Percorrer por autor "Ribeiro, Andrea"
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- 3D Analysis of the Initial and End Positions of an Active and Passive Prone Hip Extension Test and Its Correlation with Lower Limb Isokinetic Neuromuscular Function of College Students: A Pilot StudyPublication . Lumini, José; Hedirian, Benjamin; Fonseca, Pedro; Ribeiro, Andrea; Schneider, André; Monteiro, António M.; Vilas-Boas, João PauloManual therapists routinely evaluate changes in pain, movement, and function through clinical tests that support clinical reasoning. The Prone Hip Extension Test (PHET) is commonly used as a self-perturbation task to assess lumbopelvic control and hip motion patterns related to gait. Performing the PHET actively and passively may reveal how voluntary activation and passive structures influence joint kinematics and contribute to force production. This study aimed to compare active and passive PHET execution and investigate how initial (IP) and final hip positions (FP) correlate with lower-limb neuromuscular function. Methods: Seven healthy volunteers (24.3 ± 3.4 years; 173.1 ± 7.5 cm; 72.1 ± 9.5 kg) without musculoskeletal conditions participated. Hip kinematics were recorded using a 12-camera Qualisys Oqus system (200 Hz) with 22 reflective markers, processed in Qualisys Track Manager 2.13 and exported to Visual3D. Participants performed three PHET trials in both IP and FP, with mean angles considered for analysis. Knee isokinetic performance was assessed on a Biodex System 4 at 180◦/s and 300◦/s for flexion and extension. Results: Significant differences between active and passive PHET emerged in the FP for rotational movements bilaterally (p = 0.02) and in IP adduction/abduction for both hips (right p = 0.03; left p = 0.02). No side-to-side differences were observed. Passive FP of the right hip showed multiple significant correlations with isokinetic flexion and extension parameters at 180◦/s and 300◦/s, particularly with torque/body weight, acceleration and deceleration times, and agonist/antagonist ratios (ρ ranging from −0.86 to 0.90). Conclusions: Meaningful differences exist between active and passive PHET performance, especially in frontal-plane IP and rotational FP measures. Additionally, passive FP strongly correlates with several neuromuscular variables, suggesting that PHET kinematics may reflect lower-limb isokinetic function.
- The Impact of Knee Braces on Plantar Pressure Distribution in Elderly Individuals: Implications for Fall Risk PreventionPublication . Lumini, José; Ribeiro, Andrea; Schneider, André; Monteiro, António M.; Sousa, JoãoFalls are a major public health concern in older adults, largely due to age-related declines in proprioception and postural control. Although knee braces are commonly prescribed to enhance joint stability and sensory feedback, their effects on plantar pressure distribution remain unclear; Thirteen community-dwelling older adults (mean age: 79.6 ± 3.2 years) participated in a repeated-measures study under three conditions: no brace, knee brace A, and knee brace B. Plantar pressure variables were assessed barefoot during quiet standing using a baropodometric platform. Conditions were compared using non-parametric Friedman tests; Significant differences were observed for left foot total surface area (p = 0.041) and left rearfoot surface area (p = 0.020). Compared with no brace, brace A increased plantar contact area, whereas brace B reduced it. No significant differences were found for pressure magnitude, load distribution, or right foot variables; Knee braces induce subtle, brace-specific and lateralized changes in plantar pressure distribution, potentially reflecting altered postural control strategies. Although limited to specific variables, these effects may be clinically relevant for fall risk assessment and individualized knee brace prescription in older adults.