Sensory Enhancing Insoles Modify Gait during Inclined Treadmill Walking with Load

Miranda, Daniel L.; Hsu, Wen-Hao; Petersen, Kelsey; Fitzgibbons, Stacey; Niemi, James B.; Lesniewski-Laas, Nicholas; Walsh, Conor J.

doi:10.1249/mss.0000000000000831

Cited by 13 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…For example, Priplata et al, 2002 , 2003 , 2006 showed improved postural balance with the addition of noise at an intensity of 90% PT. This intensity has also been shown to improve gait measures (Galica et al, 2009 ; Miranda et al, 2016 ). Lipsitz et al ( 2015 ) applied tactile noise to the foot at intensities of 0%, 70%, and 85% PT and found that both 70% and 85% PT enhanced gait measures similarly.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Subthreshold Electrical Noise Applied to the Plantar Foot Enhances Lower-Limb Cutaneous Reflex Generation

Sharma

Peters

Bent

2020

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

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Reflex responses generated by cutaneous mechanoreceptors of the plantar foot are important for the maintenance of balance during postural tasks and gait. With aging, reflex generation, particularly from fast adapting type I receptors, is reduced, which likely contributes to impaired postural stability in this population. Therefore, improving reflex generation from these receptors may serve as a tool to improve balance performance. A mechanism to enhance reflexes may lie in the phenomenon of stochastic resonance, whereby the addition of certain intensities and frequencies of noise stimuli improves the performance of a system. This study was conducted to determine whether tactile noise stimuli could improve cutaneous reflex generation. In 12 healthy young adults, we evoked cutaneous reflex responses using a 0–50 Hz Gaussian noise vibration applied to the plantar heel. Concurrently, we applied one of six subthreshold intensities of electrical tactile noise to the plantar heel [0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% or 100% (threshold)] and were able to analyze data from 0%, 20% and 40% trials. Across participants, it was found that the addition of a 20% perceptual threshold (PT) noise resulted in enhanced reflex responses when analyzed in both the time and frequency domains. These data provide evidence that cutaneous reflex generation can be enhanced via a stochastic resonance effect and that 20% PT is the optimal intensity of noise to do so. Therefore, the addition of noise stimuli may be a valuable clinical intervention to improve reflex responses associated with postural balance in populations with impairments.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Subthreshold Electrical Noise Applied to the Plantar Foot Enhances Lower-Limb Cutaneous Reflex Generation

Sharma

Peters

Bent

2020

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

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“…Before the first assessment, the outlines of the foot placement were traced on paper and this outline was used for all subsequent trials to ensure consistency of foot placement. A custom-developed software program enabled the amplitude of vibrations to be automatically ramped up or down in 1% increments between 0% and 100% of maximum output (Lipsitz et al, 2015; Zhou et al, 2016; Miranda et al, 2016a; Miranda et al, 2016b). Each foot sole was tested separately and the testing order was randomized across participants, visits and trials.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transcranial direct current stimulation enhances foot sole somatosensation when standing in older adults

Zhou

Lipsitz

et al. 2018

Exp Brain Res

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Foot-sole somatosensation is critical for safe mobility in older adults. Somatosensation arises when afferent input activates a neural network that includes the primary somatosensory cortex. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), as a strategy to increase somatosensory cortical excitability, may, therefore, enhance foot-sole somatosensation. We hypothesized that a single session of tDCS would improve foot-sole somatosensation, and thus mobility, in older adults. Twenty healthy older adults completed this randomized, double-blinded, cross-over study consisting of two visits separated by one week. On each visit, standing vibratory threshold (SVT) of each foot and the timed-up-and-go test (TUG) of mobility were assessed immediately before and after a 20-min session of tDCS (2.0 mA) or sham stimulation with the anode placed over C3 (according to the 10/20 EEG placement system) and the cathode over the contralateral supraorbital margin. tDCS condition order was randomized. SVT was measured with a shoe insole system. This system automatically ramped up, or down, the amplitude of applied vibrations and the participant stated when they could or could no longer feel the vibration, such that lower SVT reflected better somatosensation. The SVTs of both foot soles were lower following tDCS as compared to sham and both pre-test conditions [F > 3.4, p < 0.03]. A trend towards better TUG performance following tDCS was also observed [F = 2.4, p = 0.07]. Greater improvement in SVT (averaged across feet) moderately correlated with greater improvement in TUG performance (r = 0.48, p = 0.03). These results suggest that tDCS may enhance lower-extremity somatosensory function, and potentially mobility, in healthy older adults.

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“…Subthreshold vibrotactile noise stimulation augments postural performance under more difficult task conditions too. Noise-enhanced vibrotactile stimulation benefits gait variability in terms of stride width in a fatigued state, for example during inclined treadmill walking with 30% added body weight (Miranda et al, 2016). Dettmer et al (2015) tested young and older adults in an intersensory conflict situation by sway-referencing the visual input, thereby removing any visual sway-related information.…”

Section: Stochastic Resonance: When Noise Becomes An Allied To the Brainmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Promise of Stochastic Resonance in Falls Prevention

et al. 2019

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Multisensory integration is essential for maintenance of motor and cognitive abilities, thereby ensuring normal function and personal autonomy. Balance control is challenged during senescence or in motor disorders, leading to potential falls. Increased uncertainty in sensory signals is caused by a number of factors including noise, defined as a random and persistent disturbance that reduces the clarity of information. Counter-intuitively, noise can be beneficial in some conditions. Stochastic resonance is a mechanism whereby a particular level of noise actually enhances the response of non-linear systems to weak sensory signals. Here we review the effects of stochastic resonance on sensory modalities and systems directly involved in balance control. We highlight its potential for improving sensorimotor performance as well as cognitive and autonomic functions. These promising results demonstrate that stochastic resonance represents a flexible and non-invasive technique that can be applied to different modalities simultaneously. Finally we point out its benefits for a variety of scenarios including in ambulant elderly, skilled movements, sports and to patients with sensorimotor or autonomic dysfunctions.

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Sensory Enhancing Insoles Modify Gait during Inclined Treadmill Walking with Load

Cited by 13 publications

References 44 publications

Subthreshold Electrical Noise Applied to the Plantar Foot Enhances Lower-Limb Cutaneous Reflex Generation

Subthreshold Electrical Noise Applied to the Plantar Foot Enhances Lower-Limb Cutaneous Reflex Generation

Transcranial direct current stimulation enhances foot sole somatosensation when standing in older adults

The Promise of Stochastic Resonance in Falls Prevention

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