Principle of operation and use of accelerometry in assessing the musculoskeletal system – a narrative review
Journal Title: Rehabilitacja Medyczna - Year 2011, Vol 15, Issue 1
Abstract
Accelerometry is a relatively new but promising method of gait examination. It is based on the usage of sensors which measure linear acceleration at a certain material point. The purpose of this article is to review the literature on the subject from the point of view of applying this technique in assessing human gait, its advantages and shortcomings and the reliability of measurement. Papers by various authors have been reviewed and their results compared. Research concerned detection of the phases and events of gait, calculation of gait parameters such as speed and step length, balance evaluation and the monitoring of physical activity. In order to verify the correctness of the collected data, it was compared with the readings of the VICON system, force platforms and special electronic walkways. An analysis of the literature resulted in the following conclusions: the advantages of accelerometry is the low cost of devices, their small size and mass and measurement which is not limited to the laboratory. The disadvantage is first of all the necessity to use cables, which makes it harder to conduct the long-term monitoring of physical activity. The method is reliable if the experiment is properly planned and carried out. The most important conditions are the proper location of sensors, tight binding to the body, the most accurate alignment of the anatomical axis with the measurement axis and the usage of a proper algorithm for data processing. The authors of the majority of papers consider accelerometry to be a reliable and useful method of analyzing the parameters of gait. At present, accelerometers are used mainly for examining the model of gait and assessing dysfunctions, as sensors in FES assisted walking in patients with dropped foot and during physical activity monitoring.
Authors and Affiliations
Paweł Grzebień, Elżbieta Szczygieł, Sylwia Król, Tadeusz Mazur, Joanna Golec
Keywords
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