Can We Rely on Mobile Devices and Other Gadgets to Assess the Postural Balance of Healthy Individuals? A Systematic Review

The consequences of falls, costs, and complexity of conventional evaluation protocols have motivated researchers to develop more effective balance assessments tools. Healthcare practitioners are incorporating the use of mobile phones and other gadgets (smartphones and tablets) to enhance accessibility in balance evaluations with reasonable sensitivity and good cost–benefit. The prospects are evident, as well as the need to identify weakness and highlight the strengths of the different approaches. In order to verify if mobile devices and other gadgets are able to assess balance, four electronic databases were searched from their inception to February 2019. Studies reporting the use of inertial sensors on mobile and other gadgets to assess balance in healthy adults, compared to other evaluation methods were included. The quality of the nine studies selected was assessed and the current protocols often used were summarized. Most studies did not provide enough information about their assessment protocols, limiting the reproducibility and the reliability of the results. Data gathered from the studies did not allow us to conclude if mobile devices and other gadgets have discriminatory power (accuracy) to assess postural balance. Although the approach is promising, the overall quality of the available studies is low to moderate.

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The effects of meditation on length of telomeres in healthy individuals: A systematic review

10.21203/rs.3.rs-79491/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Nirodhi Namika Dasanayaka ◽

Nirmala Sirisena ◽

Nilakshi Samaranayake

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Telomere Length ◽

Methodological Quality ◽

Healthy Adults ◽

Alternative Methods ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Healthy Individuals ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Positive Effects

Abstract Background: Meditation based practices have been suggested to result in many biological benefits which include reduction of attrition of telomeres, the protective nucleotide-protein complexes at termini of eukaryotic chromosomes. This systematic review evaluated the effects of meditation on telomere length (TL) in healthy adults. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and Case-control studies (CCS) conducted to determine the effects of meditation on TL in healthy individuals, published up to July 2020 were retrieved by searching seven electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and Google Scholar). The methodological quality of RCTs and CCS was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool and Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist respectively. The data was synthesized narratively and the effect estimates of telomere length in the RCTs was synthesized using alternative methods as a meta-analysis was not conducted. The certainty of evidence was classified according to the GRADE system. Results: A total of 1751 articles were screened. Five studies comprising two RCTs and three CCS were included in the final review based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The combined sample consisted of 615 participants with 41.7% males. Average age of participants was 47.7 years. One CCS and one RCT reported significant beneficial effects of meditation on TL while the two remaining CCS and the RCT showed positive effects of meditation on TL which were not significant. For all CCS and one RCT, the methodological quality was high while the remaining RCT was of moderate quality. The quality of evidence for the primary outcome was moderate in RCTs.Conclusion: The present review adds to the existing evidence showing that meditation is potentially beneficial in reducing shortening of TL in healthy adults. However, strictly designed and well-reported RCTs with larger sample sizes are required to provide evidence of higher quality. Systematic Review Registration: The protocol of this review was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) database (registration number: CRD42020153977)

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Inertial Sensor Reliability and Validity for Static and Dynamic Balance in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s21155167 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (15) ◽

pp. 5167

Author(s):

Nicky Baker ◽

Claire Gough ◽

Susan J. Gordon

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Discriminant Validity ◽

Inertial Sensors ◽

Postural Sway ◽

Inertial Sensor ◽

Dynamic Balance ◽

Healthy Adults ◽

Gait Velocity ◽

Time Data ◽

Targeted Interventions

Compared to laboratory equipment inertial sensors are inexpensive and portable, permitting the measurement of postural sway and balance to be conducted in any setting. This systematic review investigated the inter-sensor and test-retest reliability, and concurrent and discriminant validity to measure static and dynamic balance in healthy adults. Medline, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched to January 2021. Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis was possible for reliability studies only and it was found that inertial sensors are reliable to measure static standing eyes open. A synthesis of the included studies shows moderate to good reliability for dynamic balance. Concurrent validity is moderate for both static and dynamic balance. Sensors discriminate old from young adults by amplitude of mediolateral sway, gait velocity, step length, and turn speed. Fallers are discriminated from non-fallers by sensor measures during walking, stepping, and sit to stand. The accuracy of discrimination is unable to be determined conclusively. Using inertial sensors to measure postural sway in healthy adults provides real-time data collected in the natural environment and enables discrimination between fallers and non-fallers. The ability of inertial sensors to identify differences in postural sway components related to altered performance in clinical tests can inform targeted interventions for the prevention of falls and near falls.

