PCA Demonstrates Trunk Muscle Pattern Variation with Fall Direction

ISBN-13: 9783639135428 / Angielski / Miękka / 2009 / 84 str.

Timothy Craig

Opis

This study examines the role of the direction of afall on neuromuscular response. Electromyographysensors were positioned on the erector spinae oftwenty subjects. Falls, simulating slips, occurredin the anterior, posterior, and medial-lateraldirections. The average activation curves for thefour different fall directions displayed differentcharacteristics. Observations were supported byprincipal component analysis (PCA). PCA coefficientsrelated all fall directions to a single reflex-likeresponse. Analysis of variance on the coefficientsdemonstrated that anterior falls had a significantly(p<0.05) stronger reflex-like response than posteriorfalls. There was also a significant (p<0.05)difference for the interaction between side of theerector spinae and fall direction for themedial-lateral fall directions. Here thecontra-lateral muscle had a stronger reflex-likeresponse than the ipsi-lateral muscle. Possiblereasons for the observations could be to increasetime available for active responses or decrease theenergy transferred if the head impacted the ground.

O autorze

Timothy Craig is working towards a doctorate of philosophy in the
field of mechanical engineering with a focus on biomechanics at
the University of Kansas. Craig has worked on research that
ranges from falls in the elderly to occupational vibration
exposure in young adults.