scholarly journals Comprehensive Validation of a Wearable Foot Sensor System for Estimating Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters by Simultaneous Three-Dimensional Optical Motion Analysis

Author(s):  
Kentaro Homan ◽  
Keizo Yamamoto ◽  
Ken Kadoya ◽  
Naoki Ishida ◽  
Norimasa Iwasaki

Abstract Background Use of a wearable gait analysis system (WGAS) is becoming common when conducting gait analysis studies due to its versatility. At the same time, its versatility raises a concern about its accuracy, because its calculations rely on assumptions embedded in its algorithms. The purpose of the present study was to validate all spatiotemporal gait parameters calculated by the WGAS by comparison with simultaneous measurements taken with an optical motion capture system (OMCS). Methods Ten young healthy volunteers wore two inertial sensors of the commercially available WGAS, Physilog®, on their feet and 23 markers for the OMCS on the lower part of the body. The participants performed at least three sets of 10-m walk tests at their self-paced speed in the laboratory equipped with 12 high-speed digital cameras with embedded force plates. To measure repeatability, all participants returned for a second day of testing within two weeks. Results All gait parameters calculated by the WGAS had a significant correlation with the ones determined by the OMCS. Bland and Altman analysis showed that the between-device agreement for all gait parameters was within clinically acceptable limits. The validity of the gait parameters generated by the WGAS was found to be excellent except for two parameters, swing width and maximal heel clearance. The repeatability of the WGAS was excellent when measured between sessions. Conclusion The present study showed that spatiotemporal gait parameters estimated by the WGAS were reasonably accurate and repeatable in healthy young adults, providing a scientific basis for applying this system to clinical studies.

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 3940
Author(s):  
Vânia Guimarães ◽  
Inês Sousa ◽  
Miguel Velhote Correia

Inertial sensors can potentially assist clinical decision making in gait-related disorders. Methods for objective spatio-temporal gait analysis usually assume the careful alignment of the sensors on the body, so that sensor data can be evaluated using the body coordinate system. Some studies infer sensor orientation by exploring the cyclic characteristics of walking. In addition to being unrealistic to assume that the sensor can be aligned perfectly with the body, the robustness of gait analysis with respect to differences in sensor orientation has not yet been investigated—potentially hindering use in clinical settings. To address this gap in the literature, we introduce an orientation-invariant gait analysis approach and propose a method to quantitatively assess robustness to changes in sensor orientation. We validate our results in a group of young adults, using an optical motion capture system as reference. Overall, good agreement between systems is achieved considering an extensive set of gait metrics. Gait speed is evaluated with a relative error of −3.1±9.2 cm/s, but precision improves when turning strides are excluded from the analysis, resulting in a relative error of −3.4±6.9 cm/s. We demonstrate the invariance of our approach by simulating rotations of the sensor on the foot.


2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (10) ◽  
pp. 1053-1056 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duygu Geler Kulcu ◽  
Gunes Yavuzer ◽  
Sercan Sarmer ◽  
Sureyya Ergin

Background: Flatfoot in which a normal arch fails to develop is a common deformity in both children and adults. A frequently-used treatment is an over-the-counter insole to normalize foot mechanics and relieve pain. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of over-the-counter silicone insoles on the gait patterns of patients with flexible flatfoot. Methods: Thirty-four adults (24 women and nine men, average age 43.7 ± 9.7 years) with bilateral symptomatic flatfoot deformities were included in the study. Flatfoot was diagnosed by a lateral talometatarsal angle of more than 4 degrees and a talocalcaneal angle of more than 30 degrees. Three-dimensional gait analysis and video recordings were done at a single session. All patients walked at self-selected speeds over a 10-meter walkway with and without insoles. Time-distance parameters and kinematic and kinetic characteristics of gait in the sagittal plane were evaluated by a quantitative gait analysis system. Results: Mean lateral talometatarsal and talocalcaneal angles were 6.3 ± 2.5 degrees and 56.1 ± 8.6 degrees, respectively. There was no difference in gait parameters with or without the insoles. Conclusions: Over-the-counter insoles have no beneficial effect in normalizing forces acting on the foot and on the entire lower extremity in adults with flexible flatfoot.


2017 ◽  
Vol 62 (6) ◽  
pp. 615-622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katja Orlowski ◽  
Falko Eckardt ◽  
Fabian Herold ◽  
Norman Aye ◽  
Jürgen Edelmann-Nusser ◽  
...  

