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Papers by Martina Alvini

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of Gait Events Identification through Wearable Inertial Sensors on Clinical Gait Analysis of Children with Idiopathic Toe Walking

Micromachines

Idiopathic toe walking (ITW) is a gait deviation characterized by forefoot contact with the groun... more Idiopathic toe walking (ITW) is a gait deviation characterized by forefoot contact with the ground and excessive ankle plantarflexion over the entire gait cycle observed in otherwise-typical developing children. The clinical evaluation of ITW is usually performed using optoelectronic systems analyzing the sagittal component of ankle kinematics and kinetics. However, in standardized laboratory contexts, these children can adopt a typical walking pattern instead of a toe walk, thus hindering the laboratory-based clinical evaluation. With these premises, measuring gait in a more ecological environment may be crucial in this population. As a first step towards adopting wearable clinical protocols embedding magneto-inertial sensors and pressure insoles, this study analyzed the performance of three algorithms for gait events identification based on shank and/or foot sensors. Foot strike and foot off were estimated from gait measurements taken from children with ITW walking barefoot and wh...

Research paper thumbnail of Ankle Kinematics Characterization in Children with Idiopathic Toe Walking: Does the Foot Model Change the Clinical Evaluation?

Healthcare

Idiopathic toe walking (ITW) is a gait deviation characterized by forefoot contact with the groun... more Idiopathic toe walking (ITW) is a gait deviation characterized by forefoot contact with the ground, sometimes observed in children, that alters ankle kinematics, possibly leading to health-related issues. When studying foot and ankle gait deviations, the adoption of a single-segment foot model entails a significant simplification of foot and ankle movement, and thus may potentially mask some important foot dynamics. Differences in ankle kinematics between single- (conventional gait model, PiG, or Davis) and multi-segment (Oxford foot model, OFM) foot models were investigated in children with ITW. Fourteen participants were enrolled in the study and underwent instrumented gait analysis. Children were asked to walk barefoot and while wearing a foot orthosis that modified the ankle movement pattern toward a more physiological one without blocking foot intrinsic motion. ITW gait abnormalities, e.g., the absence of heel rocker and the presence of anticipated forefoot rocker, were found/n...

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of wearing a foot orthosis on ankle function in children with idiopathic toe walking during gait

Heliyon

Walking barefoot and wearing foot orthosis were analyzed in idiopathic toe walkers. When worn, fo... more Walking barefoot and wearing foot orthosis were analyzed in idiopathic toe walkers. When worn, foot orthosis improves idiopathic toe walking severity classification. Heel-to-toe gait is promoted when using foot orthosis. When worn, foot orthosis improves ankle kinematics, moment, and power.

Research paper thumbnail of A wearable gait analysis protocol to support the choice of the appropriate ankle foot orthosis: A comparative assessment in children with Cerebral Palsy

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of Gait Events Identification through Wearable Inertial Sensors on Clinical Gait Analysis of Children with Idiopathic Toe Walking

Micromachines

Idiopathic toe walking (ITW) is a gait deviation characterized by forefoot contact with the groun... more Idiopathic toe walking (ITW) is a gait deviation characterized by forefoot contact with the ground and excessive ankle plantarflexion over the entire gait cycle observed in otherwise-typical developing children. The clinical evaluation of ITW is usually performed using optoelectronic systems analyzing the sagittal component of ankle kinematics and kinetics. However, in standardized laboratory contexts, these children can adopt a typical walking pattern instead of a toe walk, thus hindering the laboratory-based clinical evaluation. With these premises, measuring gait in a more ecological environment may be crucial in this population. As a first step towards adopting wearable clinical protocols embedding magneto-inertial sensors and pressure insoles, this study analyzed the performance of three algorithms for gait events identification based on shank and/or foot sensors. Foot strike and foot off were estimated from gait measurements taken from children with ITW walking barefoot and wh...

Research paper thumbnail of Ankle Kinematics Characterization in Children with Idiopathic Toe Walking: Does the Foot Model Change the Clinical Evaluation?

Healthcare

Idiopathic toe walking (ITW) is a gait deviation characterized by forefoot contact with the groun... more Idiopathic toe walking (ITW) is a gait deviation characterized by forefoot contact with the ground, sometimes observed in children, that alters ankle kinematics, possibly leading to health-related issues. When studying foot and ankle gait deviations, the adoption of a single-segment foot model entails a significant simplification of foot and ankle movement, and thus may potentially mask some important foot dynamics. Differences in ankle kinematics between single- (conventional gait model, PiG, or Davis) and multi-segment (Oxford foot model, OFM) foot models were investigated in children with ITW. Fourteen participants were enrolled in the study and underwent instrumented gait analysis. Children were asked to walk barefoot and while wearing a foot orthosis that modified the ankle movement pattern toward a more physiological one without blocking foot intrinsic motion. ITW gait abnormalities, e.g., the absence of heel rocker and the presence of anticipated forefoot rocker, were found/n...

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of wearing a foot orthosis on ankle function in children with idiopathic toe walking during gait

Heliyon

Walking barefoot and wearing foot orthosis were analyzed in idiopathic toe walkers. When worn, fo... more Walking barefoot and wearing foot orthosis were analyzed in idiopathic toe walkers. When worn, foot orthosis improves idiopathic toe walking severity classification. Heel-to-toe gait is promoted when using foot orthosis. When worn, foot orthosis improves ankle kinematics, moment, and power.

Research paper thumbnail of A wearable gait analysis protocol to support the choice of the appropriate ankle foot orthosis: A comparative assessment in children with Cerebral Palsy

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