Matthew J D Taylor

Activity-Promoting Gaming Systems in Exercise and Rehabilitation

Commercial activity-promoting gaming systems provide a potentially attractive means to facilitate exercise and rehabilitation. The Nintendo Wii, Sony EyeToy, Dance Dance Revolution, and Xbox Kinect are examples of gaming systems that use the movement of the player to control gameplay. Activity-promoting gaming systems can be used as a tool to increase activity levels in otherwise sedentary gamers and also be an effective tool to aid rehabilitation in clinical settings. Therefore, the aim of this current work is to review the growing area of activity-promoting gaming in the context of exercise, injury, and rehabilitation.

Ten-year secular changes in muscular fitness in English children

1.Faculty of Life Sciences, London Metropolitan University, London, UK2.Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, UK3.Centre for Research in Human Development, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, CanadaCorrespondenceDD Cohen, Faculty of Life Sciences, London Metro-politan University, London, UK.Tel: +44 207 133 4687 |Fax: +44 0207 133 4149 |Email: d.cohen@londonmet.ac.ukReceived8 October 2010; revised 25 February 2011;accepted 8 April 2011.DOI:10.1111/j.1651-2227.2011.02318.x

The temporal–spatial and ground reaction impulses of turning gait: Is turning symmetrical?

This study had two aims. Firstly, to characterise the temporal-spatial and ground reaction impulse adjustments, compared to straight gait, required to complete step turns to the left and to the right and secondly, to assess if the turns were asymmetrical. Seven participants were instructed to perform 90 degrees step turns to the left and right. The actual angle turned was less for both turns (right 80.2+/-5.5 degrees , left 82.8+/-5.3 degrees ). Data were collected using a 7 camera VICON infra-red motion analysis system (120 Hz) and a Kistler force plate (600 Hz). Adjustments were made in the approach, turn and depart strides compared to straight gait. The mean velocity was significantly lower and the stride was significantly shorter in the approach stride before the turn (p<0.0125) compared to straight gait, indicating a possible feed-forward mechanism prior to turning. Velocity was significantly lower and the stride length significantly shorter during the depart stride (p<0.0125) compared to straight gait. Participants did not return to a normal pattern within one stride. For the turn step, the velocity, step length and step width were all significantly different (p<0.0125) compared to straight gait. The turning ground reaction impulses were significantly greater (p<0.0125) compared to straight gait, indicating a need for increased support, medial shift, braking and propulsion. The turns to the left and right were statistically asymmetrical (p<0.0125) in 11 of the 18 variables. However, impulses were generally symmetrical, which does not generally support the functional asymmetry theory, though the contributions to propulsion were significantly greater when turning from the dominant limb.

Handgrip strength in English schoolchildren

Aims:  The aims of this study were to evaluate patterns of handgrip (HG) strength in relation to gender and age in English schoolchildren and to compare this with existing data and produce reference data for this population.

Vertical jumping and leg power normative data for English school children aged 10-15 years.

Abstract Although vertical jumping is often incorporated into physical activity tests for both adults and children, normative data for children and adolescents are lacking in the literature. The objectives of this study were to provide normative data of jump height and predicted peak leg power for males and females aged 10.0–15.9 years. Altogether, 1845 children from 12 state primary and secondary schools in the East of England participated in the study. Each child performed two countermovement jumps, and jump height was calculated using a NewTest jump mat. The highest jump was used for analysis and in the calculation of predicted peak power. Jump height and predicted peak leg power were significantly higher for males than females from the age of 11 years. Jump height and peak power increased significantly year on year for males. For females, jump height and predicted peak leg power reached a plateau after age 12 and 13 years respectively. This study provides normative data that can be used as a tool to classify jumping performance in children aged 10–15 years.

Centile curves and normative values for the twenty metre shuttle-run test in English schoolchildren

Abstract The aim of this study was to provide normative data for performance on the 20 m shuttle-run test of cardiorespiratory fitness in English schoolchildren. A total of 7366 10–16 year olds completed the 20 m shuttle-run test. We expressed performance as the number of shuttles completed, test score (shuttles and levels) and estimated peak oxygen consumption ([Vdot]O2peak). We calculated descriptive statistics for each age-sex group to construct percentile curves and tables. To assess the cardiorespiratory fitness of our sample, we calculated the number of participants who fell below proposed cut-offs for low cardiorespiratory fitness based on either completed shuttles or [Vdot]O2peak. These cut-offs did not agree in terms of frequency of classification. The classification based on estimated [Vdot]O2peak suggested low fitness was more prevalent in males and that the incidence of low fitness increased with age in both sexes. These are the first normative data for shuttle-run performance in English youth and can now be used to interpret data from this cardiorespiratory fitness test. The two cut-offs used for low fitness did not agree and future research should establish a cut-off for test performance which can predict present or future ill-health

Spring Mass Characteristics of the Fastest Men on Earth

The spring mass model has widely been used to characterize the whole body during running and sprinting. However the spring mass characteristics of the worlds fastest men are still unknown. Thus the aim of this study was to model these characteristics for currently the 3 fastest men on earth (Usain Bolt, Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell). This was done by using data collected during the 2009 World championships in Berlin and the modelling method of Morin et al. 21. Even though Bolt achieved the greatest velocity (12.3 m.s - 1) over the 60-80 m split compared to his competitors, his estimated vertical stiffness (355.8 kN.m - 1) and leg stiffness (21.0 kN.m - 1) were significantly lower than his competitors. This reduction in stiffness is a consequence of Bolts longer contact time (0.091 s) [corrected] and lower step frequency (4.49 Hz).Thus Bolt is able to run at a greater velocity but with lower stiffness compared to his competitors.

Using the Nintendo Wii as an Intervention in a Falls Prevention Group

Falls currently cost the UK National Health Service £1.7 billion (

Turning bias and lateral dominance in a sample of able-bodied and amputee participants

2.6 billion) annually (£4.6 million (

Nintendo Wii As a Training Tool in Falls Prevention Rehabilitation: Case Studies

7.1 million) daily), and approximately 14,000 deaths occur from falling. To counter this, falls prevention training uses a number of common physiotherapy techniques that aim to improve balance, mobility, and educate recovery from the instance of a fall. The Nintendo Wii and balance board (Nintendo, Redmond, WA) is a commercially available computer and software package with which player movements control game play. The literature suggests that the Wii can aid rehabilitation, but these trials have not been incorporated into a clinical physiotherapy training program. The aim of the current research was to evaluate the efficacy of including the Wii in an established falls prevention training program.