Ukadike C. Ugbolue

Autonomous Gait Event Detection with Portable Single-Camera Gait Kinematics Analysis System

Laboratory-based nonwearable motion analysis systems have significantly advanced with robust objective measurement of the limb motion, resulting in quantified, standardized, and reliable outcome measures compared with traditional, semisubjective, observational gait analysis. However, the requirement for large laboratory space and operational expertise makes these systems impractical for gait analysis at local clinics and homes. In this paper, we focus on autonomous gait event detection with our bespoke, relatively inexpensive, and portable, single-camera gait kinematics analysis system. Our proposed system includes video acquisition with camera calibration, Kalman filter

Multiple marker tracking in a single-camera system for gait analysis

Human gait analysis for stroke rehabilitation therapy using video processing tools has become popular in recent years. This paper proposes a single-camera system for capturing gait patterns using a Kalman-Structural-Similarity-based algorithm which tracks multiple markers simultaneously. This algorithm is initialized by obtaining the user-selected blocks in the first frame of each video, and the tracker is implemented by using Structural-Similarity image quality assessment algorithm to detect each marker frame by frame within a search area determined by a discrete Kalman filter. Experimental results show the trajectories of the markers fixed on the joints of a human body. The obtained numerical results are used to generate gait information (e.g., knee joint angle) that is later used for diagnostics. The proposed method aims to explore an alternative and portable way to implement human gait analysis with significantly less cost compared to a state-of-the-art 3D motion capture system.

The SWIFT Cast Trial Protocol: A Randomized Controlled Evaluation of the Efficacy of an Ankle–Foot Cast on Walking Recovery Early after Stroke and the Neural–Biomechanical Correlates of Response:

Rationale An ankle–foot cast may enable people to repeatedly practice walking with a more normal movement pattern early after stroke. Aims To evaluate the clinical efficacy of using an ankle–foot cast [soft scotch ankle-foot (SWIFT) Cast] to enhance walking recovery and to find whether site of stroke lesion and/or baseline biomechanical characteristics predict response to a SWIFT Cast. Design Randomized, controlled, observer-blind trial. Study Participants (n = 120), 3–42 days after stroke with walking difficulty. All will receive conventional physical therapy. Those allocated to the experimental group will also receive a SWIFT Cast for up to six-weeks. During therapy sessions, the SWIFT Cast will be worn for retraining of walking as clinically appropriate. Outside therapy sessions, participants will initially wear the SWIFT Cast for the whole of their waking day, and this will be adjusted as clinically appropriate. Outcomes Measures will be undertaken before randomization, six-weeks thereafter and six-months after stroke. Primary outcome will be walking speed. Secondary outcomes will include the Functional Ambulation Category and efficiency of gait (e.g. step-time symmetry). Structural brain imaging using magnetic resonance imaging (standard fluid attenuated inversion recovery and T1-weighted high-resolution ‘volume’ spoiled gradient) will be undertaken at baseline. The clinical efficacy analysis will use analysis of covariance. The relationship between clinical response to therapy and biomechanical data will use correlation and multivariate regression techniques as required. For neuroimaging data, the relationship to clinical response to therapy will be computed using voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping. An interaction test across groups will identify which voxels are associated with different mean levels of treatment efficacy.

An electromyographic study of the effect of hand grip sizes on forearm muscle activity and golf performance

ABSTRACT The study describes the differences in surface electromyography (EMG) activity of two forearm muscles in the lead and trail arm at specific phases of the golf swing using a 7-iron with three different grip sizes among amateur and professional golfers. Fifteen right-handed male golfers performed five golf swings using golf clubs with three different grip sizes. Surface EMG was used to measure muscle activity of the extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB) and flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) on both forearms. There were no significant differences in forearm muscle activity when using the three golf grips within the group of 15 golfers (p > 0.05). When using the undersize grip, club head speed significantly increased (p = 0.044). During the backswing and downswing phases, amateurs produced significantly greater forearm muscle activity with all three grip sizes (p < 0.05). In conclusion, forearm muscle activity is not affected by grip sizes. However, club head speed increases when using undersize grips.

