| 1. |
- Da-Silva, Ruth H., et al.
(författare)
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Prompting arm activity after stroke : A clinical proof of concept study of wrist-worn accelerometers with a vibrating alert function
- 2018
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Ingår i: JOURNAL OF REHABILITATION AND ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES ENGINEERING. - : SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC. - 2055-6683. ; 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Frequent practice of functional movements after stroke may optimise motor recovery; however, it is challenging for patients to remember to integrate an impaired limb into daily activities. We report the activity responses of stroke patients receiving a vibrating alert delivered by a tri-axial accelerometer wristband to prompt movement of the impaired arm if hourly activity levels fell. Methods: Adults with upper limb impairment <= 28 days post-stroke wore the device for four weeks. Therapists and patients reviewed movement activity data twice weekly to agree ongoing rehabilitation activities and programme the wristband with a personalised prompt threshold (median baseline activity + 5%, 25% or 50%). Results: Seven patients completed the programme (five males; meanstandard deviation (age) 64 +/- 5 years; days post-stroke 13 +/- 7; baseline/four-week Action Research Arm Test median (Interquartile range (IQR)) 39 (8, 44)/56 (11, 57)). Wristbands were worn for 89% of programme duration. A total of 1,288 prompts were delivered, with a median of four (IQR 3,7) prompts per patient per day. Mean activity increases following a prompt ranged from 11% to 29%. Conclusions: Feedback delivered by a programmable accelerometer increased impaired arm activity. Improvements are required in device reliability before conducting a pragmatic clinical trial to examine the impact upon recovery.
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| 2. |
- Haescher, Marian, et al.
(författare)
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Automated fall risk assessment of elderly using wearable devices.
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of rehabilitation and assistive technologies engineering. - : SAGE Publications. - 2055-6683. ; 7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Falls cause major expenses in the healthcare sector. We investigate the ability of supporting a fall risk assessment by introducing algorithms for automated assessments of standardized fall risk-related tests via wearable devices.In a study, 13 participants conducted the standardized 6-Minutes Walk Test, the Timed-Up-and-Go Test, the 30-Second Sit-to-Stand Test, and the 4-Stage Balance Test repeatedly, producing 226 tests in total. Automatedalgorithms computed by wearable devices, as well as a visual analysis of the recorded data streams, were compared to the observational results conducted by physiotherapists.There was a high congruence between automated assessments and the ground truth for all four test types (ranging from 78.15% to 96.55%), with deviations ranging all well within one standard deviation of the ground truth. Fall risk (assessed by questionnaire) correlated with the individual tests.The automated fall risk assessment using wearable devices and algorithms matches the validity of the ground truth, thus providing a resourceful alternative to the effortful observational assessment, while minimizing the risk of human error. No single test can predict overall fall risk; instead, a much more complex model with additional input parameters (e.g., fall history, medication etc.) is needed.
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| 3. |
- Lund Ohlsson, Marie, et al.
(författare)
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Estimation of muscular metabolic power in two different cross-country sit-skiing sledges using inverse-dynamics simulation
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering. - : SAGE Publications. - 2055-6683 .- 2055-6683. ; 9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to estimate and compare the muscular metabolic power produced in the human body using musculoskeletal inverse-dynamics during cross-country sit-skiing. Two sitting positions were adapted for athletes with reduced trunk and hip muscle control, knee low with frontal trunk support (KL-fix), and knee high (KH). Five female national class able-bodied cross-country skiers performed submaximal and maximal exercise in both sitting positions, while recording 3-D kinematics, pole forces, electromyography and respiratory variables. Simulations were performed from these experimental results and muscular metabolic power was computed. The main part of the muscle metabolic power was produced in the upper limbs for both sitting positions, but KH produced more muscle metabolic power in lower limbs and trunk during maximal intensity. KH was also more efficient, utilizing less muscular metabolic power during submaximal intensities, relatively less power in the upper limbs and more power in the trunk, hip and lower limb muscles. This implies that sitting position KH is preferable for high power output when using able-bodied simulation models. This study showed the potential of using musculoskeletal simulations to improve the understanding of how different equipment design and muscles contribute to performance.
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| 4. |
- Möller, Saffran, et al.
(författare)
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Cortical brain activity in transfemoral or knee-disarticulation prosthesis users performing single- and dual-task walking activities
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering. - : SAGE Publications. - 2055-6683. ; 7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Walking with a prosthesis while performing secondary tasks increases demand on cognitive resources, compromising balance and gait. This study investigated effects of a secondary task on patterns of brain activity and temporospatial gait parameters in individuals using a prosthesis with or without a microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee(MPK) and controls. Methods: A cross-sectional study with repeated measures was performed. Twenty-nine individuals with amputations and 16 controls were recruited. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy was used to evaluate changes in oxygenated and de-oxygenated haemoglobin in the prefrontal cortex and temporospatial variables during single-and dual-task walking. Results: Differences in brain activity were observed within the MPK-group and controls without changes in temporospatial parameters. The Trail-Walking test was associated with highest levels of brain activity in both groups. No differences were observed between single- and dual-task walking in the non-MPK-group (p > 0.05). The Non-MPK and the MPK-group recorded higher levels of brain activity than controls during single-task walking and poorer results on temporospatial variables compared to controls. Conclusions: For the MPK-group and controls, introduction of a secondary task led to an increase in brain activity. This was not seen in the Non-MPK-group. Significant differences in brain activity were observed in the absence of changes in temporospatial parameters.
