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A Method for Quantifying Upper Limb Performance in Daily Life Using Accelerometers
Published on: April 21, 2017
Sensor-Acquired Reachable Workspace (RWS) Correlates with Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Function in Stroke as
Vicky Chan1, Seungcheol Austin Lee2, Jaylen M Lee3
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of California at Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA.
Sensor-based reachable workspace (RWS) measurements show a strong correlation with functional independence in stroke patients. This technology can effectively track improvements in activities of daily living (ADL) during rehabilitation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Optimal upper extremity function is crucial for daily activities.
- Stroke-induced hemiparesis significantly impairs activities of daily living (ADL).
- Current ADL assessment tools like the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) self-care score can be subjective and time-consuming.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the correlation between sensor-acquired upper extremity reachable workspace (RWS) and clinician-evaluated FIM self-care scores in stroke patients.
- To determine if RWS can serve as an objective measure of ADL function in stroke survivors.
- To assess the utility of RWS in tracking functional changes during stroke rehabilitation.
Main Methods:
- An observational study involving 17 stroke patients.
- Collected data included FIM self-care scores, NeuroQoL upper extremity scores, and RWS (relative surface area - RSA) at admission, discharge, and 3-month follow-up.
- Statistical analyses included Pearson and Spearman correlations and multiple linear regression.
Main Results:
- Moderately strong correlations were found between total RWS RSA and total FIM self-care scores at discharge (r=0.619) and 3 months (r=0.661).
- Strong correlations were also observed between RWS RSA and the upper extremity NeuroQoL score (r=0.690 to 0.815).
- A 0.1 unit increase in average bilateral total RSA from admission to 3 months correlated with a 2.011-point increase in FIM self-care score.
Conclusions:
- Sensor-acquired RWS is a promising, objective measure that correlates well with established clinical assessments of ADL function in stroke patients.
- RWS can effectively track longitudinal improvements in upper extremity function and ADL performance during stroke recovery and rehabilitation.
- This technology offers a potential objective and quantifiable alternative for assessing and monitoring ADL function in stroke survivors.
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