Reliability of a low-cost webcam recording system for three-dimensional lower limb gait analysis.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Pusara A
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7857306 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Three-dimensional (3-D) motion capture systems are commonly used for gait analysis because they provide reliable and accurate measurements. However, the downside of this approach is that it is expensive and requires technical expertise; thus making it less feasible in the clinic. To address this limitation, we recently developed and validated (using a high-precision walking robot) a low-cost, two-dimensional (2-D) real-time motion tracking approach using a simple webcam and LabVIEW Vision Assistant. The purpose of this study was to establish the repeatability and minimal detectable change values of hip and knee sagittal plane gait kinematics recorded using this system. Twenty-one healthy subjects underwent two kinematic assessments while walking on a treadmill at a range of gait velocities. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and minimal detectable change (MDC) values were calculated for commonly used hip and knee kinematic parameters to demonstrate the reliability of the system. Additionally, Bland-Altman plots were generated to examine the agreement between the measurements recorded on two different days. The system demonstrated good to excellent reliability (ICC>0.75) for all the gait parameters tested on this study. The MDC values were typically low (<5°) for most of the parameters. The Bland-Altman plots indicated that there was no systematic error or bias in kinematic measurements and showed good agreement between measurements obtained on two different days. These results indicate that kinematic gait assessments using webcam technology can be reliably used for clinical and research purposes.
| S-EPMC5515224 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Lower and upper limb maximum muscular force development is an important indicator of physical capacity. Manual muscle testing, load cell coupled with a signal conditioner, and handheld dynamometry are three widely used techniques for measuring isometric muscle strength. Recently, there is a proliferation of low-cost tools that have potential to be used to measure muscle strength. This study examined both the criterion validity, inter-day reliability and intra-day reliability of a microcontroller-based load cell amplifier for quantifying muscle strength. To do so, a low-cost microcontroller-based load cell amplifier for measuring lower and upper limb maximal voluntary isometric muscular force was compared to a commercial grade signal conditioner and to a handheld dynamometer. The results showed that the microcontroller-based load cell amplifier correlated nearly perfectly (Pearson's R-values between 0.947 to 0.992) with the commercial signal conditioner and the handheld dynamometer, and showed good to excellent association when calculating ICC scores, with values of 0.9582 [95% C.I.: 0.9297-0.9752] for inter-day reliability and of 0.9269 [95% C.I.: 0.8909-0.9533] for session one, intra-day reliability. Such results may have implications for how the evaluation of muscle strength measurement is conducted in the future, particularly for offering a commercial-like grade quality, low cost, portable and flexible option.
| S-EPMC7506672 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Introduction:Gait exercise assist robot (GEAR), a gait rehabilitation robot developed for poststroke gait disorder, has been shown to improve walking speed and to improve the poststroke gait pattern. However, the persistence of its beneficial effect has not been clarified. In this matched case-control study, we assessed the durability of the effectiveness of GEAR training in patients with subacute stroke on the basis of clinical evaluation and three-dimensional (3D) gait analysis. Methods:Gait data of 10 patients who underwent GEAR intervention program and 10 patients matched for age, height, sex, affected side, type of stroke, and initial gait ability who underwent conventional therapy were extracted from database. The outcome measures were walk score of Functional Independence Measure (FIM-walk), Stroke Impairment Assessment Set total lower limb motor function score (SIAS-L/E), and 3D gait analysis data (spatiotemporal factors and abnormal gait patter indices) at three time points: baseline, at the end of intervention, and within 1 week before discharge. Results:In the GEAR group, the FIM-walk score, SIAS-L/E score, cadence, and single stance time of paretic side at discharge were significantly higher than those at post-training (p < 0.05), whereas the stance time and double support time of the unaffected side, knee extensor thrust, insufficient knee flexion, and external rotated hip of the affected side were significantly lower (p < 005). However, no significant differences in these respects were observed in the control group between the corresponding evaluation time points. Conclusion:The results indicated significant improvement in the GEAR group after the training period, with respect to both clinical parameters and the gait pattern indices. This improvement was not evident in the control group after the training period. The results possibly support the effectiveness of GEAR training in conferring persistently efficient gait patterns in patients with poststroke gait disorder. Further studies should investigate the long-term effects of GEAR training in a larger sample.
