Revealing the optimal thresholds for movement performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis to benchmark pathological walking behaviour

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Date
2020-01Type
- Review Article
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Cited 15 times in
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Cited 15 times in
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Abstract
In order to address whether increased levels of movement output variability indicate pathological performance, we systematically reviewed and synthesized meta-analysis data on healthy and pathological motor behavior. After screening up to 24’000 reports from four databases, 85 studies were included containing 2409 patients and 2523 healthy asymptomatic controls. The optimal thresholds of variability with uncertainty boundaries (in % Coefficient of Variation ± Standard Error) were estimated in 7 parameters: stride time (2.34 ± 0.21), stride length (2.99 ± 0.37), step length (3.34 ± 0.84), swing time (2.94 ± 0.60), step time (3.35 ± 0.23), step width (15.87 ± 1.86), and dual-limb support time (6.08 ± 2.83). All spatio-temporal parameters exhibited a positive effect size (pathology led to increased variability) except step width variability (Effect Size = −0.21). By objectively benchmarking thresholds for pathological motor variability also presented through a case-study, this review provides access to movement signatures to understand neurological changes in an individual that are apparent in movement variability. The comprehensive evidence presented now qualifies stride time variability as a movement biomarker, endorsing its applicability as a viable outcome measure in clinical trials. Show more
Permanent link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000376934Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral ReviewsVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
ElsevierSubject
Variability; Movement disorders; Optimal thresholds; BiomarkersOrganisational unit
03994 - Taylor, William R. / Taylor, William R.
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Show all metadata
Citations
Cited 15 times in
Web of Science
Cited 15 times in
Scopus
ETH Bibliography
yes
Altmetrics