AbstractGait analysis is an important and useful part of the daily therapeutic routine. InvestiGAIT, an inertial sensor-based system, was developed for using in different research projects with a changing number and position of sensors and because commercial systems do not capture the motion of the upper body. The current study is designed to evaluate the reliability of InvestiGAIT consisting of four off-the-shelf inertial sensors and in-house capturing and analysis software. Besides the determination of standard gait parameters, the motion of the upper body (pelvis and spine) can be investigated. Kinematic data of 25 healthy individuals (age: 25.6±3.3 years) were collected using a test-retest design with 1 week between measurement sessions. We calculated different parameters for absolute [e.g. limits of agreement (LoA)] and relative reliability [intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC)]. Our results show excellent ICC values for most of the gait parameters. Midswing height (MH), height difference (HD) of initial contact (IC) and terminal contact (TC) and stride length (SL) are the gait parameters, which did not exhibit acceptable values representing absolute reliability. Moreover, the parameters derived from the motion of the upper body (pelvis and spine) show excellent ICC values or high correlations. Our results indicate that InvestiGAIT is suitable for reliable measurement of almost all the considered gait parameters.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (22) ◽  
pp. 7517
Author(s):  
Vânia Guimarães ◽  
Inês Sousa ◽  
Miguel Velhote Correia

Gait performance is an important marker of motor and cognitive decline in older adults. An instrumented gait analysis resorting to inertial sensors allows the complete evaluation of spatiotemporal gait parameters, offering an alternative to laboratory-based assessments. To estimate gait parameters, foot trajectories are typically obtained by integrating acceleration two times. However, to deal with cumulative integration errors, additional error handling strategies are required. In this study, we propose an alternative approach based on a deep recurrent neural network to estimate heel and toe trajectories. We propose a coordinate frame transformation for stride trajectories that eliminates the dependency from previous strides and external inputs. Predicted trajectories are used to estimate an extensive set of spatiotemporal gait parameters. We evaluate the results in a dataset comprising foot-worn inertial sensor data acquired from a group of young adults, using an optical motion capture system as a reference. Heel and toe trajectories are predicted with low errors, in line with reference trajectories. A good agreement is also achieved between the reference and estimated gait parameters, in particular when turning strides are excluded from the analysis. The performance of the method is shown to be robust to imperfect sensor-foot alignment conditions.


2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 185-189
Author(s):  
Jaspal Singh Sandhu ◽  
Amrinder Singh ◽  
Deepchand Nigam Arvind

ABSTRACT Purpose Recent sprint training regimens have used high-speed incline treadmill running to provide enhanced loading of muscles responsible for increasing forward running speed. The purpose of this study was to determine the standard alterations in the lower-limb joint kinematics and gait parameters resulting from changes in treadmill slope during the use of the treadmill as a medical reference. Subjects The subjects of this study were 20 normal, healthy elite football players without any orthopedic, respiratory, or cardiovascular system problems. Materials and methods The running gait of subjects was analyzed using motion analysis system on an inclined treadmill with three running trials, each for 3 minutes. The gait was measured at incline of 0, 9, and 18%. The speed of the treadmill was fixed at 4.0 m/s in order to maintain a constant running speed. Results The subjects’ gait parameters were observed to change significantly between slopes of 0 and 18%. The results showed greater maximum knee flexion, ankle dorsiflexion, and total hip range of motion (ROM) in incline treadmill running compared to level running. Conclusion The results of this study can be put in as a predesigned rehabilitation program for sprint training on a treadmill, especially for treadmills with adjustable gradients. How to cite this article Singh A, Arvind DN, Sandhu JS. A Comparison of an Integrated Three-dimensional Biomechanical Analysis of High-speed Incline and Level Treadmill running in Elite Football Players. J Postgrad Med Edu Res 2016;50(4):185-189.


2017 ◽  
Vol 284 (1852) ◽  
pp. 20170359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arjun Nair ◽  
Christy Nguyen ◽  
Matthew J. McHenry

