breakthroughs
Best foot forward
A device to measure foot control is being trialled to improve walking ability for adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy .
Shari O ’ Brien , a researcher from The University of Queensland ’ s School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences , is assessing if the device combined with ankle training will reduce tripping and injuries caused from poor muscle control and coordination .
“ Our aim is to improve the ability of those with cerebral palsy to walk without fear of falling and improve their quality of life and independence ,” Ms O ’ Brien said . Current rehabilitation often focuses on addressing the changes which occur to muscles , including spasticity and reduced muscle volume and strength .
“ While this is beneficial to walking , there is little understanding of both the role of the nervous system in impairment and how well it can learn to improve joint control ,” Ms O ’ Brien said .
“ This has led me to design new equipment and a training program to promote learning for ankle control and to better understand the nervous system .”
Ms O ’ Brien is looking for individuals aged 15 to 25 who have a diagnosis of spastic cerebral palsy and are able to walk independently ( with or without an aid ) to participate in the study . The study consists of six weeks of progressive supervised training including assessments on foot control during walking and while performing tasks in the custom designed ankle device .
To find out more contact Shari O ’ Brien on s . obrien12 @ uq . edu . au or 0451 297 485 .
RMIT University researchers Professor Dinesh Kumar and Poonam Zham .
Early detection for Parkinson ’ s
Researchers have developed the first tool that can diagnose Parkinson ’ s disease when there are no physical symptoms .
There are currently no laboratory tests for Parkinson ’ s and by the time people present to a neurologist with symptoms , nerve cells in their brains have already suffered irreversible damage .
The RMIT University research team behind the new diagnostic software - which works with readily available technologies and has an accuracy rate of 93 per cent - hope it could one day be used as a standard screening test to spot the condition in its earliest stages .
Chief investigator Professor Dinesh Kumar said many treatment options for Parkinson ’ s were effective only when the disease was diagnosed early .
“ Pushing back the point at which treatment can start is critical because we know that by the time someone starts to experience tremors or rigidity , wit may already be too late ,” Kumar said .
“ We ’ ve long known that Parkinson ’ s disease affects the writing and sketching abilities of patients , but efforts to translate that insight into a reliable assessment method have failed – until now . The customised software we ’ ve developed records how a person draws a spiral and analyses the data in real time . The only equipment you need to run the test is a pen , paper and a large drawing tablet .
“ With this tool we can tell whether someone has Parkinson ’ s disease and calculate the severity of their condition , with a 93 % accuracy rate .” linkonline . com . au travel
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