The consequence of sports performance is injury, and biomechanics provides the means for studying the structure and function of the human body with respect to its tolerance to injury, mechanisms of injury and rehabilitation from injury. Staff in biomechanics have good links with local hospitals and one of the Research Institute’s staff is a qualified physician. Research interests focus on mechanisms of injury at the knee and ankle, disabled sports, and the analysis of healthy and clinical gait. We also provide a Biomechanical Assessment Service.

Recent Projects

Click the project’s title for details

• Movement Function Research projects

  Kinematic response characteristics of the CAREN moving platform
  Manipulation of the CAREN platform’s axes of rotation
  Exercise interventions: The benefits to postural and balance function
  Improving Core Control of Children with Cerebral Palsy using Virtual Reality Games.
  Biomechanical assessment of upper limb function following tendon transfers

• Neural networks in Clinical Gait Analysis
• Biomechanical Assessment Service

Kinematic response characteristics of the CAREN moving platform.

The aim of this study was to determine the technical performance of the CAREN system by defining its kinematic response characteristics to two commonly used input functions (sine and ramp) for each of its six translational and rotational axes. The results suggest that the CAREN platform is a mid-range system with regard to single degree of freedom moving platform devices reported in the literature. The low level of maximal cross-talk in displacement (1.5%) and velocity (3.3%) together with the ability to faithfully follow ramp input functions make the CAREN system an appropriate device for postural and balance research with some unique features.

Publications

• Lees A, Vanrenterghem J, Barton JG, Lake M (2006) Kinematic response characteristics of the CAREN moving platform system for use in posture and balance research. Medical Engineering and Physics. In Press.

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Manipulation of the CAREN platform’s axes of rotation.

The purpose of this study was to locate the CAREN platform’s default axes of rotation, implement an algorithm for relocating its axes of rotation, and evaluate the algorithm. The method developed allows rotating the supporting platform around specific joints which triggers proprioceptive receptors in the targeted joint only and so the method opens up the possibility of gaining a more detailed understanding of the roles of individual joints in balance corrections.

View Caren Platform video

(If the video does not play within the web page, click here to view in Windows Media Player)

Publications

• Barton JG, Vanrenterghem J, Lees A, Lake M (2006) A method for manipulating a movable platform’s axes of rotation: a novel use of the CAREN system. Gait and Posture. 24/4: 510-514.
• Barton JG, Vanrenterghem J, Lees A (2005) Joint specific proprioceptive perturbation of standing balance on a movable platform. Abstract / Gait and Posture, 22/Suppl. 1: 50. 14th ESMAC Meeting and Conference, Barcelona, Spain, 22-24 Sept.
• Vanrenterghem J, Barton JG, Lake M, Lees A (2005) Changing the axes of rotation in a six degrees of freedom moving platform used for postural research. Abstract / Gait and Posture, 21/Suppl.1: 152. ISPGR XVIIth Conference - Marseille, France, 29 May – 2 June.

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Exercise interventions: The benefits to postural and balance function in older people in relation to locomotion and daily living activities.

The aim of this ongoing study is to investigate the effects of a one-year aerobic exercise intervention for 60 year old individuals on the posture and balance of activities that relate to mobility and daily living. The expected improvements are measured during locomotor tasks (normal gait and walking across an obstacle), daily living activities (sit-to-stand, stepping up, lifting and turning), and balance tasks (Romberg test, dynamic balancing task and dynamic balancing on a moving surface). This study is conducted in collaboration with the Research Unit into Human Development and Ageing.

 

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Improving Core Control of Children with Cerebral Palsy using Virtual Reality Games.

The video shows how an 11 year old typically developing child plays an early prototype of the Magic Carpet game. Tiny light-reflective markers attached to his pelvis are tracked by infra-red cameras in real time. He navigates the game in order to pop balloons by movements of his pelvis up/down and right/left. When a balloon is burst, the platform moves a bit. Our initial research studies confirmed that the game has a good potential to train the control of the core (pelvis and trunk) in children who suffer from cerebral palsy. (If the video does not play within the web page, click here to view in Windows Media Player)

Pilot Study

Good posture and movement of the centre of the body is a pre-condition of moving the legs efficiently when walking. Cerebral palsy develops as a result of a brain damage around birth in about 1 in every 400 babies. Many children with this condition receive physiotherapy treatment in order to improve control of their trunk and pelvis (core) but there is a lack of agreement on how core control can be measured and improved best.

Researchers at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) in collaboration with clinicians at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and The Movement Centre supported by MOTEK Medical have recently received funding from The WellChild Trust to carry out a pilot study aimed at improving core control of children with cerebral palsy using virtual reality games.

The aim of this study is to test if custom made games can improve core control and consequentially the quality of walking, and if this technique is more beneficial than conventional physiotherapy. Collaboration between the partners involved in this project has already resulted in an award winning small study confirming the potential of using this approach. Continued work is expected to lead to clinical implementation and commercial application making core control training available for children with movement disorders even at home.

