Motor Impairment Blog


The ageing foot: how does skin feedback change as we grow old?

Historically, research on skin’s role in postural stability has focused on the sole of the foot, as this area is in contact with the ground as we stand and move. Special receptors from the sole of the foot provide information about contact pressure and slips of the foot (Kennedy & […]


Poor statistical reporting persists despite editorial advice

Scientific discoveries must be reported accurately. If not, the general public will lose trust and question why their tax dollars are being wasted. Unfortunately, the quality of research reports in the biomedical sciences is generally poor. Basic statistical reporting is inadequate, and spin – the distorted, self-serving interpretation of results […]


How many times per week should an older person perform resistance training? “More is more” versus “less is more”

Current recommendations for physical activity state healthy adults should: 1) engage in moderate aerobic exercise for at least 150 minutes per week and 2) perform resistance training (i.e. strength training) for all major muscle groups at least two times per week (World Health Organization, 2010). However, according to recent reports […]


Older people maintain their strength and balance after a busy day

Previous studies have shown that repeatedly working muscles until fatigue results in reduced strength, sensation, walking and balance control in older people (Helbostad et al. 2007, 2010; Kent-Braun, 2009; Pline et al. 2005). However, these extreme protocols are unlikely to accurately reflect an older person’s daily activities and likely miss the […]


Combining functional exercises with resistance training increases muscle size and improves function in young adults with cerebral palsy

Sizes of leg muscles in young adults with cerebral palsy can be reduced by up to 50% compared with typically developing people (Shortland 2009). The reduced muscle size may be caused by the effects of cerebral palsy itself, reduced muscle use, treatments that are directed at the muscle (such as […]


Resistance training after stroke improves strength but not necessarily function

Muscle weakness is the largest cause of disability after stroke (Canning et al 2004). Stroke survivors have levels of muscle strength that are about half of that of people who have not had a stroke (Dorsch et al 2016; Horstman et al 2008). Thus, it is important to identify interventions that […]


Motor Impairment Blog’s most popular posts

Over the past 4.5 years, researchers from all over the world have written non-technical summaries on their research for the Motor Impairment Blog. Consequently, the Blog contains a rich archive of information on topics such as muscle strength and weakness, falls and balance, sensation, pain, motor control, and research methods. […]


Mental fatigue impairs dual-task gait performance in old adults – A new risk factor for falls in the elderly?

Mental fatigue is a psychobiological state induced by sustained periods of demanding cognitive activity. Mental fatigue can negatively impact many aspects of daily life, such as workplace and physical exercise performance. Mental fatigue can manifest itself subjectively, behaviorally and physiologically. The subjective dimension includes increased feelings of tiredness and lack […]


Jars of jam and muscle weakness in the morning 3

It’s 6AM. Last night, you missed dinner and you’ve woken up early because your body is ready for a feed. You stumble from your bedroom into the kitchen. You open the fridge and search for your favourite jar of jam. It’s nowhere to be found. Your partner finished it (without […]


Drinking cold water improves exercise tolerance in multiple sclerosis

During physical activity or exposure to hot environments, individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) can experience heat intolerance, which leads to the rapid onset of fatigue. The underlying cause of this deterioration, known as Uhthoff’s phenomenon among MS researchers, remains unknown (Opara et al. 2016).   Due to Uhthoff’s phenomenon, individuals […]