Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 4, 2025
Sit-to-stand-and-walk from 120% Knee Height: A Novel Approach to Assess Dynamic Postural Control Independent of Lead-limb
Published on: August 30, 2016
Identifying consistent biomechanical parameters across rising-to-walk subtasks to inform rehabilitation in practice:
Gareth D Jones1, Gareth L Jones2, Darren C James3
1Centre for Human and Applied Physiological Sciences (CHAPS), Shepherd's House, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK; Physiotherapy Department, 3rd Floor Lambeth Wing, St Thomas' Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, SE1 7EH, UK.
Background:
The best approach to rehabilitate the control of everyday whole-body movement (e.g. rise-to-walk) after pathology remains unclear in part because the associated controlled performance variables are not known. Rise-to-walk can be performed fluidly (sit-to-walk) or non-fluidly (sit-to-stand, proceeded by gait-initiation). Biomechanical variables that remain consistent in health regardless of how rise-to walk is performed represent controlled performance variable candidates which could monitor rehabilitative change.
Research Question:
To determine if any biomechanical parameters remain consistent across rising-to-walk (RTW) subtasks (sit-to-stand, gait-initiation, and sit-to-walk) in healthy adults for purposes of movement control assessment in clinical practice.
Methods:
Data sources included Medline, Cinahl, and Scopus databases, and the grey literature. Study selection was based on eligibility criteria and must have reported spatiotemporal, kinematic and/or kinetic biomechanical parameters featuring >1 RTW subtask. Data extraction and synthesis; standardised-mean-differences (SMDs) were calculated (pooled if replicated in >1 study) for each parameter. Consistency was determined if SMD95 %CIs included the zero-effect line.
Results:
Nine studies (n = 99) were included (40 ± 7.5yrs). Seven parameters were replicated in >1 study and subjected to meta-analysis (fixed-effect model). Two were consistent between sit-to-stand and sit-to-walk: flexion-momentum time (M(95 %CI) = 0.055(-0.423 to 0.533); p = 0.823) and peak whole-body-centre-of-mass vertical velocity (M(95 %CI)= -0.415(-0.898 to 0.069); p = 0.093); and centre-of-pressure to whole-body-centre-of-mass distance at toe-off (M(95 %CI)= -0.137(-0.712 to 0.439); p = 0.642) between gait-initiation and sit-to-walk. Another 20 parameters were consistent based on single-study SMDs.
Significance:
Consistent parameters might exist across RTW subtasks. However, the evidence is based on few studies with small samples and variable RTW protocols. Future studies designed to confirm consistency using a standardised RTW protocol are needed.
