Biomedical subjects

N H McNevin

Publications and source records attributed to N H McNevin.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Gait in adolescent cerebral palsy: the effect of partial unweighting.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of partial unweighting in improving gait in a patient with cerebral palsy. PATIENT: One medically stable 17-year-old female, classified as having spasticity. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Heart rate, blood pressure, and perceived exertion were recorded across increments in treadmill gait speed as a function of nonsupported and partial unweighting conditions (30% of body mass supported). Nonsupported and partial unweighting conditions were administered 1 week apart. RESULTS: The partial unweighting condition resulted in significantly lower physiologic (heart rate and blood pressure) indices and perceived exertion across all increments in gait speed. Additionally, the subject was able to ambulate at a faster rate of speed under the partial unweighting relative to nonsupported conditions. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest partial unweighting improves gait efficiency across increments in gait speed, but only to a certain point. For the subject in this report, gait efficiency declined as speed increased beyond some critical threshold (about 2.72km/h), suggesting a limit to partial unweighting during gait training as a function of endurance and training.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Attentional focus in complex skill learning.

Experiment 1 examined whether it is more advantageous to direct learners' attention to the external effects of their movements relative to other external cues. Two groups of participants hit tennis balls at a target, with one group focusing on the ball coming toward them (antecedent) and the other group focusing on the ball leaving the racket (effect). The effect group demonstrated more effective learning. Experiment 2 examined whether it is more beneficial if the movement effect is related to the movement technique, relative to other movement effects (e.g., outcome). Two groups of participants hit golf balls at a target. The attention of these groups was directed to the club or the ball trajectory, respectively. The club group showed more effective learning than the target group, suggesting that focusing on technique-related effects is more effective.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Effects of attentional focus, self-control, and dyad training on motor learning: implications for physical rehabilitation.

In this article, the authors review recent studies on 3 factors that have been shown to affect the learning of motor skills-the performer's attentional focus, self-control, and practice in dyads-and discuss their implications for rehabilitation. Research has shown that directing learners' attention to the effects of their movements can be more beneficial for learning than directing their attention to the details of their own actions. Furthermore, giving learners some control over the training regimen has been found to enhance learning, unlike prescriptive training protocols that dictate when feedback will be delivered, how often, and the order that tasks will be practiced. Finally, not only can practice in dyads (or larger groups) reduce the costs of training, but it can also result in more effective learning than individual practice sessions. The incorporation of these factors into rehabilitation practice can potentially enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of rehabilitation.

Attention↗