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Prof Stephen Preece's Outputs (65)

Measuring physical activity in obese populations using accelerometry (2015)
Thesis
Gerrard-Longworth, S. (in press). Measuring physical activity in obese populations using accelerometry. (Thesis). University of Salford

The thesis is concerned with objectively measuring human physical activity through
accelerometry, and compares the effectiveness of algorithms between obese and non-obese
groups. The thesis comprises three studies:
Classification of Aerobic and... Read More about Measuring physical activity in obese populations using accelerometry.

Effect of antipronation foot orthosis geometry on compression of heel and arch soft tissues (2015)
Journal Article
Sweeney, D., Nester, C., Preece, S., & Mickle, K. (2015). Effect of antipronation foot orthosis geometry on compression of heel and arch soft tissues. Journal of rehabilitation research and development, 52(5), 543-552. https://doi.org/10.1682/JRRD.2014.12.0306

This study aimed to understand how systematic changes in arch height and two designs of heel wedging affect soft issues under the foot. Soft tissue thickness under the heel and navicular was measured using ultrasound. Heel pad thickness was measure... Read More about Effect of antipronation foot orthosis geometry on compression of heel and arch soft tissues.

Alexander technique and supervised physiotherapy exercises in back pain (ASPEN): a four-group randomised feasibility trial (2014)
Journal Article

Background: The Alexander technique probably helps back pain but it is unclear whether or not it can be combined with physiotherapy exercise classes, how many lessons are needed and what mechanisms might be involved.

Objectives: To undertake a fea... Read More about Alexander technique and supervised physiotherapy exercises in back pain (ASPEN): a four-group randomised feasibility trial.

Evaluating the effect of apex position and rocker in curved rocker shoes (2014)
Journal Article
Chapman, J., Preece, S., Nester, C., Braunstein, B., Höhne, A., & Brüggermann, G. (2014). Evaluating the effect of apex position and rocker in curved rocker shoes. Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, 7(S1), A66-A66. https://doi.org/10.1186/1757-1146-7-S1-A66

Curved rocker shoes are designed with a contoured outsole which can be characteristics by three principle design features: rocker angle, apex angle and apex position. Although these shoes are routinely prescribed to reduce in-shoe pressure in patient... Read More about Evaluating the effect of apex position and rocker in curved rocker shoes.

Is it possible to predict optimal rocker shoe design using barefoot gait parameters? (2014)
Journal Article
Chapman, J., Preece, S., Nester, C., Braunstein, B., Höhne, A., & Brüggermann, G. (2014). Is it possible to predict optimal rocker shoe design using barefoot gait parameters?. Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, 7, A65-A65. https://doi.org/10.1186/1757-1146-7-S1-A65

Curved rocker shoes are routinely prescribed for people with diabetes in order reduce in-shoe plantar pressures. However, previous research has shown that different individuals may require different rocker outsole geometries in order to optimise pres... Read More about Is it possible to predict optimal rocker shoe design using barefoot gait parameters?.

The effect of stroke on foot biomechanics; underlying mechanisms and the functional consequences (2014)
Journal Article
Forghany, S., Nester, C., Tyson, S., Preece, S., & Jones, R. (2014). The effect of stroke on foot biomechanics; underlying mechanisms and the functional consequences. Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, 7(S1), A18-A18. https://doi.org/10.1186/1757-1146-7-S1-A18

Although approximately one-third of stroke survivors suffer abnormal foot posture and this can influence mobility [1], there is very little objective information regarding the foot and ankle after stroke.

Reproducibility of kinematic measures of the thoracic spine, lumbar spine and pelvis during fast running (2014)
Journal Article
Mason, D., Preece, S., Bramah, C., & Herrington, L. (2016). Reproducibility of kinematic measures of the thoracic spine, lumbar spine and pelvis during fast running. Gait & Posture, 43, 96-100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2013.11.007

This study evaluated the reproducibility of the angular rotations of the thoracic spine, lumbar, spine, pelvis and lower extremity during running. In addition, the study compared kinematic, reproducibility between two methods for calculating kinemati... Read More about Reproducibility of kinematic measures of the thoracic spine, lumbar spine and pelvis during fast running.

