scholarly journals Inertial Measurement Unit–Derived Ergonomic Metrics for Assessing Arm Use in Manual Wheelchair Users With Spinal Cord Injury: A Preliminary Report

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 12-25
Author(s):  
Omid Jahanian ◽  
Meegan G. Van Straaten ◽  
Brianna M. Goodwin ◽  
Stephen M. Cain ◽  
Ryan J. Lennon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Rotator Cuff ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Measurement Unit ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Wheelchair Users ◽  
Inertial Measurement ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Potential Risk Factors

Background: Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) who use manual wheelchairs (MWCs) have a higher rate of rotator cuff pathology progression than able-bodied individuals. Objectives: This study aimed to test the ability of risk and recovery metrics of arm use to differentiate between (1) MWC users with SCI and matched able-bodied participants (cross-sectional matched-sample study) and (2) MWC users with rotator cuff pathology progression over 1 year from those without pathology progression (longitudinal study). Methods: Thirty-four MWC users and 34 age- and sex-matched able-bodied individuals were recruited. Upper arm risk (humeral elevation >60°) and recovery (static ≥5 seconds and humeral elevation <40°) metrics were calculated from wireless inertial measurement units (IMUs) worn on the upper arms and torso in the free-living environment. Two separate magnetic resonance imaging studies were completed and assessed for a subset of 16 MWC users approximately 1 year apart. Results: The frequency of risk events (p = .019), summated duration of recovery events (p = .025), and duration of each recovery event (p = .003) were higher for MWC users than able-bodied participants. The summated duration of risk events (p = .047), frequency of risk events (p = .027), and risk to recovery ratio (p = .02) were higher and the summated duration of recovery events (p = .036) and frequency of recovery events (p = .047) were lower for MWC users with rotator cuff pathology progression (n = 5) compared to those without progression (n = 11). Conclusion: IMU-derived metrics quantifying arm use at postures >60° and risk to recovery ratios may provide insights of potential risk factors for rotator cuff pathology progression.

scholarly journals An Inertial Measurement Unit-Based Wireless System for Shoulder Motion Assessment in Patients with Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: A Validation Pilot Study in a Clinical Setting

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1057
Author(s):  
Riccardo Bravi ◽  
Stefano Caputo ◽  
Sara Jayousi ◽  
Alessio Martinelli ◽  
Lorenzo Biotti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Clinical Setting ◽  
Cervical Spinal Cord ◽  
Wearable Sensors ◽  
Cervical Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Measurement Unit ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Inertial Measurement ◽  
Cord Injury

Residual motion of upper limbs in individuals who experienced cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) is vital to achieve functional independence. Several interventions were developed to restore shoulder range of motion (ROM) in CSCI patients. However, shoulder ROM assessment in clinical practice is commonly limited to use of a simple goniometer. Conventional goniometric measurements are operator-dependent and require significant time and effort. Therefore, innovative technology for supporting medical personnel in objectively and reliably measuring the efficacy of treatments for shoulder ROM in CSCI patients would be extremely desirable. This study evaluated the validity of a customized wireless wearable sensors (Inertial Measurement Units—IMUs) system for shoulder ROM assessment in CSCI patients in clinical setting. Eight CSCI patients and eight healthy controls performed four shoulder movements (forward flexion, abduction, and internal and external rotation) with dominant arm. Every movement was evaluated with a goniometer by different testers and with the IMU system at the same time. Validity was evaluated by comparing IMUs and goniometer measurements using Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and Limits of Agreement (LOA). inter-tester reliability of IMUs and goniometer measurements was also investigated. Preliminary results provide essential information on the accuracy of the proposed wireless wearable sensors system in acquiring objective measurements of the shoulder movements in CSCI patients.

scholarly journals Age-related variation in mobility independence among wheelchair users with spinal cord injury: A cross-sectional study

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 180-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timo Hinrichs ◽  
Veronika Lay ◽  
Ursina Arnet ◽  
Inge Eriks-Hoogland ◽  
Hans Georg Koch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Wheelchair Users ◽  
Related Variation ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Cord Injury

scholarly journals Assessment of the Shank-to-Vertical Angle While Changing Heel Heights Using a Single Inertial Measurement Unit in Individuals with Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury Wearing an Ankle-Foot-Orthosis

