Using an accelerometer for analyzing a reach-to-grasp movement after stroke

The purpose of this study was using an accelerometer to access the kinematics of reach-to-grasp movements in subjects with hemiparesis. Eight subjects (59.4 ± 6.9 years old) with chronic hemiparesis (50.9 ± 25.8 months post-stroke) participated in this study. Kinematic assessment was performed using a triaxial accelerometer (EMG Systems, Brazil) attached to the subjects' forearm. Ten reach-to-grasp movements of grabbing a 500ml-size bottle were performed by the subjects with the paretic and the non-paretic upper limbs (ULs). The following space-temporal variables were calculated and used to compare the paretic and non-paretic ULs: movement time (MT), time to reach the peak velocity, absolute and relative (TPV and TPV%MT), relative deceleration duration (DEC%MT), time to peak acceleration (TPA) and peak hand acceleration (PA). Movements were slower in the paretic UL with increased MT, TPA and DEC. The accelerometer allowed to identify of changes in reaching-to-grasp movements of subjects with hemiparesis. When complex systems are not available, accelerometers can be an alternative to measure UL movements.

Download Full-text

Developmental Differences in the Prospective Organisation of Goal-Directed Movement Between Children with Autism and Typically Developing Children: A Smart Tablet Serious Game Study

10.31234/osf.io/h6s8e ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yu Wei Chua ◽

Szu-Ching Lu ◽

Anna Anzulewicz ◽

Krzysztof Sobota ◽

Christos Tachtatzis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Peak Velocity ◽

Movement Time ◽

Developmental Differences ◽

Serious Game ◽

Movement Kinematics ◽

Directed Movement ◽

Mixed Effect ◽

Feedback Mechanisms ◽

Time To Peak ◽

Movement Unit

Movement is prospective. It structures self-generated engagement with objects and social partners and is fundamental to children’s learning and development. In autistic children, previous reports of differences in movement kinematics compared to neurotypical peers suggest its prospective organisation might be disrupted. Here, we employed a smart tablet serious game paradigm to assess differences in the feedforward and feedback mechanisms of prospective action organisation, between autistic and neurotypical preschool children. We analysed 3926 goal-directed finger movements made during smart-tablet ecological gameplay, from 28 children with Childhood Autism (ICD-10; ASD) and 43 neurotypical children (TD), aged 3-6 years old. Using linear and generalised linear mixed-effect models, we found the ASD group executed movements with longer Movement Time (MT) and Time to Peak Velocity (TTPV), lower Peak Velocity (PV), with peak velocity less likely to occur in the first movement unit, and with a greater number of Movement Units After Peak Velocity (MU-APV). Interestingly, compared to the TD group, the ASD group showed smaller increases in PV, TTPV and MT with an increase in Age (ASD x Age interaction), together with a smaller reduction in MU-APV and an increase in MU-APV at shorter target distances (ASD x Dist interaction). Our results are the first to highlight different developmental trends in anticipatory feedforward and compensatory feedback mechanisms of control, contributing to differences in movement kinematics observed between autistic and neurotypical children. These findings point to differences in integration of prospective perceptuomotor information, with implications for embodied cognition and learning from self-generated action in autism.

Download Full-text

The StartReact Effect on Self-Initiated Movements

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2013/471792 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

J. M. Castellote ◽

M. E. L. Van den Berg ◽

J. Valls-Solé

Keyword(s):

