Sensors

BackgroundMarkerless motion analysis using deep learning is attracting attention in the field of rehabilitation; however, the three-dimensional measurement accuracy in finger joints, which are prone to self-occlusion, has not been sufficiently validated. This study aimed to validate the accuracy of finger joint angle measurements obtained using a marker-less system based on DeepLabCut (DLC) and Anipose by comparing it with the clinical standard of goniometric measurements. MethodsForty-one heal...

IntroductionRemote grip strength assessment offers potential for scalable at-home health monitoring, yet most validated methods require in-person supervision. The Squegg Smart Dynamometer is a Bluetooth-enabled device designed for both supervised and remote app-guided, self-administered testing. Validating self-administered grip strength assessment is essential for clinical and research use. This study evaluated whether self-administered grip strength measurements with the Squegg device are comp...

There are many alternative methods to joystick control for control of Electric Powered Wheelchairs for users with neuromuscular disabilities, such as muscular dystrophy, and spinal cord injuries, such as tetraplegia. However, these methods- which include the sip-and-puff method, head and neck movement, blinking, or tongue movement- hinder social interaction, and are therefore detrimental to user independence. In recent years, research has explored the use of Electromyography (EMG) signals from a...

ObjectiveAccurate stride length measurement is essential for assessing functional mobility, yet gold-standard methods remain confined to laboratory settings. This study aimed to develop and validate a computationally efficient, interpretable linear model for predicting stride length using thigh- and shank-mounted inertial measurement units integrated into a wearable neuromodulation sleeve. MethodsData from the sleeve were collected from 29 healthy adults performing walking bouts at four self-se...

BackgroundIndividuals with severe mobility impairments (SMI) often experience significant psychological distress and chronic pain. Virtual walking (VW) presents an innovative rehabilitation approach to improve mood and alleviate pain. This study aimed to develop a home-based VW system with integrated mood and symptom tracking and to report on its feasibility and usability in a user study with individuals with SMI. MethodsA multidisciplinary, iterative frame-work guided the systems development. ...

BackgroundParkinsons Disease (PD) is often reduced to its most visible motor symptoms, yet it is a systemic neurodegenerative disorder with a highly heterogeneous presentation. While cardinal motor signs such as bradykinesia, rigidity, and tremor arise from the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, they typically manifest only after substantial neurodegeneration (approximately 50-70% loss) has already occurred, inevitably leading to delayed detection [1] PD significantly impacts ...

High-impact physical activity delivers musculoskeletal and systemic health benefits yet remains controversial for people with hip or knee arthroplasties due to concerns about implant loading and longevity. This study provides the first three-dimensional kinematic and kinetic characterisation of high-impact tasks in high-functioning adults with total hip arthroplasty (THA), total knee arthroplasty (TKA), or unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA), compared with healthy controls. High-functioning...

Pusher syndrome is a disorder of postural control, characterized by an altered perception of upright body orientation. While visual verticality perception remains intact, patients incorrectly perceive their tilted body posture as upright, resulting in active resistance to posture correction. This perceptual mismatch offers a potential target for therapeutic interventions. We evaluated a newly developed Tilted Reality Device (TRD) designed to recalibrate body verticality perception by subtly tilt...

BackgroundPeople with hip or knee joint arthroplasties are commonly advised to avoid high-impact physical activities, despite increasing demand to return to sport and vigorous exercise. Current implant testing standards do not reflect real-world loading during high-impact tasks, and few studies have quantified implant loads in high-functioning individuals who have returned to such activities. MethodsHigh-functioning adults with a total hip arthroplasty (THA, n = 11), total knee arthroplasty (TK...

There is evidence that adults with spinal cord injury (SCI) have deficits in mental body representations (e.g., altered visuospatial body maps and reduced body awareness), due to the diminished or lack of sensory information reaching the brain. These mental body representation deficits are important and need to be quantified, because they can impact daily functioning and they are associated with neuropathic pain. The currently available evaluation scales measure certain aspects of mental body re...

