

Seven female elite gymnasts performed backward giant circles on the high bar under different conditions of loading. The magnitude (2 or 4kg) and location (shoulders, waist, and ankles) of load systematically influenced the overall swing duration as well as the relative timing of movements at the joints. An analysis of the mechanical constraints operating suggested that the gymnast should be considered as a pendulum of variable length. Increasing and decreasing pendulum length at appropriate phases of the swing effectively allows energy to be injected into the system, thereby compensating the energy lost to friction. A sharp negative peak in the...

Gait analysis to classify external load conditions using linear discriminant analysis

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:27:23 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 21 January 2009
Minhyung, Lee , Michael, Roan , Benjamin, Smith , Thurmon E., Lockhart

There are many instances where it is desirable to determine, at a distance, whether a subject is carrying a hidden load. Automated detection systems based on gait analysis have been proposed to detect subjects that carry hidden loads. However, very little baseline gait kinematic analysis has been performed to determine the load carriage effect while ambulating with evenly distributed (front to back) loads on human gait. The work in this paper establishes, via high resolution motion capture trials, the baseline separability of load carriage conditions into loaded and unloaded categories using several standard lower body kinematic parameters. A total of...

First issue: Editorial Board

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 05:42:44 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, Volume 28, Issue 1, February 2009, Page ii
[No author name available]

Segmentation of short keying sequences does not spontaneously transfer to other sequences

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 05:15:14 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 8 January 2009
Willem B., Verwey , Elger L., Abrahamse , Luis, Jiménez

Previous research suggested that highly practiced discrete 6-key sequences are spontaneously segmented, sometimes even differently for different persons. This suggests there is some limit in the length of motor chunks that are assumed to underlie the segments in the sequence. The present experiment examined whether a segmentation pattern induced in one 6-key sequence (the prestructured sequence) determines segmentation in other 6-key sequences. The results are in line with segmentation, but showed neither transfer from the prestructured to a concurrently practiced unstructured sequence, nor to two new sequences that were carried out in a subsequent phase. Moreover, segmentation of these two...

Bimanual coordination as task-dependent linear control policies

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 05:15:36 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 7 January 2009
Jörn, Diedrichsen , Noreen, Dowling

When we perform actions with two hands in everyday life, coordination has to change very quickly depending on task goals. Here, we study these task-dependent changes using a bimanual reaching task in which participants move two separate cursors to two visual targets, or move a single cursor, displayed at the average position of the two hands, to a single target. During the movement, one of the hands is perturbed in a random direction using a viscous curl field. We have previously shown that feedback control, the structure of noise, and adaptation change between these two tasks as predicted by optimal...

Modulation of the primary impulse of spatially-constrained video-aiming movements

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 05:15:27 GMT

Publication year: 2009
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 6 January 2009
David, Tinjust , Luc, Proteau

It has been suggested that temporally-constrained goal directed movements are based on a single submovement control strategy that could be modulated online. On the contrary, spatially-constrained movements might encourage participants to produce very fast, open-loop, but somewhat inaccurate/variable primary movement impulses and, if necessary, to perform a discrete correction. We wanted to determine whether the primary impulse of a spatially-constrained manual aiming movement was modulated online. On movement extent, results revealed that a first modulation mechanism acted soon after movement initiation. This modulation was largely independent of target size and apparently stabilized the output of the movement planning processes. A...

Analysis and simulation of creativity learning by means of artificial neural networks

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 05:21:14 GMT

Publication year: 2008
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 24 December 2008
Daniel, Memmert , Jürgen, Perl

The paper presents a new neural network approach for analysis and simulation of creative behavior. The used concept of Dynamically Controlled Neural Gas (DyCoNG) entails a combination of Dynamically Controlled Network [Perl, J. (2004a). A neural network approach to movement pattern analysis. Human Movement Science, 23, 605–620] and Growing Neural Gas (Fritzke, 1995) by quality neurons. A quality neuron reflects the rareness of a piece of information and therefore can measure the originality of a recorded activity that was assigned to the neuron during the network training. The DyCoNG approach was validated using data from a longitudinal field-based study. The...