An escape response is a rapid manoeuvre used by prey to evade predators. Performing this manoeuvre at greater speed, in a favourable direction, or from a longer distance have been hypothesized to enhance the survival of prey, but these ideas are difficult to test experimentally. We examined how prey survival depends on escape kinematics through a novel combination of experimentation and mathematical modelling. This approach focused on zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) larvae under predation by adults and juveniles of the same species. High-speed three-dimensional kinematics were used to track the body position of prey and predator and to determine the probability of behavioural actions by both fish. These measurements provided the basis for an agent-based probabilistic model that simulated the trajectories of the animals. Predictions of survivorship by this model were found by Monte Carlo simulations to agree with our observations and we examined how these predictions varied by changing individual model parameters. Contrary to expectation, we found that survival may not be improved by increasing the speed or altering the direction of the escape. Rather, zebrafish larvae operate with sufficiently high locomotor performance due to the relatively slow approach and limited range of suction feeding by fish predators. We did find that survival was enhanced when prey responded from a greater distance. This is an ability that depends on the capacity of the visual and lateral line systems to detect a looming threat. Therefore, performance in sensing, and not locomotion, is decisive for improving the survival of larval fish prey. These results offer a framework for understanding the evolution of predator–prey strategy that may inform prey survival in a broad diversity of animals.


2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (10) ◽  
pp. 1682-1687 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Werner ◽  
Georgia Chalvatzaki ◽  
Xanthi S Papageorgiou ◽  
Costas S Tzafestas ◽  
Jürgen M Bauer ◽  
...  

Objective: To assess the concurrent validity of a smart walker–integrated gait analysis system with the GAITRite® system for measuring spatiotemporal gait parameters in potential users of the smart walker. Design: Criterion standard validation study. Setting: Research laboratory in a geriatric hospital. Participants: Twenty-five older adults (⩾65 years) with gait impairments (habitual rollator use and/or gait speed <0.6 m/s) and no severe cognitive impairment (Mini-Mental State Examination ⩾17). Main measures: Stride, swing and stance time; stride length; and gait speed were simultaneously recorded using the smart walker–integrated gait analysis system and the GAITRite system while participants walked along a 7.8-m walkway with the smart walker. Concurrent criterion-related validity was assessed using the Bland–Altman method, percentage errors (acceptable if <30%), and intraclass correlation coefficients for consistency (ICC3,1) and absolute agreement (ICC2,1). Results: Bias for stride, swing and stance time ranged from −0.04 to 0.04 seconds, with acceptable percentage errors (8.7%–23.0%). Stride length and gait speed showed higher bias (meanbias (SD) = 0.20 (0.11) m; 0.19 (0.13) m/s) and not acceptable percentage errors (31.3%–42.3%). Limits of agreement were considerably narrower for temporal than for spatial-related gait parameters. All gait parameters showed good-to-excellent consistency (ICC3,1 = 0.72–0.97). Absolute agreement was good-to-excellent for temporal (ICC2,1 = 0.72–0.97) but only poor-to-fair for spatial-related gait parameters (ICC2,1 = 0.37–0.52). Conclusion: The smart walker–integrated gait analysis system has good concurrent validity with the GAITRite system for measuring temporal but not spatial-related gait parameters in potential end-users of the smart walker. Stride length and gait speed can be measured with good consistency, but with only limited absolute accuracy.


2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Zago ◽  
Andrea Francesco Motta ◽  
Andrea Mapelli ◽  
Isabella Annoni ◽  
Christel Galvani ◽  
...  

Abstract Soccer kicking kinematics has received wide interest in literature. However, while the instep-kick has been broadly studied, only few researchers investigated the inside-of-the-foot kick, which is one of the most frequently performed techniques during games. In particular, little knowledge is available about differences in kinematics when kicking with the preferred and non-preferred leg. A motion analysis system recorded the three-dimensional coordinates of reflective markers placed upon the body of nine amateur soccer players (23.0 ± 2.1 years, BMI 22.2 ± 2.6 kg/m2), who performed 30 pass-kicks each, 15 with the preferred and 15 with the non-preferred leg. We investigated skill kinematics while maintaining a perspective on the complete picture of movement, looking for laterality related differences. The main focus was laid on: anatomical angles, contribution of upper limbs in kick biomechanics, kinematics of the body Center of Mass (CoM), which describes the whole body movement and is related to balance and stability. When kicking with the preferred leg, CoM displacement during the ground-support phase was 13% higher (p<0.001), normalized CoM height was 1.3% lower (p<0.001) and CoM velocity 10% higher (p<0.01); foot and shank velocities were about 5% higher (p<0.01); arms were more abducted (p<0.01); shoulders were rotated more towards the target (p<0.01, 6° mean orientation difference). We concluded that differences in motor control between preferred and non-preferred leg kicks exist, particularly in the movement velocity and upper body kinematics. Coaches can use these results to provide effective instructions to players in the learning process, moving their focus on kicking speed and upper body behavior


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