Reaction Time ◽

Time Window ◽

Peak Velocity ◽

Movement Time ◽

Reaction Time Task ◽

Electromyographic Activity ◽

Wrist Extension ◽

Time To Peak ◽

Movement Kinematic ◽

Preparatory Activity

Preparation of the motor system for movement execution involves an increase in excitability of motor pathways. In a reaction time task paradigm, a startling auditory stimulus (SAS) delivered together with the imperative signal (IS) shortens reaction time significantly. In self-generated tasks we considered that an appropriately timed SAS would have similar effects. Eight subjects performed a ballistic wrist extension in two blocks: reaction, in which they responded to a visual IS, and action, in which they moved when they wished within a predetermined time window. In 20–25% of the trials, a SAS was applied. We recorded electromyographic activity of wrist extension and wrist movement kinematic variables. No effects of SAS were observed in action trials when movement was performed before or long after SAS application. However, a cluster of action trials was observed within 200 ms after SAS. These trials showed larger EMG bursts, shorter movement time, shorter time to peak velocity, and higher peak velocity than other action trials (P<0.001for all), with no difference from Reaction trials containing SAS. The results show that SAS influences the execution of self-generated human actions as it does with preprogrammed reaction time tasks during the assumed building up of preparatory activity before execution of the willed motor action.

Download Full-text

How many trials are needed in kinematic analysis of reach-to-grasp?—A study of the drinking task in persons with stroke and non-disabled controls

Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation ◽

10.1186/s12984-021-00895-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Gunilla Elmgren Frykberg ◽

Helena Grip ◽

Margit Alt Murphy

Keyword(s):

Kinematic Analysis ◽

Movement Time ◽

Reach To Grasp ◽

Good Reliability ◽

Retest Reliability ◽

Joint Coordination ◽

Time To Peak ◽

Stroke Group ◽

Multiple Trials ◽

Test Retest Reliability

Abstract Background Kinematic analysis of the 3D reach-to-grasp drinking task is recommended in stroke rehabilitation research. The number of trials required to reach performance stability, as an important aspect of reliability, has not been investigated for this task. Thus, the aims of this study were to determine the number of trials needed for the drinking task to reach within-session performance stability and to investigate trends in performance over a set of trials in non-disabled people and in a sample of individuals with chronic stroke. In addition, the between-sessions test–retest reliability in persons with stroke was established. Methods The drinking task was performed at least 10 times, following a standardized protocol, in 44 non-disabled and 8 post-stroke individuals. A marker-based motion capture system registered arm and trunk movements during 5 pre-defined phases of the drinking task. Intra class correlation statistics were used to determine the number of trials needed to reach performance stability as well as to establish test–retest reliability. Systematic within-session trends over multiple trials were analyzed with a paired t-test. Results For most of the kinematic variables 2 to 3 trials were needed to reach good performance stability in both investigated groups. More trials were needed for movement times in reaching and returning phase, movement smoothness, time to peak velocity and inter-joint-coordination. A small but significant trend of improvement in movement time over multiple trials was demonstrated in the non-disabled group, but not in the stroke group. A mean of 3 trials was sufficient to reach good to excellent test–retest reliability for most of the kinematic variables in the stroke sample. Conclusions This is the first study that determines the number of trials needed for good performance stability (non-disabled and stroke) and test–retest reliability (stroke) for temporal, endpoint and angular metrics of the drinking task. For most kinematic variables, 3–5 trials are sufficient to reach good reliability. This knowledge can be used to guide future kinematic studies.

Download Full-text

Effects of Task Constraints on Reaching Kinematics by Healthy Adults

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.2466/pms.100.3c.983-994 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 100 (3_suppl) ◽

pp. 983-994 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ching-Yi Wu ◽

Keh-Chung Lin ◽

Kwan-Hwa Lin ◽

Chein-Wei Chang ◽

Chia-Ling Chen

Keyword(s):

Significant Interaction ◽

Target Location ◽

Peak Velocity ◽

Movement Time ◽

Central Position ◽

Spatial Accuracy ◽

Task Constraints ◽

Time To Peak ◽

Movement Performance ◽

Main Effects

Understanding the control of movement requires an awareness of how tasks constrain movements. The present study investigated the effects of two types of task constraints—spatial accuracy (effector size) and target location—on reaching kinematics. 15 right-handed healthy young adults (7 men, 8 women) whose mean age was 23.6 yr. ( SD = 3.9 yr.) performed the ringing task under six conditions, formed by the crossing of effector size (larger vs smaller size) and target location (left, right, or a central position). Significant main effects of effector size and target location were found for peak velocity and movement time. There was a significant interaction for the percentage of time to peak velocity. The findings suggested that task constraints may modulate movement performance in specific ways. Effects of effector size might be a consequence of feedforward and feedback control, and location effects might be influenced by both biomechanical and neurological factors.