Catching fly balls: A simulation study of the Chapman strategy

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 05:21:14 GMT

Publication year: 2008
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 24 December 2008
D.A., Kistemaker , H., Faber , P.J., Beek

Chapman [Chapman, S. (1968). Catching a baseball. American Journal of Physics, 36, 868–870] showed that a catcher may be guided to the landing spot of a fly ball by zeroing out its optical acceleration. Subsequently, various studies have provided evidence for what is now known as the Chapman strategy. However, in those studies the catcher’s own acceleration and the visuo-motor delay were ignored. This raises the question whether the Chapman strategy still provides an accurate description if those factors are taken into account. To address this question, we implemented the Chapman strategy in a forward dynamical model of the catcher’s...

The dynamical information underpinning anticipation skill

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 05:37:05 GMT

Publication year: 2008
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 10 December 2008
A., Mark Williams , Raoul, Huys , Rouwen, Cañal-Bruland , Norbert, Hagemann

We examined the mechanisms underpinning anticipation of ground strokes in tennis by perturbing the dynamical information presented at different body regions (+ racket). We interchanged the dynamics at selected regions with those from strokes played to the opposite side of the court. Skilled and less skilled tennis players were required to anticipate stroke direction when presented with filmed sequences in stick figure format. There was a significant Skill×Condition interaction. Skilled players reported lower accuracy scores when both proximal (i.e., shoulders, hips, and legs) and distal (i.e., arm+racket) cues were interchanged, whereas the less skilled players showed a significant decrement only...

Time scales of adaptive behavior and motor learning in the presence of stochastic perturbations

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:52:18 GMT

Publication year: 2008
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 4 December 2008
W.I., Schöllhorn , G., Mayer-Kress , K.M., Newell , M., Michelbrink

In this paper, the major assumptions of influential approaches to the structure of variability in practice conditions are discussed from the perspective of a generalized evolving attractor landscape model of motor learning. The efficacy of the practice condition effects is considered in relation to the theoretical influence of stochastic perturbations in models of gradient descent learning of multiple dimension landscapes. A model for motor learning is presented combining simulated annealing and stochastic resonance phenomena against the background of different time scales for adaptation and learning processes. The practical consequences of the model’s assumptions for the structure of practice conditions are...

Stability and the time-dependent structure of gait variability in walking and running

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 05:20:08 GMT

Publication year: 2008
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 29 November 2008
Kimberlee, Jordan , John H., Challis , Joseph P., Cusumano , Karl M., Newell

Participants were asked to walk and run continuously (5 min trials) at speeds associated with preferred gait transition speeds. During slow running the local dynamic stability of the head was decreased compared with fast walking, with the reverse being true for the local dynamic stability of the ankle. The standard deviation of relative phase of the knee and ankle also was greater during slow running than fast walking. These findings for stability were mirrored in the detrended fluctuation analysis of the peak to peak interval of the head and ankle. Taken collectively these results support the proposition that larger long...

Steady and transient coordination structures of walking and running

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 05:35:52 GMT

Publication year: 2008
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 22 November 2008
C.J.C., Lamoth , A., Daffertshofer , R., Huys , P.J., Beek

We studied multisegmental coordination and stride characteristics in nine participants while walking and running on a treadmill. The study’s main aim was to evaluate the coordination patterns of walking and running and their variance as a function of locomotion speed, with a specific focus on gait transitions and accompanying features like hysteresis and critical fluctuations. Stride characteristics changed systematically with speed in a gait-dependent fashion, but exhibited no hysteresis. Multisegmental coordination of walking and running was captured by four principal components, the first two of which were present in both gaits. Locomotion speed had subtle yet systematic differential effects on...

