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Kushnir A, Kachmar O, Bonnechère B. STASISM: A Versatile Serious Gaming Multi-Sensor Platform for Personalized Telerehabilitation and Telemonitoring. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 24:351. [PMID: 38257442 PMCID: PMC10818392 DOI: 10.3390/s24020351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Telemonitoring and telerehabilitation have shown promise in delivering individualized healthcare remotely. We introduce STASISM, a sensor-based telerehabilitation and telemonitoring system, in this work. This platform has been created to facilitate individualized telerehabilitation and telemonitoring for those who need rehabilitation or ongoing monitoring. To gather and analyze pertinent and validated physiological, kinematic, and environmental data, the system combines a variety of sensors and data analytic methodologies. The platform facilitates customized rehabilitation activities based on individual needs, allows for the remote monitoring of a patient's progress, and offers real-time feedback. To protect the security of patient data and to safeguard patient privacy, STASISM also provides secure data transmission and storage. The platform has the potential to significantly improve the accessibility and efficacy of telerehabilitation and telemonitoring programs, enhancing patients' quality of life and allowing healthcare professionals to provide individualized care outside of traditional clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kushnir
- Elita Rehabilitation Center, 79000 Lviv, Ukraine;
- REVAL Rehabilitation Research Center, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium;
| | - Oleh Kachmar
- Elita Rehabilitation Center, 79000 Lviv, Ukraine;
| | - Bruno Bonnechère
- REVAL Rehabilitation Research Center, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium;
- Technology-Supported and Data-Driven Rehabilitation, Data Sciences Institute, Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
- Department of PXL-Healthcare, PXL University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 3500 Hasselt, Belgium
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Boma PM, Panda J, Ngoy Mande JP, Bonnechère B. Rehabilitation: a key service, yet highly underused, in the management of young patients with sickle cell disease after stroke in DR of Congo. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1104101. [PMID: 37292134 PMCID: PMC10244556 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1104101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Paul Muteb Boma
- Reference Centre for Sickle Cell Disease of Lubumbashi, Institut de Recherche en Science de la Santé, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Jules Panda
- Reference Centre for Sickle Cell Disease of Lubumbashi, Institut de Recherche en Science de la Santé, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Jean Paul Ngoy Mande
- Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Bruno Bonnechère
- REVAL Rehabilitation Research Center, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Hasselt, Hasselt, Belgium
- Technology-Supported and Data-Driven Rehabilitation, Data Science Institute, University of Hasselt, Hasselt, Belgium
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Hamilton RI, Williams J, Holt C. Biomechanics beyond the lab: Remote technology for osteoarthritis patient data-A scoping review. FRONTIERS IN REHABILITATION SCIENCES 2022; 3:1005000. [PMID: 36451804 PMCID: PMC9701737 DOI: 10.3389/fresc.2022.1005000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
The objective of this project is to produce a review of available and validated technologies suitable for gathering biomechanical and functional research data in patients with osteoarthritis (OA), outside of a traditionally fixed laboratory setting. A scoping review was conducted using defined search terms across three databases (Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, and PEDro), and additional sources of information from grey literature were added. One author carried out an initial title and abstract review, and two authors independently completed full-text screenings. Out of the total 5,164 articles screened, 75 were included based on inclusion criteria covering a range of technologies in articles published from 2015. These were subsequently categorised by technology type, parameters measured, level of remoteness, and a separate table of commercially available systems. The results concluded that from the growing number of available and emerging technologies, there is a well-established range in use and further in development. Of particular note are the wide-ranging available inertial measurement unit systems and the breadth of technology available to record basic gait spatiotemporal measures with highly beneficial and informative functional outputs. With the majority of technologies categorised as suitable for part-remote use, the number of technologies that are usable and fully remote is rare and they usually employ smartphone software to enable this. With many systems being developed for camera-based technology, such technology is likely to increase in usability and availability as computational models are being developed with increased sensitivities to recognise patterns of movement, enabling data collection in the wider environment and reducing costs and creating a better understanding of OA patient biomechanical and functional movement data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca I. Hamilton
- Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Research Facility, School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Jenny Williams
- Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Research Facility, School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | | | - Cathy Holt
- Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Research Facility, School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
- Osteoarthritis Technology NetworkPlus (OATech+), EPSRC UK-Wide Research Network+, United Kingdom
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Estévez-Pedraza ÁG, Hernandez-Laredo E, Millan-Guadarrama ME, Martínez-Méndez R, Carrillo-Vega MF, Parra-Rodríguez L. Reliability and Usability Analysis of an Embedded System Capable of Evaluating Balance in Elderly Populations Based on a Modified Wii Balance Board. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:11026. [PMID: 36078742 PMCID: PMC9518410 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191711026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This paper analyzes the reliability and usability of a portable electronic instrument that measures balance and balance impairment in older adults. The center of pressure (CoP) metrics are measured with a modified Wii Balance Board (mWBB) platform. In the intra- and inter-rater testing, 16 and 43 volunteers (mean 75.66 and standard deviation (SD) of 7.86 years and 72.61 (SD 7.86) years, respectively) collaborated. Five volunteer raters (5.1 (SD 3.69) years of experience) answered the System Usability Scale (SUS). The most reliable CoP index in the intra-examiner tests was the 95% power frequency in the medial-lateral displacement of the CoP with closed-eyes. It had excellent reliability with an intraclass correlation coefficient ICC = 0.948 (C.I. 0.862-0.982) and a Pearson's correlation coefficient PCC = 0.966 (p < 0.001). The best index for the inter-rater reliability was the centroidal frequency in the anterior-posterior direction closed-eyes, which had an ICC (2,1) = 0.825. The mWBB also obtained a high usability score. These results support the mWBB as a reliable complementary tool for measuring balance in older adults. Additionally, it does not have the limitations of laboratory-grade systems and clinical screening instruments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ángel Gabriel Estévez-Pedraza
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca de Lerdo 50180, Mexico
- Faculty of Engineering, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca de Lerdo 50100, Mexico
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Carnevale A, Mannocchi I, Sassi MSH, Carli M, De Luca G, Longo UG, Denaro V, Schena E. Virtual Reality for Shoulder Rehabilitation: Accuracy Evaluation of Oculus Quest 2. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 22:s22155511. [PMID: 35898015 PMCID: PMC9332705 DOI: 10.3390/s22155511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Virtual reality (VR) systems are becoming increasingly attractive as joint kinematics monitoring systems during rehabilitation. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the Oculus Quest 2 in measuring translational and rotational displacements. As the Oculus Quest 2 was chosen for future applications in shoulder rehabilitation, the translation range (minimum: ~200 mm, maximum: ~700 mm) corresponded to the forearm length of the 5th percentile female and the upper limb length of the 95th percentile male. The controller was moved on two structures designed to allow different translational displacements and rotations in the range 0-180°, to cover the range of motion of the upper limb. The controller measures were compared with those of a Qualisys optical capture system. The results showed a mean absolute error of 13.52 ± 6.57 mm at a distance of 500 mm from the head-mounted display along the x-direction. The maximum mean absolute error for rotational displacements was found to be 1.11 ± 0.37° for a rotation of 40° around the z-axis. Oculus Quest 2 is a promising VR tool for monitoring shoulder kinematics during rehabilitation. The inside-out movement tracking makes Oculus Quest 2 a viable alternative to traditional motion analysis systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Carnevale
- Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Roma, Italy; (A.C.); (G.D.L.); (V.D.)
- Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Roma, Italy
- Laboratory of Measurement and Biomedical Instrumentation, Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Rome, Italy;
| | - Ilaria Mannocchi
- Department of Industrial, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering, University of Roma Tre, Via Vito Volterra, 62, 00146 Rome, Italy; (I.M.); (M.S.H.S.); (M.C.)
| | - Mohamed Saifeddine Hadj Sassi
- Department of Industrial, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering, University of Roma Tre, Via Vito Volterra, 62, 00146 Rome, Italy; (I.M.); (M.S.H.S.); (M.C.)
| | - Marco Carli
- Department of Industrial, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering, University of Roma Tre, Via Vito Volterra, 62, 00146 Rome, Italy; (I.M.); (M.S.H.S.); (M.C.)
| | - Giovanna De Luca
- Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Roma, Italy; (A.C.); (G.D.L.); (V.D.)
- Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Roma, Italy
- Laboratory of Measurement and Biomedical Instrumentation, Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Rome, Italy;
| | - Umile Giuseppe Longo
- Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Roma, Italy; (A.C.); (G.D.L.); (V.D.)
- Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Roma, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Vincenzo Denaro
- Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Roma, Italy; (A.C.); (G.D.L.); (V.D.)
- Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Roma, Italy
| | - Emiliano Schena
- Laboratory of Measurement and Biomedical Instrumentation, Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Rome, Italy;
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Equimetrix Device: Criteria Based Validation and Reliability Analysis of the Center of Mass and Base of Support of a Human Postural Assessment System. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21020374. [PMID: 33430452 PMCID: PMC7826642 DOI: 10.3390/s21020374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Human postural control is a fundamental ability for static and dynamic tasks, especially in hiper- and hipo-functional populations, such as the elderly. The Equimetrix is a clinical device developed to assess both the base of support (BoS) and the center of mass (CoM) dynamics, thus allowing their use as new evaluation and training tools. This study aims to perform a criteria based validation of Equimetrix by comparing the BoS and CoM data with gold-standard equipment. A motion capture system, force platform, and pressure mat were used to calculate the CoM, center of pressure (CoP) and BoS during bipedal, unipedal, feet together and full tandem stances. Results demonstrate an excellent reliability of Equimetrix in terms of spatial accuracy of the CoM, although over-estimating the CoM height. Differences were found when comparing Mean velocity Path with the CoM, but not with the CoP, indicating a lower reliability in time-based parameters. The Equimetrix presents a tendency to overestimate the BoS, with mixed reliability values, which may be related to the different size of sensing elements between the Equimetrix and the pressure sensing mat. These are encouraging results that should be further explored during dynamic tasks.
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Applying the Minimal Detectable Change of a Static and Dynamic Balance Test Using a Portable Stabilometric Platform to Individually Assess Patients with Balance Disorders. Healthcare (Basel) 2020; 8:healthcare8040402. [PMID: 33066627 PMCID: PMC7712175 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare8040402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Balance disorders have a high prevalence among elderly people in developed countries, and falls resulting from balance disorders involve high healthcare costs. Therefore, tools and indicators are necessary to assess the response to treatments. Therefore, the aim of this study is to detect relevant changes through minimal detectable change (MDC) values in patients with balance disorders, specifically with vertigo. A test-retest of a static and dynamic balance test was conducted on 34 healthy young volunteer subjects using a portable stabilometric platform. Afterwards, in order to show the MDC applicability, eight patients diagnosed with balance disorders characterized by vertigo of vestibular origin performed the balance test before and after a treatment, contrasting the results with the assessment by a specialist physician. The balance test consisted of four tasks from the Romberg test for static balance control, assessing dynamic postural balance through the limits of stability (LOS). The results obtained in the test-retest show the reproducibility of the system as being similar to or better than those found in the literature. Regarding the static balance variables with the lowest MDC value, we highlight the average velocity of the center of pressure (COP) in all tasks and the root mean square (RMS), the area, and the mediolateral displacement in soft surface, with eyes closed. In LOS, all COP limits and the average speed of the COP and RMS were highlighted. Of the eight patients assessed, an agreement between the specialist physician and the balance test results exists in six of them, and for two of the patients, the specialist physician reported no progression, whereas the balance test showed worsening. Patients showed changes that exceeded the MDC values, and these changes were correlated with the results reported by the specialist physician. We conclude that (at least for these eight patients) certain variables were sufficiently sensitive to detect changes linked to balance progression. This is intended to improve decision making and individualized patient monitoring.