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Association Between Spirituality/religiousness and Quality of Life Among Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review

10.21203/rs.3.rs-105884/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

CEZIMAR CORREIA BORGES ◽

PATRÍCIA ROBERTA DOS SANTOS ◽

POLISSANDRO MORTOZA ALVES ◽

RENATA CUSTÓDIO MACIEL BORGES ◽

GIANCARLO LUCCHETTI ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Chronic Diseases ◽

Academic Research ◽

Positive Association ◽

Healthy Adults ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Cross Sectional

Abstract Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is determined by multiple factors that include components such as spirituality and religiousness (S/R). Even though various systematic reviews have investigated the association between S/R and improved health outcomes in the most different groups, healthy young individuals are seldom addressed. The aim this study was to evalue the association between S/R and HRQoL among young, healthy individuals.Methods: Systematic review of papers published in the last ten years and indexed in four academic research databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Scopus) and two gray literature databases. Inclusion criteria were studies assessing S/R and HRQoL using validated instruments and assessing healthy adults (i.e., non-clinical patients, not belonging to any specific group of chronic diseases), aged between 18 and 64 years old. Results: Ten out of 1,952 studies met the inclusion criteria: nine cross-sectional and one longitudinal cohort study, in which 89% of the participants were college students. Nine studies report a positive association between S/R and HRQoL, while one study did not report any significant association. The main HRQoL domains associated with S/R were the psychological, social relationships, and environment domains, while the S/R most influent facets/components were optimism, inner strength, peace, high control, hope, and happiness. Conclusions: Higher S/R levels among healthy adult individuals were associated with higher HRQoL levels, suggesting the S/R can be an important strategy to deal with adverse environmental situations even among those without chronic diseases, enhancing the wellbeing of individuals. Registration of systematic review: PROSPERO - CRD42018104047

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The mHealth Stack

Emerging Communication Technologies for E-Health and Medicine ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-0909-9.ch001 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 1-17

Author(s):

Benjamin Falchuk ◽

David Famolari ◽

Russell Fischer ◽

Shoshana Loeb ◽

Euthimios Panagos

Keyword(s):

Mobile Devices ◽

Mobile Phones ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Cloud Services ◽

Healthcare Applications ◽

Patient Centered ◽

Mobile Healthcare ◽

Care Givers ◽

Current Usage

Applications accessible through mobile devices, such as mobile phones, are playing an increasingly important part in the delivery of high quality and personalized healthcare services. In this paper, we examine current usage of mobile devices and networks by mobile healthcare applications, and present our views on how mobile devices and networks could be used for creating patient-centered healthcare applications. The patient-centered healthcare paradigm allows for increased quality of care and quality of life for patients while increasing personal freedom to move about and be always connected to care-givers and healthcare services. The structure of our discussion is analogous to layered protocol stack in communications, progressing from the network and radio technologies, servicing middleware, cloud services, health sensors, mobile smartphones, and applications. All these layers come into play to support future mobile healthcare services.

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THE ACCURACY OF ALGORITHMS FOR WLAN INDOOR POSITIONING AND THE STANDARDIZATION OF SIGNAL RECEPTION FOR DIFFERENT MOBILE DEVICES

International Journal of Computing ◽

10.47839/ijc.6.1.432 ◽

2014 ◽

pp. 103-109

Author(s):

Uwe Grossmann ◽

Markus Schauch ◽

Syuzanna Hakobyan

Keyword(s):

Mobile Devices ◽

Mobile Phones ◽

Indoor Positioning ◽

Base Station ◽

Personal Digital Assistants ◽

Strength Index ◽

Average Accuracy ◽

Different Types ◽

Seminar Room

Often mobile devices like mobile phones or personal digital assistants (PDA) are equipped with IEEE 802.11 WLAN adapters. Furthermore, within many buildings a WLAN infrastructure is available. The aim of this work is to investigate the quality of different indoor positioning methods based on values of WLAN received signal strength index (RSSI) using commercially available devices (mobile phones, PDA). Three positioning algorithms were considered: minimal Euclidian distance, intersections of RSSI-Isolines and a stochastic model based on Bayes' theorem. Two measuring testbeds, a museum's exhibition room and an empty seminar room, four different types of PDA (Dell, Fujitsu, HP, T-Mobile) and two types of access points (Netgear, Lancom) were used. Results show that positioning can be achieved with an average accuracy of approx. 2-3 metres. WLAN capable mobile devices behave differently in receiving RSSI values of a base station. For reasons of standardization a linear correlation between different receiving levels of PDA was investigated.

