Marker placement for movement analysis in scoliotic patients: a critical analysis of existing systems

Optoelectronic movement analysis systems has provided an opportunity for a detailed study of both normal and abnormal human walking and has contributed to the planning and documentation of corrective surgical procedures. The majority of reported studies have been on the study of lower limbs which, consequently, have received most attention in movement analysis. In contrast, movement of the trunk and pelvis, important in the identification of spinal mobility and maintaining posture, have received limited attention in relation to clinical conditions such as scoliosis. Any movement analysis requires the identification of anatomical landmarks which are essential contributing factors to the accuracy of the analysis. While there are a plethora of studies on marker placements for the lower limbs, there is a paucity of information on the marker locations for spinal analysis. Present study examines a set of markers previously reported in the literature and examines their usefulness in scoliotic gait analysis. The findings highlight the drawbacks in previously reported techniques and leads to the proposal of a new marker set for spine and back movement analysis.