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Hagihara H, Ienaga N, Enomoto D, Takahata S, Ishihara H, Noda H, Tsuda K, Terayama K. Computer Vision-Based Approach for Quantifying Occupational Therapists' Qualitative Evaluations of Postural Control. Occup Ther Int 2020; 2020:8542191. [PMID: 32410925 PMCID: PMC7201486 DOI: 10.1155/2020/8542191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to leverage computer vision (CV) technology to develop a technique for quantifying postural control. A conventional quantitative index, occupational therapists' qualitative clinical evaluations, and CV-based quantitative indices using an image analysis algorithm were applied to evaluate the postural control of 34 typically developed preschoolers. The effectiveness of the CV-based indices was investigated relative to current methods to explore the clinical applicability of the proposed method. The capacity of the CV-based indices to reflect therapists' qualitative evaluations was confirmed. Furthermore, compared to the conventional quantitative index, the CV-based indices provided more detailed quantitative information with lower costs. CV-based evaluations enable therapists to quantify details of motor performance that are currently observed qualitatively. The development of such precise quantification methods will improve the science and practice of occupational therapy and allow therapists to perform to their full potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiromichi Hagihara
- Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoto Ienaga
- Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Keio University, Yokohama, Japan
| | | | | | | | - Haruka Noda
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Koji Tsuda
- Graduate School of Frontier Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kei Terayama
- RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project, Tokyo, Japan
- Medical Sciences Innovation Hub Program, RIKEN Cluster for Science, Technology and Innovation Hub, Kanagawa, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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Shum LC, Valdés BA, Van der Loos HFM. Determining the Accuracy of Oculus Touch Controllers for Motor Rehabilitation Applications Using Quantifiable Upper Limb Kinematics: Validation Study. JMIR BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING 2019. [DOI: 10.2196/12291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Bonnechère B, Omelina L, Kostkova K, Van Sint Jan S, Jansen B. The end of active video games and the consequences for rehabilitation. PHYSIOTHERAPY RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 23:e1752. [PMID: 30259613 DOI: 10.1002/pri.1752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Bonnechère
- Laboratory of Anatomy, Biomechanics and Organogenesis (LABO), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Electronics and Informatics - ETRO, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,IMEC, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lubos Omelina
- Department of Electronics and Informatics - ETRO, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,IMEC, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katarina Kostkova
- Department of Electronics and Informatics - ETRO, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,IMEC, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Serge Van Sint Jan
- Laboratory of Anatomy, Biomechanics and Organogenesis (LABO), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bart Jansen
- Department of Electronics and Informatics - ETRO, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,IMEC, Leuven, Belgium
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Suitability of functional evaluation embedded in serious game rehabilitation exercises to assess motor development across lifespan. Gait Posture 2017; 57:35-39. [PMID: 28564622 DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2017.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Revised: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine if the results of activities performed using specially developed serious games for physical rehabilitation could be used as an indicator of the natural maturation and decline of motor control in healthy participants. Eighty-one participants (19 children (5-15 years old), 40 adults (18-65 years old) and 22 aged subjects (60-88 years old) participated in this study. Motions performed were recorded using the Kinect sensor. Three different exercises embedded in the games were used to assess upper limb, trunk and lower limb control. The trial duration and accuracy, measures of gross motor function and fine motor control, respectively, were computed for each participant. ANOVA tests shows statistically significant differences between the three groups for duration (53±15, 27±10 and 119±30s for children, adults and elderly subjects respectively) and accuracy (87±5, 89±10 and 70±8% for children, adults and elderly subjects respectively). The slopes of the curves that approximated the evolution of the performance over various ages are coherent with previous studies about motor control development and physiological decline. The proposed solution, i.e. serious games rehabilitation exercises coupled to motion analysis, seems to be an interesting tool to assess global motor function. Further studies are needed to study the influence of pathologies on the studied parameters.
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Pau M, Porta M, Coghe G, Corona F, Pilloni G, Lorefice L, Marrosu MG, Cocco E. Are static and functional balance abilities related in individuals with Multiple Sclerosis? Mult Scler Relat Disord 2017. [PMID: 28641764 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2017.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In people with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS), balance assessment is essential in estimating the risk of falls, monitoring disease progression and verifying the effectiveness of rehabilitative treatment. Clinical tools and instrumental techniques are available for testing static and dynamic balance, but the relationship between such abilities is still not clear. Having information about this link would be important in properly planning the type and number of tests to administer. METHODS One hundred and six pwMS (Expanded Disability Status Scale, EDSS 0-6.5) stratified in three sub-groups (Class 1 EDSS 0-1.5, Class 2 EDSS 2-4 and Class 3 EDSS 4.5-6.5) and 42 healthy controls (HC) participated in the study. All underwent static posturography and instrumented Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG) performed using a wearable inertial sensor. Raw data were processed to extract postural sway features, overall duration of TUG and its main sub-phases (i.e. sit-to-stand, 180° turns and stand-to-sit). RESULTS All sway parameters of pwMS of Classes 2 and 3, as well as total TUG duration and time necessary to perform 180° turns, were found significantly higher than HC and Class 1 participants. However, poor correlations were found between sway and TUG parameters. When pwMS are grouped, small/moderate correlations (in the range 0.20-0.41) were found between all sway parameters and total TUG duration. CONCLUSIONS Static and dynamic balance in pwMS appear scarcely correlated, although both worsen as disability increases. This implies that they should be separately assessed using specific tests to have a complete view of postural control performance in MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimiliano Pau
- Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
| | - Micaela Porta
- Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Coghe
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Federica Corona
- Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Pilloni
- Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Lorena Lorefice
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Maria Giovanna Marrosu
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Eleonora Cocco
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
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