Movement analysis congress from yesterday to today: Text mining analysis

Despite the constant publication of motion analysis studies in the literature, the current focus of motion analysis laboratories is often showcased at conferences. Papers and abstracts presented at these events are a crucial source of information for scientists regarding the direction of research in the field. The most comprehensive congress in Europe for presenting current movement analysis studies for adults and children is the European Society for Movement Analysis in Adults and Children (ESMAC) RESEARCH QUESTION: How have motion analysis study trends changed in the last 15 years based on the papers presented at ESMAC congresses?

The titles of abstracts presented at the ESMAC congress between 2008 and 2023 were included in the study. Text mining was performed using the k-means algorithm in Python. Trend changes were analyzed in three groups of five years each.

A total of 3038 paper titles presented at the ESMAC congress were included in the study. The most prominent term in the word cloud obtained from the paper titles was 'Cerebral Palsy.' The trending topics in each 5-year period were Cerebral Palsy, Gait Analysis, Balance, Foot, and Knee. The highest number of studies was presented in 2019 (n = 334), and the lowest in 2014 (n = 134).

While Cerebral Palsy remains a central focus in movement analysis, the emphasis has shifted over time. Technological advances have significantly enhanced motion analysis, with trending topics in each 5-year period.