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| 5. |
- Ortiz Fernandez, Leire, et al.
(författare)
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Exploring attitudes towards use of technology to support stroke survivors living at home: A quantitative and qualitative content analysis study in Spain
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering. - : SAGE Publications. - 2055-6683. ; 8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PurposeThe aim of this study was to better understand the attitudes towards the use of technology to support chronic stroke survivors in a home-based setting.MethodsA quantitative study was used on the data obtained from a face to face survey with the sample group, incorporating quantitative statistical analysis.ResultsParticipants reported positive attitudes towards using technology for their own independent health management. The purpose of the home-based technology was different: source of information, supporting self-management, pharmacological treatment reminders… and differed according to age, educational level and survivor disability. Installing devices and sharing information remains a challenge.Conclusions100% of stroke survivors living in the community with any type of disability, reported that they would like to use technology as a tool to help improve their health status.
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| 6. |
- Rafique, Sajid, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
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Evaluating the advantages of passive exoskeletons and recommendations for design improvements
- 2024
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Ingår i: Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering. - : SAGE. - 2055-6683 .- 2055-6683. ; 11, s. 1-13
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Construction and manufacturing workers undertake physically laborious activities which put them at risk of developing serious musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). In the EU, millions of workers are being affected by workplace-related MSDs, inflicting huge financial implications on the European economy. Besides that, increased health problems and financial losses, severe shortages of skilled labor also emerge. The work aims to create awareness and accelerate the adoption of exoskeletons among SMEs and construction workers to reduce MSDs. Large-scale manufacturers and automobile assemblers are more open to adopt exoskeletons, however, the use of exoskeletons in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is still not recognized. This paper presents an experimental study demonstrating the advantages of different exoskeletons while performing workers’ tasks. The study illustrates how the use of certain upper and lower body exoskeletons can reduce muscle effort. The muscle activity of the participants was measured using EMG sensors and was compared while performing designated tasks. It was found that up to 60% reduction in human effort can be achieved while performing the same tasks using exoskeletons. This can also help ill workers in rehabilitation and putting them back to work. The study concludes with pragmatic recommendations for future exoskeletons.
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| 7. |
- Ramstrand, Nerrolyn, 1974-, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of knee orthoses on kinesthetic awareness and balance in healthy individuals
- 2019
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Ingår i: Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering. - : Sage Publications. - 2055-6683 .- 2055-6683. ; 6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Conflicting evidence exists regarding the effects of knee orthoses on proprioception. One belief is that pressure applied by orthoses heightens kinesthetic awareness and that this affects balance. This study aimed to investigate effects of two different orthosis designs on kinesthetic awareness and balance in healthy individuals.Methods: Twenty individuals (13 women) participated in this case series study. Each were tested wearing 1/no orthosis, 2/soft elastic orthosis and 3/non-elastic jointed orthosis. Pressure under orthoses was recorded. Kinesthetic awareness was investigated by testing Joint Position Sense (JPS) and Threshold to Detection of Passive Motion (TDPM). Balance was tested using a Modified Sensory Organization Test (mSOT).Results: Non-elastic jointed orthoses applied the greatest pressure to the knee. With non-elastic jointed orthoses, TDPM was significantly poorer for pooled results (p= 0.02) and when the start position of the knee was 70 degrees (mean threshold = 0.6 º, 0.6 º, 0.7º for no-orthosis, elastic and jointed-orthoses; p= 0.03). No major differences were observed in JPS or balance and correlation between proprioception and balance was poor.Conclusions: There may be a limit to the amount of pressure that should be applied to the knee joint by an orthosis. Exceeding this limit may compromise kinesthetic awareness.
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| 8. |
- Stratton, Catherine SM, et al.
(författare)
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Blind sports’ blind spot: The global epidemiology of visual impairment against participation trends in elite blind para sport
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering. - : SAGE Publications. - 2055-6683. ; 9:1-10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: It remains unknown whether access to elite blind sports opportunities is globally balanced or matches the prevalence of blindness/visual impairment (VI). The primary objective of this study was to determine the rate of elite blind sports participation in each world region registered in the International Blind Sports Federation’s (IBSA) and to assess its association with the global and regional prevalence of blindness/VI. The secondary objective was to determine the association between other covariates, such as age, vision class, and sex, with the number of IBSA-registered athletes from each region.Methods: A baseline estimate of blindness/VI data was established and used when comparing participation rates to blindness/VI rates. Descriptive statistics were used to describe sports participation and associated co-variates.Results: Among 123 member countries registered in IBSA, 31 did not have any completed registrations in blind sports, of which 22 had a prevalence of blindness/VI higher than the global average. During the summer season 2019, 738 (29.52%) IBSA athletes were female and 1762 (70.48%) were male.Conclusions: These results suggest elite blind/VI sport participation is limited independently from blindness/VI prevalence. Increasing blind-friendly sport resources, especially in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs), would improve the rate of elite sport participation among athletes with blindness/VI.
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