Manual asymmetries in bimanual prehension tasks: Manipulation of object size and object distance

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:25:58 GMT

Publication year: 2008
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 20 November 2008
Andrea H., Mason , Jennifer L., Bruyn

Two experiments were designed to investigate the temporal and spatial couplings of the transport and grasp components for bimanual movements to both congruent and incongruent targets. We studied conditions where task requirements were largely different for the two hands. Ten participants performed Experiment 1 and were required to reach for, grasp, and lift two small (1mm) cylinders, two large (70mm) cylinders, or one small and one large cylinder with the right and left hands. In Experiment 2, 10 participants were required to reach for, grasp, and lift two objects that were positioned either near (50mm) the start mark, far (maximum...

Editorial Board

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 05:27:01 GMT

Publication year: 2008
Source: Human Movement Science, Volume 27, Issue 6, December 2008, Page IFC
[No author name available]

Developmental trajectory of dynamic resource utilization during walking: Toddlers with and without Down syndrome

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 05:44:44 GMT

Publication year: 2008
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 5 November 2008
D., Black , C.-L., Chang , M., Kubo , K., Holt , B., Ulrich

After years of walking practice 8–10-year-old children with typical development (TD) and those with Down syndrome (DS) show uniquely different but efficient use of dynamic resources to walk overground and on a treadmill [Ulrich, B.D., Haehl, V., Buzzi, U., Kubo, M., & Holt, K.G. (2004). Modeling dynamic resource utilization in populations with unique constraints: Preadolescents with and without Down syndrome. Human Movement Science, 23, 133–156]. Here we examined the use of global stiffness and angular impulse when walking emerged and across the ensuing months of practice in eight toddlers with TD and eight with DS. Participants visited our lab when...

Differential levels of speech and manual dysfluency in adults who stutter during simultaneous drawing and speaking tasks

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 05:44:44 GMT

Publication year: 2008
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 4 November 2008
Tim, Saltuklaroglu , Hans-Leo, Teulings , Mary, Robbins

We examined the disruptive effects of stuttering on manual performance during simultaneous speaking and drawing tasks. Fifteen stuttering and fifteen non-stuttering participants drew continuous circles with a pen on a digitizer tablet under three conditions: silent (i.e., neither reading nor speaking), reading aloud, and choral reading (i.e., reading aloud in unison with another reader). We counted the frequency of stuttering events in the speaking tasks and measured pen stroke duration and pen stroke dysfluency (normalized jerk) in all three tasks. The control group was stutter-free and did not increase manual dysfluency in any condition. In the silent condition, the stuttering...

Dynamics of expertise level: Coordination in handstand

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 05:44:44 GMT

Publication year: 2008
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 4 November 2008
Geoffroy, Gautier , Ludovic, Marin , David, Leroy , Régis, Thouvarecq

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of expertise on coordination patterns. We thus tested the coordination dynamics of two groups: experts in the handstand also having high expertise in gymnastics and experts in the handstand but only intermediate expertise in gymnastics. All participants were instructed to track a target with their ankles while maintaining the handstand. The target moved on the anterior-posterior axis according to three frequency conditions: 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 Hz. The results showed that the suprapostural task was performed better by the group with high gymnastics expertise. Moreover, the spontaneous coordination was...

A comparison of the kinematics of the dolphin kick in humans and cetaceans

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 05:44:44 GMT

Publication year: 2008
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 4 November 2008
Alfred von, Loebbecke , Rajat, Mittal , Frank, Fish , Russell, Mark

Prerecorded video footage of 9 female and 13 male Olympic level athletes swimming underwater by using the dolphin kick was analyzed and comparisons of the stroke kinematics were made with a previous analysis of cetacean swimming conducted by Rohr and Fish (Rohr, J. J., & Fish, F. E. (2004). Strouhal numbers and optimization of swimming by odontocete cetaceans. The Journal of Experimental Biology, 207, 1633–1642). The velocities of the swimmers ranged from 1.12m/s to 1.85m/s which corresponded to a range of effort levels. While some swimmers performed the dolphin kick on their backs (dorsal), others employed the prone (ventral) or...