The effect of stroke on foot kinematics and the functional consequences (2014)
Journal Article
Forghany, S., Nester, C., Tyson, S., Preece, S., & Jones, R. (2014). The effect of stroke on foot kinematics and the functional consequences. Gait & Posture, 39(4), 1051-1056. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2014.01.006

Background
Although approximately one-third of stroke survivors suffer abnormal foot posture and this can influence mobility, there is very little objective information regarding the foot and ankle after stroke.

Objective
As part of a programme... Read More about The effect of stroke on foot kinematics and the functional consequences.

Human activity classification using a single accelerometer (2014)
Book Chapter
AlZubi, H., Gerrard-Longworth, S., Al-Nuaimy, W., Goulermas, Y., & Preece, S. (2014). Human activity classification using a single accelerometer. In 2014 14th UK Workshop on Computational Intelligence (UKCI) (1-6). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/UKCI.2014.6930189

Human activity recognition is an area of growing interest facilitated by the current revolution in body-worn sensors. Activity recognition allows applications to construct activity profiles for each subject which could be used effectively for healthc... Read More about Human activity classification using a single accelerometer.

CAD tools for designing shoe lasts for people with diabetes (2013)
Journal Article
Bernabeub, J., Germania, M., Mandolinia, M., Mengonia, M., Nester, C., Preece, S., & Raffaelia, R. (2013). CAD tools for designing shoe lasts for people with diabetes. Computer-Aided Design, 45(6), 977-990. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cad.2012.12.005

In the context of a research program aiming at defining a framework to acquire patient data and support the whole shoe design and manufacturing process, this paper presents new CAD tools to design and validate lasts for shoes designed specifically fo... Read More about CAD tools for designing shoe lasts for people with diabetes.

Effect of rocker shoe design features on forefoot plantar pressures in people with and without diabetes (2013)
Journal Article
Chapman, J., Preece, S., Braunstein, B., Höhne, A., Nester, C., Brueggemann, G., & Hutchins, S. (2013). Effect of rocker shoe design features on forefoot plantar pressures in people with and without diabetes. Clinical Biomechanics, 28(6), 679-685. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2013.05.005

Background: There is no consensus on the precise rocker shoe outsole design that will optimally reduce plantar pressure in people with diabetes. This study aimed to understand how peak plantar pressure is influenced by systematically varying three de... Read More about Effect of rocker shoe design features on forefoot plantar pressures in people with and without diabetes.

Foot posture after stroke : frequency, nature and clinical significance (2011)
Journal Article
Forghany, S., Tyson, S., Nester, C., Preece, S., & Jones, R. (2011). Foot posture after stroke : frequency, nature and clinical significance. Clinical Rehabilitation, 25(11), 1050-1055. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269215511410581

Objectives: clinical convention suggests that foot posture and movements are adversely affected by stroke and cause walking difficulties but there is little objective data to support or refute these beliefs. This study explores static foot posture in... Read More about Foot posture after stroke : frequency, nature and clinical significance.

Automatic identification of gait events using an instrumented sock (2011)
Journal Article
instrumented sock. Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, 8, 32. https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-0003-8-32

Background: textile-based transducers are an emerging technology in which piezo-resistive properties of materials
are used to measure an applied strain. By incorporating these sensors into a sock, this technology offers the
potential to detect crit... Read More about Automatic identification of gait events using an instrumented sock.

Early observations of the effects of lateral wedge orthoses on lower limb muscle length and potential for exacerbating spasticity (2010)
Journal Article
spasticity. Prosthetics and Orthotics International, 34(3), 319-326. https://doi.org/10.3109/03093646.2010.504976

Lateral wedge orthoses are often prescribed to correct varus deformity after stroke. Spasticity is implicated in varus deformity and is caused by velocity-related muscle length changes, so a lateral wedge may affect spasticity by manipulating foot an... Read More about Early observations of the effects of lateral wedge orthoses on lower limb muscle length and potential for exacerbating spasticity.

Reproducibility of MUAP properties in array surface EMG recordings of the upper trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscle (2009)
Journal Article

The use of array surface EMG recordings for detailed assessment of motor control and muscle properties is increasing. Motor unit action potentials (MUAPs) and their properties can be extracted from these recordings. The objective of this study was to... Read More about Reproducibility of MUAP properties in array surface EMG recordings of the upper trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscle.