Influence of Skin Marker Positioning and Their Combinations on Hip Joint Center Estimation Using the Functional...

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Human movement analysis
• Orthopedics

Background:

• Accurate hip joint center (HJC) estimation is vital for gait analysis.
• Functional methods for HJC calculation lack standardized marker placement protocols.
• Predictive methods offer an alternative but functional methods are preferred in some settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of different skin marker combinations on HJC position estimation.
• To compare functional HJC estimation with predictive methods.
• To identify optimal skin marker configurations for reliable HJC calculation.

Main Methods:

• Forty-one healthy volunteers participated in the study.
• Thirteen skin markers were placed on the pelvis and lower limbs.
• Multiple marker combinations were tested using ten calibration movement trials captured via motion capture.

Main Results:

• Marker combinations including pelvic and proximal muscle markers provided the most accurate HJC estimations.
• These optimal combinations yielded results comparable to predictive HJC estimation methods.
• Excluding pelvic markers resulted in unreliable HJC position estimations.

Conclusions:

• Skin marker selection significantly influences HJC estimation accuracy in functional methods.
• Optimal marker placement involves the pelvis and easily identifiable proximal muscles.
• These findings provide guidance for improving functional HJC estimation in gait analysis.