
Nils EckardtLeibniz Universität Hannover · Institute of Sports Science
Nils Eckardt
PhD
Always open and interested in new and exciting collaborations, particularly when you think out of the box
About
25
Publications
7,684
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Introduction
Nils Eckardt currently works at the Institute of Sports Sciences, Leibniz University Hannover. Nils does research in Biomechanics, Motor Control, Executive Control, Gerontology and Exercise Science using, besides others, multijoint coordination techniques (i.e., UCM, TNC).
Additional affiliations
Education
October 2007 - September 2012
October 2005 - September 2007
Publications
Publications (25)
The need to move over uneven terrain is a daily challenge. In order to face unexpected perturbations due to changes in the morphology of the terrain, the central nervous system must flexibly modify its control strategies. We analysed the local dynamic stability and the modular organisation of muscle activation (muscle synergies) during walking and...
It is crucial to understand age-related degenerative processes that affect dynamic postural control and ultimately increase the risk of falling for older adults. Mediolateral stability during gait, which requires active control of foot placement, may be particularly diminished with age. Using the uncontrolled manifold-analysis (UCM), we aimed to qu...
Locomotor stability is challenged by internal perturbations, e.g., motor noise, and
external perturbations, e.g., changes in surface compliance. One means to compensate
for such perturbations is to employ motor synergies, defined here as co-variation among
a set of elements that acts to stabilize, or provide similar trial-to-trial (or step-to-step)...
Aging is associated with declines in physical and cognitive performance. While there is no doubt about beneficial effects of physical exercise on proxies of strength and balance, the overall evidence for positive effects of resistance and balance training on executive functions is rather inconsistent. Whether the simultaneous exercising of strength...
Motor flexibility, the ability to employ multiple motor strategies to meet task demands, may facilitate ambulation in complex environments that constrain movements; loss of motor flexibility may impair mobility. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of obesity (a specific model of mobility impairment) and advanced age on motor flex...
Das Sturzrisiko im Alter ist mit Nachlassenden Fähigkeiten in Kraft-, Gleichgewicht und Koordination assoziiert. In Kombination mit reduzierten kognitiven Ressourcen kann die Fähigkeit, flexibel und robust auf interne und externe Störungen zu reagieren, negativ beeinflusst sein [3]. Einbußen in motorischen und kognitiven Funktionen können zudem daz...
›Using resistance training on unstable supports or with instability devices athletes aim to prepare their neuromuscular system for sudden and unforeseen impairments in equilibrium impeded by the environment or through sports partners. In contrast to athletes, older adults aim to avoid such situations impeded by instability to reduce a possible risk...
Interpreting other's actions is a very important ability not only in social life, but also in interactive sports. Previous experiments have demonstrated good estimation performances for the weight of lifted objects through point-light displays. The basis for these performances is commonly assigned to the concept of motor simulation regarding observ...
Sensorimotor control simultaneously engages multiple cognitive processes, like decision making, intention, processing, and the integration of multisensory signals. The reciprocal relationship of cognition and sensorimotor learning is well documented. However, little is known if the status of cognitive skills relates to immediate sensorimotor perfor...
Purpose: The effectiveness of the whip-like coordination in throwing might be influenced by the inertial properties of the athlete's arm. This preliminary study investigated the acute effect of attaching mass to the upper arm on the distance achieved in a modified javelin throw. The aim was to identify the optimum upper arm mass that maximizes thro...
Background
During everyday locomotion, we cope with various internal or external perturbations (e.g. uneven surface). Uncertainty exists on how unpredictable external perturbations increase noise within the motor system and if they are compensated by employing covariation of the limb joints or rather due to decreased sensitivity of an altered postu...
Instability resistance training (RT) or exercising within an unstable environment is a popular training modality and frequently used in training, rehabilitation and prevention settings. Yet, due to the reported reduced force output during exercising within unstable condition, instability RT is said to lack the necessary overload to induce meaningfu...
Is the control of movement less stable when we walk or run in challenging settings? Intuitively, one might answer that it is, given that challenging locomotion externally (e.g. rough terrain) or internally (e.g. age-related impairments) makes our movements more unstable. Here, we investigated how young and old humans synergistically activate muscle...
A means to compensate for perturbations is to employ motor synergies that act to stabilize or provide similar trial-to-trial output. Whereas evidence exists that synergies related to the upper extremities can be trained, the extent to which lower limb synergies can be altered remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether resist...
Is the control of movement less stable when we walk or run in challenging settings? Intuitively, one might answer that it is, given that adding external (e.g. rough terrain) or internal (e.g. age-related impairments) constraints to locomotion makes our movements less stable. Here, we investigated how young and old humans synergistically activate mu...
Is the control of movement less stable when we walk or run in challenging settings? One might intuitively answer affirmatively, given that adding constraints to locomotion (e.g. rough terrain, age-related impairments, etc.) imply less stable movements. We investigated how young and old humans synergistically activate muscles during locomotion, when...
In our daily life, we regularly walk and run in complex environments. To deal with unexpected perturbations, the central nervous system must adaptively modify its control strategies. However, the continuous integration of sensory and motor information likely undergoes some simplification for achieving precise control, possibly by activating muscles...
Healthy older adults have shown to stabilise the trajectory of the swing foot by kinematic synergies during walking across an even surface. Since surface configuration (e.g.,uneven surface) can alter lower limb kinematics, walking across an uneven surface may affect kinematic synergies, particularly with age. Therefore, the purpose of the study was...
Understanding how to control stability when running, particularly when being exposed to uneven terrain, is vital to prevent falls and to get an insight into compensatory strategies while running on uneven terrain. The purpose of this study was to assess surface related differences of the margin of stability, kinematics of hip and knee and upper bod...
The accurate detection of gait events is essential for clinical gait analysis. Aside from speed, surface characteristics like planarity and compliance can affect gait kinematics. Therefore detection of kinematic gait events on uneven surfaces may be inaccurate. To date, no study has investigated the possible influence of surface characteristics on...
Background
It is well documented that both balance and resistance training have the potential to mitigate intrinsic fall risk factors in older adults. However, knowledge about the effects of simultaneously executed balance and resistance training (i.e., resistance training conducted on unstable surfaces [URT]) on lower-extremity muscle strength, po...