Development and validation of an electrogoniometric wrist alignment device

This paper reports the development of an instrumented flexible electrogoniometric hand posture corrective device designed specifically for monitoring and controlling the range of motion (ROM) at the hand and wrist. The device, known as the wrist alignment device (WAD), consists of flexible electrogoniometers attached to a Lycra® glove and a control box housing the WAD circuitry. The WAD controls the wrist ROM within set limits by means of presetting the joint angle ranges prior to commencing measurements, thereby preventing or reducing extreme wrist ulnar deviation, wrist hyperflexion, and wrist hyperextension. Additionally, the device consists of a window comparator, which allows the joint movement always to remain within the set limits. Where the subjects wrist ROM is outside the presettings, a piezo-buzzer is triggered which alerts the subject to reduce the ROM, thereby ensuring that the joint angles are always kept within the preset angle range. All instrumentation associated with the development of the device underwent calibration. As a device, it has widespread applications within the office and clinical environment. Preliminary results indicate that reliable measurements based on ROM settings can be obtained when using the WAD.

Electromyographic analyses of the erector spinae muscles during golf swings using four different clubs

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to compare the electromyography (EMG) patterns of the thoracic and lumbar regions of the erector spinae (ES) muscle during the golf swing whilst using four different golf clubs. Fifteen right-handed male golfers performed a total of twenty swings in random order using the driver, 4-iron, 7-iron and pitching-wedge. Surface EMG was recorded from the lead and trail sides of the thoracic and lumbar regions of the ES muscle (T8, L1 and L5 lateral to the spinous-process). Three-dimensional high-speed video analysis was used to identify the backswing, forward swing, acceleration, early and late follow-through phases of the golf swing. No significant differences in muscle-activation levels from the lead and trail sides of the thoracic and lumbar regions of the ES muscle were displayed between the driver, 4-iron, 7-iron and pitching-wedge (P > 0.05). The highest mean thoracic and lumbar ES muscle-activation levels were displayed in the forward swing (67–99% MVC) and acceleration (83–106% MVC) phases of the swing for all clubs tested. The findings from this study show that there were no significant statistical differences between the driver, 4-iron, 7-iron and pitching-wedge when examining muscle activity from the thoracic and lumbar regions of the ES muscle.

Commercial golf glove effects on golf performance and forearm muscle activity

ABSTRACT The study aimed to determine whether or not commercial golf gloves influence performance variables and forearm muscle activity during golf play. Fifteen golfers participated in the laboratory based study, each performing 8 golf swings with a Driver and 7-iron whilst wearing a glove and 8 without wearing the glove. Club head speed, ball speed and absolute carry distance performance variables were calculated. Surface electromyography was recorded from the flexor digitorum superficialis and extensor carpi radialis brevis on both forearm muscles. Club head speed, ball speed and absolute carry distance was significantly higher when using the Driver with the glove in comparison to the Driver without the glove (p < 0.05). No significant differences were evident when using the 7-iron and no significant differences were displayed in muscle activity in either of the conditions. Findings from this study suggest that driving performance is improved when wearing a glove.

Comparison of Thoracic and Lumbar Erector Spinae Muscle Activation Before and After a Golf Practice Session

Lower back pain is commonly associated with golfers. The study aimed: to determine whether thoracic- and lumbar-erector-spinae muscle display signs of muscular fatigue after completing a golf practice session, and to examine the effect of the completed practice session on club head speed, ball speed and absolute carry distance performance variables. Fourteen right-handed male golfers participated in the laboratory-based-study. Surface electromyography (EMG) data was collected from the lead and trail sides of the thoracic- and lumbar-erector-spinae muscle. Normalized root mean squared (RMS) EMG activation levels and performance variables for the golf swings were compared before and after the session. Fatigue was assessed using median frequency (MDF) and RMS during the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) performed before and after the session. No significant differences were observed in RMS thoracic- and lumbar-erector-spinae muscle activation levels during the five phases of the golf swing and performance variables before and after the session (p > .05). Significant changes were displayed in MDF and RMS when comparing the MVC performed before and after the session (p < .05). Fatigue was evident in the trail side of the erector-spinae muscle after the session.