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Therapeutic modalities and postural balance of patients with knee osteoarthritis: systematic review

Fisioterapia em Movimento ◽

10.1590/0103-5150.028.003.ar01 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. 605-616

Author(s):

Andressa Silva ◽

Marco Túlio de Mello ◽

Sebastião Augusto Gávea Junior ◽

Sandra Souza de Queiroz ◽

Sergio Tufik ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Knee Osteoarthritis ◽

Postural Balance ◽

Methodological Quality ◽

Keywords Knee ◽

Therapeutic Modalities ◽

Knee Oa ◽

Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials ◽

Randomized Controlled

AbstractObjective The objective of this review was to evaluate the evidence of the influence of therapeutic modalities on postural balance in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).Methods A search for published papers on therapeutic modalities was conducted using the Pubmed, Medline, Lilacs and SciELO databases. The keywords “knee” and “balance” in combination with “osteoarthritis” were used as the search strategy. Randomized controlled clinical trials published in the last 10 years in either English or Portuguese were selected. The PEDro scale was applied to assess the quality of the selected clinical trials.Results A total of 46 studies of patients with knee OA were found, of which seven were analyzed in full and 39 were excluded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria. Of the seven studies reviewed, six were considered to have a high methodological quality on the PEDro scale. Several therapeutic modalities were found (physical exercise, hydrotherapy, electrotherapy and manual therapy), and postural balance improved in only three studies.Conclusion The studies included in this systematic review had a high methodological quality, so it can be concluded that the therapeutic modalities used in those studies improved postural balance in patients with knee OA.

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Understanding and Reacting to the Digital Distraction Phenomenon in College Classrooms

10.4018/978-1-7998-9243-4.ch001 ◽

2022 ◽

pp. 1-21

Author(s):

Abraham E. Flanigan ◽

Wayne A. Babchuk ◽

Jackie HeeYoung Kim

Keyword(s):

Student Learning ◽

Mobile Devices ◽

Mobile Phones ◽

College Instructors ◽

Laptop Computers ◽

College Classrooms ◽

Digital Devices ◽

Student Instructor

Student use of digital devices for non-class purposes has become ubiquitous in college classrooms across the globe—a phenomenon commonly referred to as digital distraction. The purpose of the chapter is to provide readers with an overview of the prevalence of student digital distraction in college classrooms, an understanding of the factors that contribute to student digital distraction, and a summary of the outcomes experienced by students who succumb to digital distraction during class. The reviewed research indicates that mobile phones and laptop computers are the devices used most for off-task purposes during class. Environmental and person-centered factors appear especially consequential for the motivational interference potential of mobile devices in college classrooms. Unfortunately, student digital distraction has deleterious effects on student learning and the quality of student-instructor rapport in college classrooms. The chapter concludes with descriptions of five strategies college instructors can use to curb student digital distraction in their classrooms.

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Is The Timed-Up and Go Test Feasible in Mobile Devices? A Systematic Review

Electronics ◽

10.3390/electronics9030528 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 528 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Vasco Ponciano ◽

Ivan Miguel Pires ◽

Fernando Reinaldo Ribeiro ◽

Gonçalo Marques ◽

Nuno M. Garcia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Mobile Devices ◽