Download Full-text

Association Between Finger-to-Nose Kinematics and Upper Extremity Motor Function in Subacute Stroke: A Principal Component Analysis

Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology ◽

10.3389/fbioe.2021.660015 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Ze-Jian Chen ◽

Chang He ◽

Nan Xia ◽

Ming-Hui Gu ◽

Yang-An Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trial ◽

Principal Component Analysis ◽

Upper Extremity ◽

Motor Function ◽

Peak Velocity ◽

Movement Time ◽

Principal Component ◽

Component Analysis ◽

Time To Peak ◽

Subacute Stroke

BackgroundKinematic analysis facilitates interpreting the extent and mechanisms of motor restoration after stroke. This study was aimed to explore the kinematic components of finger-to-nose test obtained from principal component analysis (PCA) and the associations with upper extremity (UE) motor function in subacute stroke survivors.MethodsThirty-seven individuals with subacute stroke and twenty healthy adults participated in the study. Six kinematic metrics during finger-to-nose task (FNT) were utilized to perform PCA. Clinical assessments for stroke participants included the Fugl-Meyer Assessment for Upper Extremity (FMA-UE), Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), and Modified Barthel Index (MBI).ResultsThree principal components (PC) accounting for 91.3% variance were included in multivariable regression models. PC1 (48.8%) was dominated by mean velocity, peak velocity, number of movement units (NMU) and normalized integrated jerk (NIJ). PC2 (31.1%) described percentage of time to peak velocity and movement time. PC3 (11.4%) profiled percentage of time to peak velocity. The variance explained by principal component regression in FMA-UE (R2 = 0.71) were higher than ARAT (R2 = 0.59) and MBI (R2 = 0.29) for stroke individuals.ConclusionKinematic components during finger-to-nose test identified by PCA are associated with UE motor function in subacute stroke. PCA reveals the intrinsic association among kinematic metrics, which may add value to UE assessment and future intervention targeted for kinematic components for stroke individuals.Clinical Trial RegistrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.chictr.org.cn/) on 17 October 2019, identifier: ChiCTR1900026656.

Download Full-text

Movement Control Phases of Upper Body Coordination in Visually Guided Reach Movements

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/154193120905301215 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 53 (12) ◽

pp. 834-838

Author(s):

Shin-Yuan Yu ◽

Bernard J. Martin

Keyword(s):

Motor Behavior ◽

Peak Velocity ◽

Movement Time ◽

Movement Control ◽

Human Movement ◽

Upper Body ◽

Movement Speed ◽

Joint Movement ◽

Feedback Information ◽

Time To Peak

Coordination of human movement includes temporal and spatial aspects. Under the assumption that the implicit movement sequence of body segments may be associated with visual feedback information, the activation timing, time to peak velocity of the hand and sequencing of joint movements were investigated in this study. The results show that variations in movement time with target azimuth and distance fit a quadratic regression model. In addition, the time to peak velocity reveals a movement scaling property in the context of self-imposed movement speed. Finally, the sequencing of joint movement also varies with target azimuth and distance. These motor behavior properties and movement characteristics can be used to model human reach movement in a dynamic manner and to estimate task durations.

