Abstract
Background: Technological tools as robotic devices and wearable sensors can provide accurate and repeatable measurements of physical variables (e.g., position, velocities, forces) which can be used for quantitative and qualitative assessment of movement analysis and upper limb motor performance. Objective: The study aims to propose a quantitative and qualitative assessment of upper limb motor performance by means of seven kinematic parameters recorded by a passive mechatronic device in patients who underwent a surgical procedure for ligament reconstruction following acromioclavicular joint dislocation. Method: Five patients (mean age: 40 ± 12 years) with acromioclavicular joint dislocation were enrolled. A passive end-effector mechatronic device characterized by 7 degrees of freedom and designed for the assessment of upper limb motor performance - especially for measuring the hand position in three-dimensional space - was used. The Constant-Murley score and seven kinematic parameters were used as clinical outcome measure and quantitative and qualitative assessment, respectively. Results: The preliminary results of this study show no significant differences between the impaired arm and unimpaired arm: the end-effector passive mechatronic device used in this study is able to provide an overall assessment of the upper limb motor performance following shoulder impairment. Conclusion: The motion tracker can be easily used as effective tool for quantitative and qualitative assessment of upper limb motor performance, even several years after the surgical operation.
Highlights
Motor disorders of the upper extremities following orthopaedic injuries often include joint and muscular stiffness, muscular weakness, disturbed muscle timing, reduced ability to selectively activate muscles and abnormal synergistic movement patterns on the arm and shoulder girdle [1, 2].Approximately 9% of shoulder injuries involve damage to the Acromioclavicular Joint (ACJ) which are common in athletes, especially in contact sports or after a side fall while skiing, cycling or after motorbike accidents [3].Rockwood and Green classified six types of ACJ injuries based on the severity of the injury [4]: type I points out the less severe ACJ injury, whereas type VI, the most severe
The preliminary results of this study show no significant differences between the impaired arm and unimpaired arm: the end-effector passive mechatronic device used in this study is able to provide an overall assessment of the upper limb motor performance following shoulder impairment
The motion tracker can be used as effective tool for quantitative and qualitative assessment of upper limb motor performance, even several years after the surgical operation
Summary
Motor disorders of the upper extremities following orthopaedic injuries often include joint and muscular stiffness, muscular weakness, disturbed muscle timing, reduced ability to selectively activate muscles and abnormal synergistic movement patterns on the arm and shoulder girdle [1, 2].Approximately 9% of shoulder injuries involve damage to the Acromioclavicular Joint (ACJ) which are common in athletes, especially in contact sports or after a side fall while skiing, cycling or after motorbike accidents [3].Rockwood and Green classified six types (e.g., form type I to type VI) of ACJ injuries based on the severity of the injury [4]: type I points out the less severe ACJ injury, whereas type VI, the most severe. Motor disorders of the upper extremities following orthopaedic injuries often include joint and muscular stiffness, muscular weakness, disturbed muscle timing, reduced ability to selectively activate muscles and abnormal synergistic movement patterns on the arm and shoulder girdle [1, 2]. The gold standard treatment for ACJ dislocation is still debated, especially for ACJ Rockwood types III through V [5]. The majority of these lesions can be successfully treated without surgery, in particular type I and II, on the other hand, surgical treatment is indicated for Rockwood type IV, V and VI injuries [6, 7]. Technological tools as robotic devices and wearable sensors can provide accurate and repeatable measurements of physical variables (e.g., position, velocities, forces) which can be used for quantitative and qualitative assessment of movement analysis and upper limb motor performance
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