Inertial Sensors ◽

Dynamic Balance ◽

Well Being ◽

State Transitions ◽

Motion Sensors ◽

Timed Up And Go ◽

Test Execution

The number of older adults is increasing worldwide, and it is expected that by 2050 over 2 billion individuals will be more than 60 years old. Older adults are exposed to numerous pathological problems such as Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, post-stroke, and orthopedic disturbances. Several physiotherapy methods that involve measurement of movements, such as the Timed-Up and Go test, can be done to support efficient and effective evaluation of pathological symptoms and promotion of health and well-being. In this systematic review, the authors aim to determine how the inertial sensors embedded in mobile devices are employed for the measurement of the different parameters involved in the Timed-Up and Go test. The main contribution of this paper consists of the identification of the different studies that utilize the sensors available in mobile devices for the measurement of the results of the Timed-Up and Go test. The results show that mobile devices embedded motion sensors can be used for these types of studies and the most commonly used sensors are the magnetometer, accelerometer, and gyroscope available in off-the-shelf smartphones. The features analyzed in this paper are categorized as quantitative, quantitative + statistic, dynamic balance, gait properties, state transitions, and raw statistics. These features utilize the accelerometer and gyroscope sensors and facilitate recognition of daily activities, accidents such as falling, some diseases, as well as the measurement of the subject’s performance during the test execution.

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The effects of meditation on length of telomeres in healthy individuals: a systematic review

Systematic Reviews ◽

10.1186/s13643-021-01699-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Nirodhi N. Dasanayaka ◽

Nirmala D. Sirisena ◽

Nilakshi Samaranayake

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Observational Studies ◽

Methodological Quality ◽

Cochrane Collaboration ◽

Alternative Methods ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Healthy Individuals ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Positive Effects

Abstract Background Meditation-based practices have been suggested to result in many biological benefits which include reduction of attrition of telomeres, the protective nucleotide-protein complexes at termini of eukaryotic chromosomes. This systematic review evaluated the effects of meditation on telomere length (TL) in healthy adults. Methods Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies conducted to determine the effects of meditation on TL in healthy individuals, published up to July 2020 were retrieved by searching seven electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and Google Scholar). The methodological quality of RCTs and observational studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool and Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist, respectively. The data was synthesized narratively and the effect estimates of TL in the RCTs were synthesized using alternative methods as a meta-analysis was not conducted. The certainty of evidence was classified according to the GRADE system. Results A total of 1740 articles were screened. Five studies comprising two RCTs and three case-control studies (CCS) were included in the final review based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The combined sample consisted of 615 participants with 41.7% males. Average age of participants was 47.7 years. One CCS and one RCT reported significant beneficial effects of meditation on TL while the two remaining CCS and the RCT showed positive effects of meditation on TL which were not significant. For all CCS and one RCT, the methodological quality was high while the remaining RCT was of moderate quality. The quality of evidence for the primary outcome was moderate in RCTs. Conclusion The effect of meditation on TL per se is still unclear. Strictly designed and well-reported RCTs with larger sample sizes are required to provide evidence of higher quality. Systematic review registration The protocol of this review was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) database (registration number: CRD42020153977).

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Measurement of Results of Functional Reach Test with Sensors: A Systematic Review

Electronics ◽

10.3390/electronics9071078 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. 1078

Author(s):

Ivan Miguel Pires ◽

Nuno M. Garcia ◽

Eftim Zdravevski

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Mobile Devices ◽

Inertial Sensors ◽

Dynamic Balance ◽

Medical Specialties ◽

Stroke Treatment ◽

Functional Reach ◽

Wide Range ◽

Functional Reach Test

The test of physical conditions is important to treat and presents several diseases related to the movement. These diseases are mainly related to the physiotherapy and orthopedy, but it can be applied in a wide range of medical specialties. The Functional Reach Test is one of the most common physical tests used to measure the limit of stability that is highly important for older adults because their stability is reduced with aging. Thus, older adults are part of the population more exposed to stroke. This test may help in the measurement of the conditions related to post-stroke and stroke treatment. The movements related to this test may be recorded and recognized with the inertial sensors available in off-the-shelf mobile devices. This systematic review aims to determine how to determine the conditions related to this test, which can be detected, and which of the sensors are used for this purpose. The main contribution of this paper is to present the research on the state-of-the-art use of sensors available on off-the-shelf mobile devices to measure Functional Reach Test results. This research shows that the sensors that are used in the literature studies are inertial sensors and force sensors. The features extracted from the different studies are categorized as dynamic balance, quantitative, and raw statistics. These features are mainly used to recognize the different parameters of the test, and several accidents, including falling. The execution of this test may allow the early detection of different diseases.

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