Download Full-text

Effects of object size and distance on reaching kinematics in patients with schizophrenia

Hong Kong Journal of Occupational Therapy ◽

10.1177/1569186118759610 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 22-29 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Shu-Mei Wang ◽

Li-Chieh Kuo ◽

Wen-Chen Ouyang ◽

Hsiao-Man Hsu ◽

Hui-Ing Ma

Keyword(s):

Psychiatric Symptoms ◽

Peak Velocity ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Movement Time ◽

Movement Speed ◽

Object Size ◽

Spatial Efficiency ◽

Time To Peak ◽

Movement Performance ◽

And Gender

Background/Objective Patients with schizophrenia not only have psychiatric symptoms, but also have movement problems, which might also be associated with their reduced quality of life. Little is known about how to improve their movement performance for patients. Manipulating object size and distance is common in occupational therapy practice to evaluate and optimize reaching performance in patients with physical disabilities, but effects of the manipulation in patients with schizophrenia remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine whether object size and distance could change performance of reaching kinematics in patients with mild schizophrenia. Methods Twenty-nine patients with mild schizophrenia and 15 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were required to reach for, as quickly as possible, a small or large object that was placed at a near or far distance. We measured movement time, peak velocity, path length ratio, percentage of time to peak velocity, and movement units to infer movement speed, forcefulness, spatial efficiency (directness), control strategies, and smoothness. Results Patients’ reaching movements were slower ( p = .017) and less direct ( p = .007) than those of controls. A larger object induced faster ( p = .016), more preprogrammed ( p = .018), and more forceful ( p = .010) movements in patients. A farther object induced slower, more feedback dependent, but more forceful and more direct movements (all p < .001). Conclusion The results of kinematic deficiencies suggest the need of movement training for patients with mild schizophrenia. Occupational therapists may grade or adapt reaching activities by changing object size and distance to enhance movement performance in patients with schizophrenia.

Download Full-text

Occupational Embeddedness during a Reaching and Placing Task with Survivors of Cerebral Vascular Accident

OTJR Occupation Participation and Health ◽

10.1177/153944920202200404 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 153-160 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tiffany L. Gasser-Wieland ◽

Martin S. Rice

Keyword(s):

Repeated Measures ◽

Peak Velocity ◽

Movement Time ◽

Cerebral Vascular Accident ◽

Time To Peak ◽

Movement Dynamics ◽

Dependent Variables ◽

Study Support ◽

Upper Extremity Movement ◽

Cerebral Vascular

This study examined the effects of enhanced occupational embeddedness on the upper extremity movement dynamics in survivors of a cerebral vascular accident (CVA). Seventeen persons who survived a CVA participated in this repeated measures study with two conditions. The occupationally embedded (OE) condition involved three labeled soup cans; the nonoccupationally embedded (NOE) condition involved three nonrepresentational clay masses. The task consisted of moving the objects from a kitchen counter to the cabinet with each limb. Movement dynamics were recorded using an electronic goniometer that was attached to each elbow. Dependent variables were movement time, displacement, movement units, peak velocity, and percentage of movement time at which the peak velocity occurred. It was hypothesized that the OE condition would result in significantly different movement dynamics than the NOE condition. It was also hypothesized that the movement dynamics of the affected limb would be significantly different than those of the unaffected limb. During the OE condition, there were significantly fewer movement units and smaller movement times. No significance was found with displacement, peak velocity, or percentage of movement time to peak velocity. Further, there were no significant differences between the two limbs' movement dynamics. The results of this study support the concept that greater occupational embeddedness can promote enhanced motor performance. Specifically, this study suggests that occupationally embedded occupational forms can enhance performance of movement units and movement time in a reaching and placing task with individuals who survived a stroke. Additionally, OE occupational forms do not appear to influence the affected limb differently than the unaffected limb.

Download Full-text

How Many Trials Are Needed in Kinematic Analysis of a Reach-to-Grasp Task? - a Study in Persons With Stroke and Non-Disabled Controls

10.21203/rs.3.rs-278551/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Gunilla Elmgren Frykberg ◽

Helena Grip ◽

Margit Alt-Murphy

Keyword(s):