BackgroundIn critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), rapid skeletal muscle atrophy frequently develops in the acute phase. This ICU-acquired weakness can significantly impair long-term physical function. Although the biceps brachii cross-sectional area (CSA) is commonly used to assess muscle atrophy, its ultrasound imaging can be technically challenging, and the flexor carpi ulnaris may offer a more accessible alternative. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whe...

Centre of mass (COM) is a key measurement used to assess balance and mobility. Marker-based motion capture systems have traditionally been used to measure COM, but they are time-consuming and prone to marker error. Markerless motion capture systems offer a potential alternative, reducing setup time while maintaining accuracy. The ease of collecting markerless data may be particularly beneficial when study participants have limited mobility, such as those with stroke. This study aimed to determin...

Motor rehabilitation requiring sustained physical exercise faces poor adherence in neurological populations due to insufficient supervision and monotony. While virtual reality and musical biofeedback independently improve engagement and motivation, their comparative and combined impact on intensity control strategies during high-intensity interval training (HIIT) remains unexplored. Thirty healthy adults (16 males, 14 females; mean age 27.5 {+/-} 7.2 years) were sequentially assigned to three f...

BackgroundCommercially-available microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees are unable to fully replicate the biomechanical function of the missing biological limb. While powered prostheses have the capacity to restore joint level kinetics, current systems rely on intrinsic control schemes that do not allow the user to volitionally modulate movement under neural commands. This limitation may compromise functional performance and hinder prosthetic embodiment, the sense that the device is part of ...

Brain imaging studies have demonstrated that adults with spinal cord injury (SCI) exhibit deficits in body and interoceptive awareness. However, there is limited research on the degree and impact of these deficits. Few clinical trials have examined interventions to improve body and interoceptive awareness in this population. We compared scores on the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness, Version 2 (MAIA-2) and the Revised Body Awareness Rating Questionnaire (BARQ-R) between ad...

Sound- and music-based gait training (SM-GT), including rhythmic auditory stimulation and music-based movement approaches, has been shown to improve gait and functional outcomes in people with Parkinsons disease (PD). However, little is known about how such interventions are recognized and implemented in real-world settings. This study investigated awareness and actual use of SM-GT among people with PD in Japan across inpatient rehabilitation, home-based rehabilitation, and daily-life contexts. ...

Conventional therapy after stroke focuses on reducing physical impairments. However, the decisions that guide peoples movements may have far-reaching consequences towards recovery. We lack the tools to characterize these decisions. Recently, researchers have created a quantitative behavioral assessment of effort-based decision-making and applied it to some clinical populations. The purpose of this paper is to examine the feasibility of evaluating effort-based decision-making during walking after...

PurposeTo evaluate the predictive value of the thoracic spine-clavicle angle (TSCA) and the thoracic cage-clavicle angle (TCCA) for immediate postoperative shoulder balance. MethodsA total of 154 Lenke type 1 and 2 AIS patients who underwent corrective surgery in our hospital were included. The degree of clavicle angle (CA), thoracic spine tilt angle (TSTA), thoracic cage tilt angle (TCTA), proximal thoracic curve (PTC) Cobb angle, and main thoracic curve (MTC) Cobb angle were measured on stand...

Stroke can affect sensorimotor control, impairing balance and locomotion. These impairments increase the risk of falls, limit patient independence, and reduce their quality of life. In this study, we investigated how stroke affects the bilateral coordination of soleus motor units during standing, in individuals undergoing subacute rehabilitation. Fourteen participants (n=7 females; time since stroke=19{+/-}8 days; age=60.2{+/-}15.9 years) were recruited after admission for inpatient rehabilitat...

ObjectiveTo describe the design and development of NeuroRehab VR, a fully immersive, specific and gamified virtual reality (VR) software aimed at improving the quality of life and reducing disability in post-stroke patients. MethodsA public-private collaborative research project was carried out between 2022 and 2024 by a multidisciplinary and multicenter team comprising neurologists, rehabilitation specialists, physiotherapists, exercise and sport sciences professionals and members of the compa...