A specialised intervention delivered to children in the form of computer games is expected to lead to an enjoyable experience resulting in better compliance with treatment and therefore faster improvement of movement function and overall reduction of treatment costs.

With enquiries please contact Dr Gabor Barton g.j.barton@ljmu.ac.uk tel.: +44 (0)151 2314333.

Publications

• Barton JG (2006) An integrated approach to movement function. Clinical Movement Analysis Society UK and Ireland Annual Scientific Meeting, Newcastle upon Tyne, 23-24 Mar. (http://www.cmasuki.org/)
• Barton JG, Holmes G, Hawken M, Lees A, Vanrenterghem J (2006) A virtual reality tool for training and testing core stability: a pilot study. First Joint ESMAC – GCMAS Meeting, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 28-30 Sep. (http://www.jegm06.org/)

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Biomechanical assessment of upper limb function following tendon transfers in tetraplegia.

Following a tendon transfer, an identical activation pattern of the same muscle will lead to a different mechanical action coupled with changed proprioceptive and visual feedback about the task. The focus of this ongoing project is to explore the re-adaptation mechanisms of the neuro-musculo-skeletal system. The aims are to quantitatively assess the upper limb function of tetraplegic patients before and after deltoid-to-triceps tendon transfer surgery, and to develop a rehabilitation protocol based on bio-feedback to enhance functional recovery.

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Neural networks in Clinical Gait Analysis

The complexity of abnormal gait can be captured by quantifying the three dimensional joint angles, moments and powers of the lower limbs. The complexity of the resultant high dimensional data space makes data interpretation prone to bias. Self-organising neural networks can be used successfully to map complex gait data onto a two dimensional topographic map, thereby improving the efficiency of decision making in clinical gait analysis.

A) B)  C)

A) The typical appearance of normalised joint angles, moments and powers of one subject, plotted against the gait cycle.

B) The simplified curves of ten healthy subjects on the self organising topographic map. The bold line represents the mean of the ten curves.

C) Gait data recorded during crouch gait shows a different pattern. Six curves of patients are shown who walk with bent knees, the bold curve is the mean of the six individuals.

Publications

• Barton JG, Lees A, Lisboa P, Attfield S (2006) Gait quality assessment using self-organising artificial neural networks. Gait and Posture. In Press.
• Barton JG, Lees A, Lisboa P, Attfield S (2006) Visualisation of gait data with Kohonen self‑organising neural maps. Gait and Posture. 24/1: 46-53.
• Barton JG (2006) Visualisation of gait data using a self organising artificial neural network. Invited Chapter in Computational Intelligence for Movement Sciences: Neural Networks, Support Vector Machines and other Emerging Techniques. Editors: Begg, RK and Palaniswami, M. pp. 197-216. Idea Group Inc., USA.
• Lees A, Barton JG (2005) A characterisation of technique in the soccer kick using a Kohonen neural network analysis. In T. Reilly, J. Cabri and D. Araujo (Eds) Science and Football V . Proceedings of the Fifth World Congress of Science and Football, (pp. 83-88), London, Routledge.
• Lees A, Barton JG (2004) A characterisation of technique in the soccer kick using a Kohonen neural network analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences, 22(6), 491-492. Conference Communication.
• Barton JG, Lees A, Lisboa P, Attfield S (2003) Visualisation of gait quality using self organising artificial neural networks. Abstract / Gait and Posture, 18/Suppl.2: 119. 12th ESMAC Meeting and Conference, Marseille, France, 8-13 Sept.
• Lees A, Barton JG, Kershaw L (2003) The use of Kohonen neural network analysis to establish characteristics of technique in soccer kicking. Abstract / Journal of Sports Sciences, 21, 243-244.

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Biomechanical Assessment Service

We have the necessary equipment and expertise which allow us to perform a detailed movement analysis. Our aim is to give you specific information which can help you to understand the nature of your injury. The components of the service are:

Basic Gait Package:

• Medical history
• Physical examination of joints and muscles
• Video of movement
• Recording of the ground reaction force

Advanced Gait Package

• Basic Gait Package
• 3D analysis of movement (Vicon)

Options:

• DEXA bone scan
• Electromyography (EMG)
• Energy consumption (COSMED)
• Under foot pressure measurement (RSScan)
• Isokinetic strength assessment (Biodex)

Subsequent to data acquisition we analyse the results and produce a written report including multimedia illustrations. The report can be viewed on any personal computer and will be sent to you on a CD at a later time.
 
The report typically attempts to uncover the abnormal mechanisms which may be related to your particular problems. Not being placed in a medical environment we cannot provide a diagnosis of your condition and we cannot give medical advise either although we may be able to make certain helpful recommendations about what you may do by way of exercise and/or what other avenues you may wish to pursue. Naturally you can share this information with those who treat you but it is up to their professional judgement if they consider our findings.

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