Tag: Will Pitt

Dual-Task Gait Stability Assessment Utilizing a 180° Turn

Presenter(s): Emma Silverman − Human Physiology

Faculty Mentor(s): Will Pitt, Li-Shan Chou

Poster 27

Research Area: Biomechanics

The purpose of this study is to determine if a 180° turn is a useful metric for assessment of dynamic instability. 15 healthy subjects were recruited for this study. Angular velocity around a vertical axis was measured with a sensor over the L5 vertebrae. Utilizing that data, total medial-lateral center of mass deviation during a 180o turn was compared between conditions. All subjects performed a walking task at a self-selected pace, which consisted of an 8m walk, a 180 degree turn, and a return to the starting position. This walking task was performed under three different conditions (single-task walking and two dual-task conditions), in two different environments (laboratory and a hallway stimulating a medical clinic), over two testing days (approximately 7-10 days apart), and by two different raters. Currently, data collection has been completed. Data is currently being processed and thorough statistical analysis will begin shortly. Initial data analysis suggests a trend for significance (p=0.072), indicating that a 180° turn may be an additional useful metric for assessment of dynamic instability.

Gait Stability Deficiencies In Veterans With Chronic mTBI

Presenter(s): Ravahn Enayati − Human Physiology

Faculty Mentor(s): Li-Shan Chou, Will Pitt

Poster 28

Research Area: Physical Science

While mTBI, or concussion, is typically associated with athletics, head trauma is widespread in the battlefield and combat training, as evidenced by 294,010 documented cases of mTBI in the Department of Defense between 2000 and 2016. It has been shown that veteran subjects with chronic mTBI continue to suffer from subjective symptoms. It is reasonable to believe they may also continue to exhibit impairment in their gait stability when tested under a dual-task condition. Eight veteran subjects diagnosed with chronic mTBI (1F; 32.3 6.5 years old) had their gait imbalance tested. Each subject walked barefoot in two conditions. The first condition involved each veteran providing their undivided attention toward their movements (single- task). The second condition had each subject concurrently completing a continuous auditory Stroop test, which consisted of the individual listening to different auditory stimuli and attempting to correctly identify the pitch (dual-task). A camera motion analysis system was used to collect imaging of each subject’s movements during both conditions. The results were then compared with those of an acutely concussed group of athletes which had a statistically significant gait deficit. The one-time test of the veteran group was compared with five different time points from the acute sample. The results found that in the dual-task condition, there was no statistically significant difference between the medial-lateral sway of the chronic veterans and the acutely concussed athletes. This indicates that the veterans that suffer from chronic mTBI suffer similar gait imbalance as the acutely concussed athletes.

Gait Stability Deficiencies in Healthy Veterans and Veterans with Chronic Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Presenter(s): Ravahn Enayati

Faculty Mentor(s): Li-Shan Chou & Will Pitt

Poster 13

Session: Sciences

While mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), or concussion, is typically associated with athletics, head trauma is widespread in the battlefield and combat training, as evidenced by 294,010 documented cases of mTBI in the Department of Defense between 2000 and 2016. It has been shown that veteran subjects with chronic mTBI continue to suffer from subjective symptoms. It is reasonable to believe they may also continue to exhibit impairment in their gait stability when tested under a dual-task condition. Eight healthy veterans (1F; 33.93.8) and eight veteran subjects diagnosed with chronic mTBI (1F; 32.36.5 years old) had their gait imbalance tested. Each subject walked barefoot in two conditions. The first condition involved each veteran providing their undivided attention toward their movements (single-task). The second condition had each subject concurrently completing a continuous auditory Stroop test, which consisted of the individual listening to different auditory stimuli and attempting to correctly identify the pitch (dual-task). A camera motion analysis system was used to collect imaging of each subject’s movements during both conditions. A significant difference was found in medial-lateral displacement (p=0.007) and in the interaction effect of group and condition for peak medial- lateral velocity (p = 0.012). These results indicate that the veterans that suffer from chronic mTBI suffer from certain gait imbalances compared to a control veteran cohort. This information can be used to understand the physiological effects of chronic mTBI and to develop policy for the protection of mental health of military personnel.