Kinematic Analysis ◽

Movement Time ◽

Reach To Grasp ◽

Good Reliability ◽

Retest Reliability ◽

Joint Coordination ◽

Time To Peak ◽

Stroke Group ◽

Multiple Trials ◽

Test Retest Reliability

Abstract Background Kinematic analysis of the 3D reach-to-grasp drinking task is recommended in stroke rehabilitation research. The number of trials required to reach performance stability, as an important aspect of reliability, has not been investigated. Thus, the aims of this study were to determine the number of trials needed to reach within-session performance stability and to investigate trends in performance over a set of trials in non-disabled people and in a sample of individuals with chronic stroke. In addition, the between-sessions test-retest reliability in persons with stroke was established. MethodsThe drinking task was performed at least 10 times, following a standardized protocol, in 44 non-disabled and 8 post-stroke individuals. A marker-based motion capture system registered arm and trunk movements during 5 pre-defined phases of the drinking task. Intra class correlation statistics were used to determine the number of trials needed to reach performance stability as well as to establish test-retest reliability. Systematic within-session trends over multiple trials were analyzed with a paired t-test. Results For most of the kinematic variables 2 to 3 trials were needed to reach good performance stability in both investigated groups. More trials were needed for movement times in reaching and returning phase, movement smoothness, time to peak velocity and inter-joint-coordination. A small but significant trend of improvement in movement time over multiple trials was demonstrated in the non-disabled group, but not in the stroke group. A mean of 3 trials was sufficient to reach good to excellent test-retest reliability for most of the kinematic variables in the stroke sample. Conclusions This is the first study that determines the number of trials needed for good performance stability (non-disabled and stroke) and test-retest reliability (stroke) for temporal, endpoint and angular metrics of the drinking task. For most kinematic variables, 3 trials are sufficient to reach good reliability. This knowledge can be used to guide future kinematic studies.

Download Full-text

Effect of post-stroke spasticity on voluntary movement of the upper limb

Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation ◽

10.1186/s12984-021-00876-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Hadar Lackritz ◽

Yisrael Parmet ◽

Silvi Frenkel-Toledo ◽

Melanie C. Baniña ◽

Nachum Soroker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Upper Limb ◽

Target Location ◽

Distance Measure ◽

Movement Time ◽

Motor Impairment ◽

Reach To Grasp ◽

Motion Patterns ◽

Post Stroke ◽

The Impact ◽

Elbow Motion

Abstract Background Hemiparesis following stroke is often accompanied by spasticity. Spasticity is one factor among the multiple components of the upper motor neuron syndrome that contributes to movement impairment. However, the specific contribution of spasticity is difficult to isolate and quantify. We propose a new method of quantification and evaluation of the impact of spasticity on the quality of movement following stroke. Methods Spasticity was assessed using the Tonic Stretch Reflex Threshold (TSRT). TSRT was analyzed in relation to stochastic models of motion to quantify the deviation of the hemiparetic upper limb motion from the normal motion patterns during a reaching task. Specifically, we assessed the impact of spasticity in the elbow flexors on reaching motion patterns using two distinct measures of the ‘distance’ between pathological and normal movement, (a) the bidirectional Kullback–Liebler divergence (BKLD) and (b) Hellinger’s distance (HD). These measures differ in their sensitivity to different confounding variables. Motor impairment was assessed clinically by the Fugl-Meyer assessment scale for the upper extremity (FMA-UE). Forty-two first-event stroke patients in the subacute phase and 13 healthy controls of similar age participated in the study. Elbow motion was analyzed in the context of repeated reach-to-grasp movements towards four differently located targets. Log-BKLD and HD along with movement time, final elbow extension angle, mean elbow velocity, peak elbow velocity, and the number of velocity peaks of the elbow motion were computed. Results Upper limb kinematics in patients with lower FMA-UE scores (greater impairment) showed greater deviation from normality when the distance between impaired and normal elbow motion was analyzed either with the BKLD or HD measures. The severity of spasticity, reflected by the TSRT, was related to the distance between impaired and normal elbow motion analyzed with either distance measure. Mean elbow velocity differed between targets, however HD was not sensitive to target location. This may point at effects of spasticity on motion quality that go beyond effects on velocity. Conclusions The two methods for analyzing pathological movement post-stroke provide new options for studying the relationship between spasticity and movement quality under different spatiotemporal constraints.

Download Full-text