| S-EPMC7396555 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe windlass mechanism was described as the effect caused by the extension of the first metatarsalphalangeal joint (1st MTPJ). Quantify the degrees of movement produced in the leg by means of the Bioval® sensor system, after performing two measurements in the 1st MTPJ, 45° extension and maximum extension.MethodsTests-post-test study with just one intervention group, performed in the Clinical Podiatry Area of the Faculty of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Podiatry of the University of Seville. Subjects were included as of age 20, with a value from 0° to 3° valgus, Helbing line, a value from 0° to +5° for the foot postural index, and a localisation axis for the normalised subtalar joint. Subjects with surgical operations of the first ray, fractures and surgical operations in the leg, pathologies in the first ray and rheumatic diseases were excluded. Measurement was performed with the Bioval® system by means of inserting four sensors in the bone structures involved in the windlass mechanism.ResultsWith the 45° wedge we observed a direct correlation among the variables extension-plantar flexion 1st MTPJ and rotation of the femur. With maximal extension of the 1st MTPJ we obtained a direct relationship between the variable extension of the 1st MTPJ and the variables plantar flexion and prono-supination of the 1st metatarsal as well as with the variables tibia rotation and femur rotation.ConclusionKinematic analysis suggested that the higher the degree of extension the more movement will be generated. This reduces the level of impact the more distal the structure with respect to the 1st MTPJ, which has an impact on the entire leg. Because of the kinematic system used wasn't suitable, its impact wasn't exactly quantified.
| S-EPMC5738965 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Plant modeling can provide a more detailed overview regarding the basis of plant development throughout the life cycle. Three-dimensional processing algorithms are rapidly expanding in plant phenotyping programmes and in decision-making for agronomic management. Several methods have already been tested, but for practical implementations the trade-off between equipment cost, computational resources needed and the fidelity and accuracy in the reconstruction of the end-details needs to be assessed and quantified. This study examined the suitability of two low-cost systems for plant reconstruction. A low-cost Structure from Motion (SfM) technique was used to create 3D models for plant crop reconstruction. In the second method, an acquisition and reconstruction algorithm using an RGB-Depth Kinect v2 sensor was tested following a similar image acquisition procedure. The information was processed to create a dense point cloud, which allowed the creation of a 3D-polygon mesh representing every scanned plant. The selected crop plants corresponded to three different crops (maize, sugar beet and sunflower) that have structural and biological differences. The parameters measured from the model were validated with ground truth data of plant height, leaf area index and plant dry biomass using regression methods. The results showed strong consistency with good correlations between the calculated values in the models and the ground truth information. Although, the values obtained were always accurately estimated, differences between the methods and among the crops were found. The SfM method showed a slightly better result with regard to the reconstruction the end-details and the accuracy of the height estimation. Although the use of the processing algorithm is relatively fast, the use of RGB-D information is faster during the creation of the 3D models. Thus, both methods demonstrated robust results and provided great potential for use in both for indoor and outdoor scenarios. Consequently, these low-cost systems for 3D modeling are suitable for several situations where there is a need for model generation and also provide a favourable time-cost relationship.
| S-EPMC6651267 | biostudies-literature
Project description:We aimed to develop gait standards for gait parameters in school-aged Japanese children and assess age-related differences in gait patterns and parameters. Children aged 6-12 years (n = 424) were recruited from two elementary schools. An instrumented three-dimensional gait analysis system was used to record each child's gait kinematics, kinetics, and spatiotemporal parameters. Participants were subdivided into three age groups (Group A, 6-8 years; Group B, 9-10 years; and Group C, 11-12 years). LMS Chartmaker, version 2.54, was used to create a developmental chart for the gait pattern. The non-normalized step and stride lengths were significantly longer, and the cadence was lower in older children; however, the opposite outcome occurred when analyzing normalized data. Ankle moment differed significantly by age, and the maximum ankle moment was higher in older children than that in younger children. Furthermore, the hip and knee flexion angles during gait and the normalized spatiotemporal parameters of Japanese children aged 6-12 years differed by age and from those of children from other countries. The centile chart of the gait pattern is a useful tool for clinicians to assess developmental changes in the gait pattern and detect gait abnormalities in children.
| S-EPMC9098504 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Physical therapy is an important component of gait recovery for individuals with locomotor dysfunction. There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that incorporating a motor learning task through visual feedback of movement trajectory is a useful approach to facilitate therapeutic outcomes. Visual feedback is typically provided by recording the subject's limb movement patterns using a three-dimensional motion capture system and displaying it in real-time using customized software. However, this approach can seldom be used in the clinic because of the technical expertise required to operate this device and the cost involved in procuring a three-dimensional motion capture system. In this paper, we describe a low cost two-dimensional real-time motion tracking approach using a simple webcam and an image processing algorithm in LabVIEW Vision Assistant. We also evaluated the accuracy of this approach using a high precision robotic device (Lokomat) across various walking speeds. Further, the reliability and feasibility of real-time motion-tracking were evaluated in healthy human participants. The results indicated that the measurements from the webcam tracking approach were reliable and accurate. Experiments on human subjects also showed that participants could utilize the real-time kinematic feedback generated from this device to successfully perform a motor learning task while walking on a treadmill. These findings suggest that the webcam motion tracking approach is a feasible low cost solution to perform real-time movement analysis and training.
