Improving modified tardieu scale assessment using inertial measurement unit with visual biofeedback.

Reliable spasticity assessment is important to provide appropriate intervention for spasticity. Modified Tardieu scale (MTS) assessment is simple and convenient enough to be used in clinical environment, but has poor or moderate reliability due to irregular passive stretch velocity and goniometric measurement. We proposed a novel inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based MTS assessment with gyroscope-based visual biofeedback to improve the reliability of MTS by providing regular passive stretch velocity. With five children with cerebral palsy and two raters, the IMU-based MTS assessment was compared with conventional MTS assessment. The results showed that the proposed one has good test-retest and inter-rater reliabilities (ICC > .08) while the conventional MTS has poor or moderate reliability. Moreover, it was shown that the proposed visual biofeedback is effective enough to provide regular passive stretch velocity.