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Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is associated with a less flexible and adaptable sensorimotor system. Thus, individuals with CAI may present an inadequate sensory reweighting system, inhibiting their ability to place more emphasis (upweight) on reliable sensory feedback to control posture. However, how individuals with CAI reweight sensory feedback to maintain postural control in bilateral and unilateral stances has not been established. To examine (1) group differences in how the sensory reweighting system changes to control posture in a simple double-limb stance and a more complex single-limb stance (uninjured limb and injured limb) under increased environmental constraints manipulating somatosensory and visual information for individuals with and without CAI and (2) the effect of environmental and task constraints on postural control. Case-control study. Laboratory. A total of 21 individuals with CAI (age = 26.4 ± 5.7 years, height = 171.2 ± 9.8 cm, mass = 76.6 ± 15.17 kg) and 21 individuals without CAI (control group; age = 25.8 ± 5.7 years, height = 169.5 ± 9.5 cm, mass = 72.4 ± 15.0 kg) participated. We examined the equilibrium scores based on the first 10 seconds of trials in which participants completed 6 environmental conditions of the Sensory Organization Test during 3 tasks (double-limb and single-limb [uninjured and injured] stances). Sensory reweighting ratios for sensory systems (somatosensory, vision, and vestibular) were computed from paired equilibrium scores based on the first 10 seconds of the trials. We observed 3-factor interactions between groups, sensory systems, and tasks (F4,160 = 3.754, P =.006) and for group, task, and environment (F10,400 = 2.455, P =.007). The CAI group did not downweight vestibular feedback compared with the control group while maintaining posture on the injured limb (P =.03). The CAI group demonstrated better postural stability than the control group while standing with absent vision (ie, eyes closed), fixed surroundings, and a moving platform on the injured limb (P =.03). The CAI group relied on vestibular feedback while maintaining better postural stability than the control group in injured-limb stance. Group differences in postural control depended on both environmental (absent vision and moving platform) and task (injured limb) constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gait asymmetries are a common problem in clinical populations, such as those with a history of stroke or Parkinson's disease. The use of a split-belt treadmill is one way to enhance gait symmetry but relies on specialty (and typically expensive) equipment. Alternatively, visual cues have been shown as a method to alter gait mechanics, but their utility in altering gait symmetry has been relatively understudied. Before deploying this method to clinical populations, a proof-of-concept study is needed to explore using visual cues to alter gait symmetry in healthy adults. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which healthy adults could synchronize to an asymmetric visual cue with a small or large gait asymmetry using wearable sensors to measure gait asymmetries. Seventy-two healthy adults (ages: 23.89 ± 6.08 years) walked on the treadmill for two conditions: with and without the visual cue. Each walking condition lasted 10 min at the participant's preferred walking speed. Inertial sensors were used to measure gait asymmetries. Some participants did not respond to the visual cue, and groups were separated into responders and non-responders. Participants in the small and large asymmetry-responder groups exhibited statistically significant increased asymmetries in single limb support % (p < 0.01) and step duration (s) (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, respectively). Only the large asymmetry-responder group showed statistically significant (p < 0.01) increased asymmetries in stride length. Overall, asymmetrical walking visual cues can alter gait asymmetries, and inertial sensors were sensitive enough to detect small changes in gait asymmetries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Examine the appeal of a virtual avatar-led nutrition education program among youth-serving community partners in North Carolina., Methods: We surveyed community partners using the Diffusion of Innovation Theory constructs of relative advantage, compatibility, and complexity. Logistic regression evaluated the appeal and likelihood of the program's future use., Results: Community partners (n = 100) agreed that the program was an innovative (87%) and convenient (85%) way for youth and parents to learn about nutrition. Partners who perceived the program as a relative advantage to current programs had significantly higher odds of future use intention (P = 0.005). Those who found it compatible with organizational and personal values had significantly higher odds of future use (P < 0.001)., Conclusions and Implications: A nutrition education virtual avatar program is of interest to youth-engaged community partners. Future research examining the potential integration of this type of program within community organizations is warranted., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)