Determining the upper limb's intensity of movement using a smart orthosis for rehabilitation at the clinic and home
Abstrakt
This article aims to describe methods determining the intensity of movement activity while using a smart orthosis for the upper limbs. The methods proposed can be applied both in clinical practice and the home environment.
Kinematics data was quantified by evaluation methods of time domain data. These can determine the integral of the absolute value of total acceleration, kinetic energy of the segment in translational motion, mechanical power during a segment motion, and a geometric sum of three partial accelerations of three-dimensional motion.
The method's applicability was tested by a comparison of the forearm and upper arm movement while the subjects performed various activities. Following on from the goal of method tested, the team applied it to a set of cyclic and non-cyclic movements commonly performed in a home environment.
The study was conducted on twenty healthy participants. Four gyro-accelerometers to record the upper limb movement were attached to the subject's forearms and upper arms.
The results of the calculated values for the proposed parameters revealed statistically significant differences depending on the physical activities monitored. The results also showed that the calculated values for the forearm and upper arm parameters correlate significantly.
This is due to the concurrent similar movement of the segments with accelerometers during a particular physical activity. The proposed methods have proven their applicability for monitoring the intensity of motion during rehabilitation. (C) Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020.