Test-Retest Reliability of an Automated Infrared-Assisted Trunk Accelerometer-Based Gait Analysis System.

Chia-Yu Hsu,Hung-Hai Shie,Cheng-Shiang Yau,Yuh-Show Tsai,Chu-Ming Wu

doi:10.3390/s16081156

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the test-retest reliability of an automated infrared-assisted, trunk accelerometer-based gait analysis system for measuring gait parameters of healthy subjects in a hospital. Thirty-five participants (28 of them females; age range, 23–79 years) performed a 5-m walk twice using an accelerometer-based gait analysis system with infrared assist. Measurements of spatiotemporal gait parameters (walking speed, step length, and cadence) and trunk control (gait symmetry, gait regularity, acceleration root mean square (RMS), and acceleration root mean square ratio (RMSR)) were recorded in two separate walking tests conducted 1 week apart. Relative and absolute test-retest reliability was determined by calculating the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC3,1) and smallest detectable difference (SDD), respectively. The test-retest reliability was excellent for walking speed (ICC = 0.87, 95% confidence interval = 0.74–0.93, SDD = 13.4%), step length (ICC = 0.81, 95% confidence interval = 0.63–0.91, SDD = 12.2%), cadence (ICC = 0.81, 95% confidence interval = 0.63–0.91, SDD = 10.8%), and trunk control (step and stride regularity in anterior-posterior direction, acceleration RMS and acceleration RMSR in medial-lateral direction, and acceleration RMS and stride regularity in vertical direction). An automated infrared-assisted, trunk accelerometer-based gait analysis system is a reliable tool for measuring gait parameters in the hospital environment.

Highlights

The overall prevalence of gait disorder in a population-based cohort of 488 older community-dwelling participants was 32% [1]
This study showed that an automated IR-assisted, accelerometer-based gait analysis (AGA) system had excellent test-retest reliability in measuring spatiotemporal gait parameters and trunk control in a clinical setting
Spatiotemporal gait parameters derived from the accelerometric data were much more reliable with IR assist than without IR use

Summary

Introduction

The overall prevalence of gait disorder in a population-based cohort of 488 older (ages 60 to97 years) community-dwelling participants was 32% [1]. The overall prevalence of gait disorder in a population-based cohort of 488 older Studies have shown that 60% of hospitalized patients with neurologic disorders and 50% of those in a nursing home had a gait disturbance [2,3]. Patients with gait disorders suffer from reduced mobility, diminished quality of life, falls, major fractures, head trauma, and reduced survival [4,5]. In a pooled analysis of nine cohort studies, gait speed was associated with survival, with a hazard ratio per 0.1 m/s gait speed of 0.88 (95% CI 0.87–0.90) [7]. Clinical gait analysis is crucial in determining the diagnosis, severity, progress, and prognosis of patients with gait disorder [8]

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Conclusion