@article{ref1,
title="Walking with a four wheeled walker (Rollator) significantly reduces EMG lower-limb muscle activity in healthy subjects",
journal="Journal of bodywork and movement therapies",
year="2016",
author="Suica, Zorica and Romkes, Jacqueline and Tal, Amir and Maguire, Clare",
volume="20",
number="1",
pages="65-73",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To investigate the immediate effect of four-wheeled- walker(rollator)walking on lower-limb muscle activity and trunk-sway in healthy subjects. <br><br>METHODS: In this cross-sectional design electromyographic (EMG) data was collected in six lower-limb muscle groups and trunk-sway was measured as peak-to-peak angular displacement of the centre-of-mass (level L2/3) in the sagittal and frontal-planes using the SwayStar balance system. 19 subjects walked at self-selected speed firstly without a rollator then in randomised order 1. with rollator 2. with rollator with increased weight-bearing. <br><br>RESULTS: Rollator-walking caused statistically significant reductions in EMG activity in lower-limb muscle groups and effect-sizes were medium to large. Increased weight-bearing increased the effect. Trunk-sway in the sagittal and frontal-planes showed no statistically significant difference between conditions. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Rollator-walking reduces lower-limb muscle activity but trunk-sway remains unchanged as stability is likely gained through forces generated by the upper-limbs. Short-term stability is gained but the long-term effect is unclear and requires investigation.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1360-8592",
doi="10.1016/j.jbmt.2015.06.002",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2015.06.002"
}