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Assessment of Segmental Postural Control During Reaching in Typically Developing Children Using a Single Inertial
Ashley Schilling1, David Levine1, Jim Richards2
1Department of Physical Therapy, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA.
Insights
Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) can detect changes in children's postural control during reaching tasks. Support level and pelvic straps significantly influence these measurements, suggesting IMU utility for assessing neuromotor impairments.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Rehabilitation Science
- Pediatric Physical Therapy
Background:
- Effective assessment of postural control is crucial for children with neuromotor impairments.
- Clinicians need sensitive tools to evaluate intervention effectiveness.
- Current methods may lack the sensitivity to capture subtle changes in postural control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the sensitivity of a single Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to postural control changes.
- To assess how different levels of clinician support affect IMU measurements.
- To examine the impact of pelvic-stabilizing straps on postural control during reaching.
Main Methods:
- A single Delsys Trigno IMU sensor was used to record data.
- Data collected included acceleration and angular velocity.
- Measurements were taken during a reaching task in sitting with varying support levels and pelvic straps in typically developing children.
Main Results:
- Upper thoracic support significantly reduced medial-lateral and anterior-posterior accelerations compared to lower lumbar support.
- Cranial support levels progressively decreased sagittal and coronal angular velocity.
- Pelvic straps increased acceleration and angular velocity ranges in multiple planes.
Conclusions:
- IMUs show potential as a clinical tool for assessing postural control in children.
- IMU data can help evaluate the efficacy of interventions for neuromotor impairments.
- Support strategies and stabilization devices impact postural control measurements.
Abstract:
Background: Clinicians working with children with neuromotor impairments require sensitive measures to assess postural control and evaluate interventions. This study explored the sensitivity of a single Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to changes in postural control during reaching in sitting with clinician support at different segmental levels: upper thoracic, lower thoracic, lower lumbar, and no support. The effect of pelvic-stabilizing straps was examined. Methods: A single Delsys Trigno IMU sensor attached over the mid-thoracic spine recorded acceleration and angular velocity data during a reaching task in sitting in ten typically developing children. Results: Comparisons of the support levels showed a significantly lower range of accelerations in the medial-lateral and anterior-posterior directions when support was provided at the upper thoracic level compared to support at the lower lumbar level. The range of angular velocity in the sagittal and coronal planes showed progressively lower values as the level of support moved cranially. Pelvic stability straps allowed for a significantly greater range of acceleration values in all directions and a greater range of angular velocities in the sagittal and transverse planes. Conclusions: These exploratory findings suggest that IMUs may have clinical utility in postural control assessment and evaluating the effects of intervention in children with neuromotor impairment.
