A gait abnormality measure based on root mean square of trunk acceleration
Open Access
- 1 January 2013
- journal article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation
- Vol. 10 (1), 118
- https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-0003-10-118
Abstract
Root mean square (RMS) of trunk acceleration is seen frequently in gait analysis research. However, many studies have reported that the RMS value was related to walking speed. Therefore, the relationship between the RMS value and walking speed should be considered when the RMS value is used to assess gait abnormality. We hypothesized that the RMS values in three sensing axes exhibit common proportions for healthy people if they walk at their own preferred speed and that the RMS proportions in abnormal gait deviate from the common proportions. In this study, we proposed the RMS ratio (RMSR) as a gait abnormality measure and verified its ability to discriminate abnormal gait. Forty-seven healthy male subjects (24–49 years) were recruited to examine the relationship between walking speed and the RMSR. To verify its ability to discriminate abnormal gait, twenty age-matched male hemiplegic patients (30–48 years) participated as typical subjects with gait abnormality. A tri-axial accelerometer was attached to their lower back, and they walked along a corridor at their own preferred speed. We defined the RMSR as the ratio between RMS in each direction and the RMS vector magnitude. In the healthy subjects, the RMS in all directions related to preferred walking speed. In contrast, RMSR in the mediolateral (ML) direction did not correlate with preferred walking speed (rs = -0.10, p = 0.54) and represented the similar value among the healthy subjects. Moreover, the RMSR in the ML direction for the hemiplegic patients was significantly higher than that for the healthy subjects (p < 0.01). These results suggest that the RMSR in the ML direction exhibits a common value when healthy subjects walk at their own preferred speed, even if their preferred walking speed were different. For subjects with gait abnormality, the RMSR in the ML direction deviates from the common value of healthy subjects. The RMSR in the ML direction may potentially be a quantitative measure of gait abnormality.Keywords
This publication has 24 references indexed in Scilit:
- Accelerometry-based gait analysis, an additional objective approach to screen subjects at risk for fallingGait & Posture, 2012
- Analysis of stroke patient walking dynamics using a tri-axial accelerometerGait & Posture, 2009
- Gender differences in the control of the upper body accelerations during level walkingGait & Posture, 2009
- Balance control in hemiparetic stroke patients: Main tools for evaluationPublished by Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development ,2008
- Test–retest reliability of trunk accelerometric gait analysisGait & Posture, 2004
- Unconstrained monitoring of body motion during walkingIEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Magazine, 2003
- Acceleration patterns of the head and pelvis when walking on level and irregular surfacesGait & Posture, 2002
- Typical features of cerebellar ataxic gaitJournal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 2002
- Walking Patterns in Healthy Old MenJournal of Gerontology, 1969
- Human locomotion.1966