| S-EPMC4306621 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND: The lack of clear understanding of the association between sitting posture and adolescent musculoskeletal pain, might reflect invalid and/or unreliable posture measurement instruments. The psychometric properties of any new measurement instrument should be demonstrated prior to use for research or clinical purposes. This paper describes psychometric testing of a new three-dimensional (3D), portable, non-invasive posture analysis tool (3D-PAT), from sequential studies using a mannequin and high school students. METHODS: The first study compared the 3D-(X-, Y- and Z-) coordinates of reflective markers placed on a mannequin using the 3D-PAT, and the Vicon motion analysis system. This study also tested the reliability of taking repeated measures of the 3D-coordinates of the reflective markers. The second study determined the concurrent validity and test-retest reliability of the 3D-PAT measurements of nine sitting postural angles of high school students undertaking a standard computing task. In both studies, concordance correlation coefficients and Intraclass correlation coefficients described test-retest reliability, whilst Pearson product moment correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman plots demonstrated concurrent validity. RESULTS: The 3D-PAT provides reliable and valid 3D measurements of five of the nine postural angles i.e. head flexion, neck flexion, cranio-cervical angle, trunk flexion and head lateral bending in adolescents undertaking a standard task. CONCLUSIONS: The 3D-PAT is appropriate for research and clinical settings to measure five upper quadrant postural angles in three dimensions. As a measurement instrument it can provide further understanding of the relationship between sitting posture, changes to sitting posture and adolescent musculoskeletal pain.
| S-EPMC4219581 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundInclined walking requires more cardiopulmonary metabolic energy and muscle strength than flat-level walking. This study sought to investigate changes in lower-limb muscle activity and cardiopulmonary metabolic energy cost during treadmill walking with different inclination grades and to discern any correlation between these two measures in older adults.MethodsTwenty-four healthy older adults (n = 11 males; mean age: 75.3 ± 4.0 years) participated. All participants walked on a treadmill that was randomly inclined at 0% (condition 1), 10% (condition 2), and 16% (condition 3) for five minutes each. Simultaneous measurements of lower-limb muscle activity and cardiopulmonary metabolic energy cost during inclined treadmill walking were collected. Measured muscles included the rectus abdominis (RA), erector spinae (ES), rectus femoris (RF), biceps femoris (BF), vastus medialis (VM), tibialis anterior (TA), medial head of the gastrocnemius (GCM), and soleus (SOL) muscles on the right side.ResultsAs compared with 0% inclined treadmill gait, the 10% inclined treadmill gait increased the net cardiopulmonary metabolic energy cost by 22.9%, while the 16% inclined treadmill gait increased the net cardiopulmonary metabolic energy cost by 44.2%. In the stance phase, as the slope increased, activity was significantly increased in the RA, RF, VM, BF, GCM, and SOL muscles. In the swing phase, As the slope increased activity was significantly increased in the RA, RF, VM, BF, and TA muscles. SOL muscle activity was most relevant to the change in cardiopulmonary metabolic energy cost in the stance phase of inclined treadmill walking. The relationship between the increase in cardiopulmonary metabolic energy cost and changes in muscle activity was also significant in the VM, GCM, and RF.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that changes in SOL, VM, GCM, and RA muscle activity had a significant relationship with cardiopulmonary metabolic energy cost increment during inclined treadmill walking. These results can be used as basic data for various gait-training programs and as an indicator in the development of assistive algorithms of wearable walking robots for older adults.Trial registrationClinical trials registration information: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04614857 (05/11/2020).
| S-EPMC8383420 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundMany lower-limb exoskeletons have been developed to assist gait, exhibiting a large range of control methods. The goal of this paper is to review and classify these control strategies, that determine how these devices interact with the user.MethodsIn addition to covering the recent publications on the control of lower-limb exoskeletons for gait assistance, an effort has been made to review the controllers independently of the hardware and implementation aspects. The common 3-level structure (high, middle, and low levels) is first used to separate the continuous behavior (mid-level) from the implementation of position/torque control (low-level) and the detection of the terrain or user's intention (high-level). Within these levels, different approaches (functional units) have been identified and combined to describe each considered controller.Results291 references have been considered and sorted by the proposed classification. The methods identified in the high-level are manual user input, brain interfaces, or automatic mode detection based on the terrain or user's movements. In the mid-level, the synchronization is most often based on manual triggers by the user, discrete events (followed by state machines or time-based progression), or continuous estimations using state variables. The desired action is determined based on position/torque profiles, model-based calculations, or other custom functions of the sensory signals. In the low-level, position or torque controllers are used to carry out the desired actions. In addition to a more detailed description of these methods, the variants of implementation within each one are also compared and discussed in the paper.ConclusionsBy listing and comparing the features of the reviewed controllers, this work can help in understanding the numerous techniques found in the literature. The main identified trends are the use of pre-defined trajectories for full-mobilization and event-triggered (or adaptive-frequency-oscillator-synchronized) torque profiles for partial assistance. More recently, advanced methods to adapt the position/torque profiles online and automatically detect terrains or locomotion modes have become more common, but these are largely still limited to laboratory settings. An analysis of the possible underlying reasons of the identified trends is also carried out and opportunities for further studies are discussed.
| S-EPMC8314580 | biostudies-literature