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Biomedical subjects

G F Harris

Publications and source records attributed to G F Harris.

45 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Effects of subject position on balance platform measurements.

The high cost of commercially available force plates instrumented to quantify postural sway can be prohibitive to both research and clinical institutions. Therefore custom plate design and construction within the institutional environment is not uncommon. Some plate designs, however, may give erroneous measurements depending upon subject position. We report here on the existence of a kern boundary on the plate surface. Loads placed inside this boundary result in support compression, while those placed outside cause at least one support to experience tension. The findings indicate that the type of force transducer used for corner support (unidirectional or bidirectional), the type of connection between the plate and transducers, plate weight, subject weight, plate dimensions and transducer preloads are all critical to accurate measurements.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗
PubMedDate not supplied

"Guided" intramuscular fine wire electrode placement. A new technique.

This report describes a new technique for placing intramuscular fine wire electrodes into muscles for kinesiologic electromyographic (EMG) studies. Currently, a pair of fine wire electrodes (one active, one reference) within a hypodermic needle is inserted into the selected muscle. The needle is then withdrawn, leaving the two fine wires positioned within the muscle. Electrical stimulation of the muscle through these fine wire electrodes confirms their correct placement. However, if positioning is incorrect, additional pairs of wires are inserted within needles until correct placement is achieved. Our "guided" method combines this "blind" technique with diagnostic needle EMG techniques. Using a conventional EMG machine and selective activation of the desired muscle, the electromyographer inserts the hypodermic needle while monitoring the muscle's electrical signal through the advancing fine wire electrodes. This signal is used to "guide" the needle into the proper muscle. Once correct positioning of the wires is confirmed by the EMG signal, the needle is removed. With this techniques additional needle insertions are avoided, electrical stimulation is seldom needed, and rarely studied muscles are accessed as easily as commonly studied ones. We have used this technique with pediatric and adult patients as well as in kinesiologic EMG research and have found it to be well tolerated and reliable.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Gait analysis in rehabilitation medicine: a brief report.

Gait analysis can be a powerful tool for rehabilitation research and clinical practice. However, there has been little coordinated effort to set goals for the application of gait analysis in rehabilitation. Therefore, a priority setting process was engaged to obtain the opinions of a diverse pool of experts related to human motion analysis. The primary goal of this process was to develop priorities for future research, development, and standardization in gait analysis. A multistep approach was used that included expert testimony, group discussions, individually developed priorities, and a ranking process. Several important priorities emerged from this activity. The highest priority was assigned to research on the efficacy, outcomes, and cost-effectiveness of gait analysis.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of surface electrode size on computer simulated surface motor unit potentials.

Surface myoelectric signals are recorded in motor nerve conduction, fatigue and kinesiologic studies using discrete electrodes. Single site recordings have limited means to reduce cross-talk and to enhance timing and quantification of relative muscular activity. These limitations are compounded by the effects of the electrode size. A grid electrode would reduce some of these limitations. However, an optimum grid electrode requires detail examination of the effects of the size of individual electrodes and the interelectrode distance. The purpose of this study is to investigate the temporal and spatial effects of the electrode size on surface motor unit potentials (SMUP). Muscle fiber action potentials and surface electrodes are simulated by computer models. Peak to peak amplitude, the mean frequency of SMUP, and the muscle conduction velocity were calculated as functions of the size of the electrode. The random variations of these parameters due to systematic errors are also simulated and investigated.

Action Potentials↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Variability in three-dimensional measurements of back contour with raster stereography in normal subjects.

Forty normal children with a mean age of 9.1 years were investigated by using a Quantec Spinal Image System (QSIS). The QSIS uses computerized raster stereography technology to acquire three-dimensional measurements of back contour. Within a 95-percentile confidence interval (a) coronal-plane QSIS angles ranged from 0.05 to 2.36 degrees; (b) transverse-plane QSIS angles ranged from 0.03 to 1.96 degrees; and (c) sagittal-plane QSIS angles ranged from 36.8 to 44.8 degrees. Trunk-alignment deviation ranged from 3.51 to 7.45 mm within a 95-percentile confidence interval. An intraobserver standard deviation of +/-4.2 degrees was noted across all angular metrics. Normal ranges of QSIS-determined values for a population of 40 children without clinical evidence of pathology are reported.

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