Measuring leg power and muscle activity across different age groups

Before you decide to take part in this study it is important for you to understand why the research is being undertaken and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully. A member of the research team can be contacted if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information.

Purpose of the study

1) To find out how muscle activation for muscle groups in the leg among different age groups (20-39yo, 40-59yo, ³60yo) decrease as age increases.

2) To find out if specific leg muscles decrease relatively rapidly in their ability to contract and if those muscles are associated with maintaining balance and function.

3) To find out if any decrease in muscle contraction ability is associated with total muscle power reduction and hence deterioration in muscle function.

4) To use the information obtained to aid in informing future rehabilitation exercises to prevent falls in the elderly.

Eligibility

Participants need to be at least 20 years old and not at risk of falling (no history of falls - no falls within the last year which have resulted in surgery and no current lower limb injuries/pain).

Do I have to take part? 

This study is entirely voluntary, refusal or withdrawal will involve no penalty or loss, now or in the future.

What will happen to me if I take part?

If you decide to take part in this study, you will be asked to make your way to the Gait Laboratory at the University of Warwick. There you will have your leg length, body weight and leg weight measured. Next the researcher will attach electromyography markers to your skin using medical standard tape and get you to sit on a chair. You will be asked to do five sit-stand-sit movements, with a one minute interval between each and you will be timed for each one.

Please bring/wear a pair of shorts so that the markers can be placed on your skin. There are changing room facilities in the building. The whole experiment should not last longer than an hour.

Confidentiality & data storage

All data on software used during data collection and analysis will only be identifiable by a code and will not be used or made available for any purposes other than the research project. An Excel document will be created to match the names of participants with a code. This document will be saved on the researcher’s laptop, which is password protected, and on an encrypted external hard drive. The laptop and external hard drive will be kept either in the gait laboratory (swipe-card access only) or in a locked drawer at home. Data on the laptop will be destroyed once project is finished.

Are there possible disadvantages and/or risks in taking part?

As this is a completely non-invasive procedure, there are minimal risks involved. If you feel that your gait is unstable or you are suffering from any previous or current injury then we advise that you refrain from taking part in this study.

What will happen to the results of the research project?

Results from this project may be presented at conferences and/or written up in journal articles. All data presented will be held totally anonymous. It is possible that data collected in this project may be used for additional or subsequent research.

Who is organising the research?

This project is a student project under supervision by Warwick Medical School and the School of Engineering at University of Warwick.

Ethical review of the study

The project has received ethical approval from the Biomedical and Scientific Research Ethics Committee (BSREC).

Contact for further information

Colleen Goh

Email: c.goh@warwick.ac.uk

version 3, 7.08.2018