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 985
Author(s):  
Lysanne A. F. de Jong ◽  
Yvette L. Kerkum ◽  
Tom de Groot ◽  
Marije Vos-van der Hulst ◽  
Ilse J. W. van Nes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Inertial Measurement Unit ◽  
Measurement Unit ◽  
Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Vertical Angle ◽  
Inertial Measurement ◽  
Heel Height ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Anterior Side

Previous research showed that an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) on the anterior side of the shank can accurately measure the Shank-to-Vertical Angle (SVA), which is a clinically-used parameter to guide tuning of ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs). However, in this context it is specifically important that differences in the SVA are detected during the tuning process, i.e., when adjusting heel height. This study investigated the validity of the SVA as measured by an IMU and its responsiveness to changes in AFO-footwear combination (AFO-FC) heel height in persons with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI). Additionally, the effect of heel height on knee flexion-extension angle and internal moment was evaluated. Twelve persons with an iSCI walked with their own AFO-FC in three different conditions: (1) without a heel wedge (refHH), (2) with 5 mm heel wedge (lowHH) and (3) with 10 mm heel wedge (highHH). Walking was recorded by a single IMU on the anterior side of the shank and a 3D gait analysis (3DGA) simultaneously. To estimate validity, a paired t-test and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between the SVAIMU and SVA3DGA were calculated for the refHH. A repeated measures ANOVA was performed to evaluate the differences between the heel heights. A good validity with a mean difference smaller than 1 and an ICC above 0.9 was found for the SVA during midstance phase and at midstance. Significant differences between the heel heights were found for changes in SVAIMU (p = 0.036) and knee moment (p = 0.020) during the midstance phase and in SVAIMU (p = 0.042) and SVA3DGA (p = 0.006) at midstance. Post-hoc analysis revealed a significant difference between the ref and high heel height condition for the SVAIMU (p = 0.005) and knee moment (p = 0.006) during the midstance phase and for the SVAIMU (p = 0.010) and SVA3DGA (p = 0.006) at the instant of midstance. The SVA measured with an IMU is valid and responsive to changing heel heights and equivalent to the gold standard 3DGA. The knee joint angle and knee joint moment showed concomitant changes compared to SVA as a result of changing heel height.

scholarly journals Shoulder MRI Findings in Manual Wheelchair Users with Spinal Cord Injury

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omid Jahanian ◽  
Meegan G. Van Straaten ◽  
Brianna M. Goodwin ◽  
Ryan J. Lennon ◽  
Jonathan D. Barlow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Rotator Cuff ◽  
Mri Findings ◽  
Wheelchair Users ◽  
Manual Wheelchair ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Tendon Tears ◽  
Long Head ◽  
Shoulder Pathologies

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of rotator cuff and long head of the biceps pathologies in manual wheelchair (MWC) users with spinal cord injury (SCI). Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Academic medical center. Participants: MWC users with SCI. Outcome Measures: Participants demographic and anthropometric information, presence of shoulder pain, wheelchair users pain Index (WUSPI) scores, and MRI findings of shoulder pathologies including tendinopathy, tendon tears, and muscle atrophy. Results: Forty-four adult MWC users with SCI participated in the study. Fifty-nine percent of the participants reported some shoulder pain. The prevalence of any tendinopathy across the rotator cuff and the long head of biceps tendon was 98%. The prevalence of tendinopathy in the supraspinatus was 86%, infraspinatus was 91%, subscapularis was 75%, and biceps was 57%. The majority of tendinopathies had mild or moderate severity. The prevalence of any tears was 68%. The prevalence of tendon tears in the supraspinatus was 48%, infraspinatus was 36%, subscapularis was 43%, and biceps was 12%. The majority of the tears were partial-thickness tears. Participants without tendon tears were significantly younger (p < 0.001) and had been dependent on wheelchair for significantly shorter time (p = 0.005) than those with tendon tears. Conclusion: Mild and moderate shoulder tendinopathy and partial-thickness tendon tears were highly prevalent in MWC users with SCI. Additionally, the findings of this study suggest that strategies for monitoring shoulder pathologies in this population should not be overly reliant on patient-reported pain, but perhaps more concerned with years of wheelchair use and age.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document