Tensile properties of the transverse carpal ligament and carpal tunnel complex

BACKGROUND A new sophisticated method that uses video analysis techniques together with a Maillon Rapide Delta to determine the tensile properties of the transverse carpal ligament-carpal tunnel complex has been developed. METHODS Six embalmed cadaveric specimens amputated at the mid-forearm and aged (mean (SD)): 82 (6.29) years were tested. The six hands were from three males (four hands) and one female (two hands). Using trigonometry and geometry the elongation and strain of the transverse carpal ligament and carpal arch were calculated. The cross-sectional area of the transverse carpal ligament was determined. Tensile properties of the transverse carpal ligament-carpal tunnel complex and Load-Displacement data were also obtained. Descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA together with a post-hoc analysis (Tukey) and t-tests were incorporated. FINDINGS A transverse carpal ligament-carpal tunnel complex novel testing method has been developed. The results suggest that there were no significant differences between the original transverse carpal ligament width and transverse carpal ligament at peak elongation (P=0.108). There were significant differences between the original carpal arch width and carpal arch width at peak elongation (P=0.002). The transverse carpal ligament failed either at the mid-substance or at their bony attachments. At maximum deformation the peak load and maximum transverse carpal ligament displacements ranged from 285.74N to 1369.66N and 7.09mm to 18.55mm respectively. The transverse carpal ligament cross-sectional area mean (SD) was 27.21 (3.41)mm(2). INTERPRETATION Using this method the results provide useful biomechanical information and data about the tensile properties of the transverse carpal ligament-carpal tunnel complex.

106 A Novel Method To Determine The Tensile Properties Of The Transverse Carpal Ligament In-situ

Introduction Anatomically, the Transverse Carpal Ligament (TCL) attaches to the carpal bones distally and proximally. Beneath the TCL, during finger and hand movements the median nerve and tendons move in the longitudinal, transverse, volar and dorsal directions [Ugbolue et al, 2005] and become compressed as they move in the dorsal and volar directions [Armstrong, 1979]. Within the carpal tunnel complex, the tendons and median nerve together with the TCL form a pulley system [Brooks et al, 2003; Stecco et al, 2010]. Biomechanically, the TCL has been studied to determine its compressive [Holmes, 2011] and tensile [Li et al, 2009; Sucher et al, 1998] properties. While these methods have involved either excising the TCL or determining the biomechanical properties of the TCL intact / transected, experimentally there is still no widely accepted method designed to specifically evaluate the tensile properties of the TCL and carpal tunnel complex. That is to date, there are no known methods to test the TCL to failure in-situ. Methods Six embalmed cadaveric specimens amputated at the mid forearm and aged 82 ± 6.29 years were tested. The six hands were from four individuals (two pairs and two individual hands), three males (four hands) and one female (two hands). The tensile properties of the TCL were determined using a commercial Maillon Rapide Delta (S3i Ltd, Bawtry, England, UK) fastened to a steel work piece (Figure 1). The Maillon Rapide Delta (S3i Ltd, Bawtry, England, UK) was fastened on to the TCL and then attached to the upper hydraulic tensile grips connected to the 1000 N load cell. The specimen was adjusted until the TCL was aligned and perpendicular to the Maillon Rapide Delta (S3i Ltd, Bawtry, England, UK). The test protocol started with a preconditioning cycle (10 cycles of 0.5 N loading at a rate of 2Hz) before testing the ligament to failure at a deformation rate of 20 mm/s. Descriptive statistics and tensile properties of the TCL – carpal tunnel complex and Load – Displacement data were also obtained. Abstract 106 Figure 1 Illustration of specimen setup on Instron E10000 (Instron, Bucks, UK) Materials Testing Machine. (A) Steel work piece, (B) Rectangular aluminium bar for securing specimen, (C) Maillon Rapide Delta, (D) Transverse Carpal Ligament Results and discussion The TCL failed either at the mid-substance or at their bony attachments. At maximum deformation the peak load and maximum TCL displacements ranged from 285.74N to 1,369.66N and 7.09 mm to 18.55 mm respectively. The load at tensile strength ranged from 272.09N to 1293.36N and the ultimate tensile strength mean (SD) was 23.99 (10.68) Nmm-2. A unique method of tensile testing the TCL and carpal tunnel complex that is uncomplicated and practical has been developed. The methodology has been validated and is capable of generating highly repeatable data. Useful biomechanical information can be extracted from the results which provide an insight into the tensile properties of the TCL in-situ. References Armstrong TJ, et al. J Biomech. 1979;12(7):567–570 Brooks JJ, et al. Clin Biomech.2003;18:685–693 Holmes MWR, et al. J Orthop Res. Nov; 2011;29(11):1682–7 Li ZM, et al. J Biomech Eng. 2009;131(8):081011 (6 page) (Abstract) Stecco C, et al. The Journal of hand surgery 2010;35:746–753 Sucher BM, et al. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 1998;98(12):679–86 Ugbolue UC, et al. Clin Biomech. 2005;20:50–56