Following are the responses I received to my query about the Kistler
Gaitway (forceplate treadmill system). Thanks to all who replied.
_______________
I received your message regarding the Kistler Gaitway system. We have
one in our biomechanics laboratory here at CMU. What would you like to
know? Overall our experience has been very positive. Treadmill-based
gait, however, is different than over-ground. Those differences present
considerable advantages on some accounts, and considerable limitations
on others.
--
Peter V. Loubert PhD, PT, ATC
Associate Professor of Physical Therapy
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 USA
Phone: 517-774-2396
Fax: 517-774-2908
Email: Peter.V.Loubert@cmich.edu
________________________
I've used Gaitway (we were lent a system for a couple of months). I'm
quite impressed with the system in trems of how easy it is to use and
collect representative forces for someone walking or running. There
are obviousl limitations - it only measures the vertical force; there
are problems with vibratioon and it can't cope with limped walking
(e.g above the knee amputee).
Despite these limitations I've managed to use it to determine the
change in GRF for alterations in prosthetic alignment (I've just
presented this work to the IXth World Congress of ISPO, in Amsterdam)
as-well-as other research areas.
What sort of information were you after - let me know and I'll try
and help.
John Buckley
Biomechanics Research Group
Dept of Exercise + Sport Science
Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.
email: J.Buckley@mmu.ac.uk
fax: +44 161 2476375
_________________________
We have a Kistler gaitway treadmill on site as part of a grant program
sponsored by Kistler. It has been onsite for almost a year now. We have
found the treadmill to be exceptional in performance and has met our
rehabilitative and scientific needs. The software is user friendly and
sound (i.e. - no bugs to speak of).
The only draw back for us was the size and wieght (around 1300 lbs.) of
the treadmill. We had a difficult time unloading and getting the
treadmill to the basement of the hospital where our lab is located. We
also had to install special electrical outlets for power. The specs for
these plugs were made available to us by Kistler in advance.
We primarily use the treadmill for gait training/re-training for variuos
orthopedic surgical procedures (total knee, hip, etc...). We have
attempted gait studies with CP kids which was difficult. The people you
are testing must be able to seperate there left and right foot strikes
adequately (i.e., can not "shuffle") in order for the Kistler software
to use its alogrythm to seperate foot strikes and identifye typicall
VGRF patterns (f1, f2, loading rate, etc...). I am assuming you are
aware that the treadmill only defines Vertical GRFs and not shear (or
moment) data.
I would be happy to discuss the treadmill in detail by phone.
Best Regards,
Mike Torry, Ph.D.
Research Fellow
Steadman-Hawkins Sports Medicine Foundation
970-479-9797 ext.5224
__________________________
Here at UB we (Scott White and myself) have been using a Gaitway
system for a while and have been generally pleased with it. What
specific questions do you have?
Louise Gilchrist
Louise Gilchrist, PhD
Department of Physical Therapy, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences
SUNY at Buffalo
405 Kimball Tower
Buffalo, NY 14222
lag@acsu.buffalo.edu
--
Stephen
__________________________________________________ ___________________
Stephen M. Perle, D.C. "A man who knows that
Assistant Professor of Clinical Sciences he is a fool is not
University of Bridgeport College of Chiropractic a great fool."
Bridgeport, CT 06601 Chuang Tzu
E-mail: perle@cse.bridgeport.edu
http://www.bridgeport.edu/ubpage/chiro/
__________________________________________________ ___________________
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