Miguel M C Bhagubai1, Gerjan Wolterink1,2, Anne Schwarz1,3, Jeremia P O Held3, Bert-Jan F Van Beijnum1, Peter H Veltink1. 1. Biomedical Signals and Systems~(BSS) Research GroupUniversity of Twente7522LWEnschedeThe Netherlands. 2. Robotics and Mechatronics GroupUniversity of Twente7522NHEnschedeThe Netherlands. 3. Division of Vascular Neurology and NeurorehabilitationDepartment of NeurologyUniversity Hospital Zürich, University of Zürich8091ZürichSwitzerland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Stroke is one of the main causes of disability in the world, causing loss of motor function on mainly one side of the body. A proper assessment of motor function is required to help to direct and evaluate therapy. Assessment is currently performed by therapists using observer-based standardized clinical assessment protocols. Sensor-based technologies can be used to objectively quantify the presence and severity of motor impairments in stroke patients. METHODS: In this work, a minimally obstructive distributed inertial sensing system, intended to measure kinematics of the upper extremity, was developed and tested in a pilot study, where 10 chronic stroke subjects performed the arm-related tasks from the Fugl-Meyer Assessment protocol with the affected and non-affected side. RESULTS: The pilot study showed that the developed distributed measurement system was adequately sensitive to show significant differences in stroke subjects' arm postures between the affected and non-affected side. The presence of pathological synergies can be analysed using the measured joint angles of the upper limb segments, that describe the movement patterns of the subject. CONCLUSION: Features measured by the system vary from the assessed FMA-UE sub-score showing its potential to provide more detailed clinical information.
BACKGROUND: Stroke is one of the main causes of disability in the world, causing loss of motor function on mainly one side of the body. A proper assessment of motor function is required to help to direct and evaluate therapy. Assessment is currently performed by therapists using observer-based standardized clinical assessment protocols. Sensor-based technologies can be used to objectively quantify the presence and severity of motor impairments in stroke patients. METHODS: In this work, a minimally obstructive distributed inertial sensing system, intended to measure kinematics of the upper extremity, was developed and tested in a pilot study, where 10 chronic stroke subjects performed the arm-related tasks from the Fugl-Meyer Assessment protocol with the affected and non-affected side. RESULTS: The pilot study showed that the developed distributed measurement system was adequately sensitive to show significant differences in stroke subjects' arm postures between the affected and non-affected side. The presence of pathological synergies can be analysed using the measured joint angles of the upper limb segments, that describe the movement patterns of the subject. CONCLUSION: Features measured by the system vary from the assessed FMA-UE sub-score showing its potential to provide more detailed clinical information.
Authors: Jeremia P O Held; Bart Klaassen; Albert Eenhoorn; Bert-Jan F van Beijnum; Jaap H Buurke; Peter H Veltink; Andreas R Luft Journal: Front Bioeng Biotechnol Date: 2018-04-12