The influence of practice on the development of motor skills in pianists: A longitudinal study in a selected motor task

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 05:44:44 GMT

Publication year: 2008
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 8 October 2008
Hans-Christian, Jabusch , Hinrich, Alpers , Reinhard, Kopiez , Henning, Vauth , Eckart, Altenmüller

A longitudinal study was conducted to investigate the influence of practice on the long-term development of expert pianists’ motor skills in a relevant musical context. Temporal evenness in standardized scale playing was assessed twice in 19 pianists within an average time interval of 27 months. Questionnaires were used for retrospective assessment of practice quantity and several qualitative parameters related to practicing of scales. The development of temporal evenness in scale playing over the follow-up period correlated with the practice time accumulated during that period and with the average daily practice time. Expert pianists with an average daily practice time of...

The effects of switching between targets on the performance of a simple motor skill

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 05:44:44 GMT

Publication year: 2008
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 7 October 2008
Jeffrey T., Fairbrother , Sebastian, Brueckner , Joao Augusto de Camargo, Barros

Little direct evidence has emerged regarding the influence of switching between tasks on the performance of skills studied in the motor domain. The present study reported the results of two experiments that examined the effects of task switching on a simple object projection task, which presumably emphasized processes related to response planning and execution. The experimental task required participants to gently tap a knob to make it travel along two parallel rods until it reached a specified target distance. In both experiments, participants in the repeated conditions performed a single target distance while participants in the switched conditions alternated between...

Anchoring in a novel bimanual coordination pattern

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 05:44:44 GMT

Publication year: 2008
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 7 October 2008
Dana, Maslovat , Melanie Y., Lam , Kirstin M., Brunke , Romeo, Chua , Ian M., Franks

Anchoring in cyclical movements has been defined as regions of reduced spatial or temporal variability [Beek, P. J. (1989). Juggling dynamics. PhD thesis. Amsterdam: Free University Press] that are typically found at movement reversal points. For in-phase and anti-phase movements, synchronizing reversal points with a metronome pulse has resulted in decreased anchor point variability and increased pattern stability [Byblow, W. D., Carson, R. G., & Goodman, D. (1994). Expressions of asymmetries and anchoring in bimanual coordination. Human Movement Science, 13, 3–28; Fink, P. W., Foo, P., Jirsa, V. K., & Kelso, J. A. S. (2000). Local and global stabilization of...

Language comprehension and dominant hand motion simulation☆

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 05:44:44 GMT

Publication year: 2008
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 7 October 2008
Anna M., Borghi , Claudia, Scorolli

In five experiments participants were presented with pairs of nouns and verbs. They were asked to decide whether the combinations made sense or not. Half of the participants responded “yes” with the dominant hand, half with the left hand. When pairs referred to manual and mouth actions, participants responded faster with the dominant than with the left hand with sensible sentences. When pairs referred to manual and foot actions the result was opposite. Results suggest that language processing activates an action simulation that is sensitive to both the effector involved and the goal expressed by the sentence.

Effect of fatigue on double pole kinematics in sprint cross-country skiing

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 05:44:44 GMT

Publication year: 2008
Source: Human Movement Science, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 2 October 2008
Raphael, Zory , Nicolas, Vuillerme , Barbara, Pellegrini , Federico, Schena , Annie, Rouard

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of fatigue (physiological, mechanical, and muscular parameters) induced by a sprint simulation on kinematic parameters (cycle, phases, and joints angles) of the double pole technique. Eight elite skiers were tested for knee extensor strength and upper body power both before and after a three-bout simulation of sprint racing. They were video analyzed during the final part of the test track of bouts 1 and 3 using a digital camera. Results showed that skiers were in a fatigue state (decrease of the knee extensors voluntary force (−10.4±10.4%) and upper body...