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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2015 Feb 23:10:491-7.
doi: 10.2147/CIA.S70452. eCollection 2015.

Inertial sensors as measurement tools of elbow range of motion in gerontology

G Sacco  1 , J M Turpin  2 , A Marteu  3 , C Sakarovitch  4 , B Teboul  5 , L Boscher  6 , P Brocker  7 , P Robert  1 , O Guerin  8
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Inertial sensors as measurement tools of elbow range of motion in gerontology

G Sacco et al. Clin Interv Aging. .

Abstract

Background and purpose: Musculoskeletal system deterioration among the aging is a major reason for loss of autonomy and directly affects the quality of life of the elderly. Articular evaluation is part of physiotherapeutic assessment and helps in establishing a precise diagnosis and deciding appropriate therapy. Reference instruments are valid but not easy to use for some joints. The main goal of our study was to determine reliability and intertester reproducibility of the MP-BV, an inertial sensor (the MotionPod(®) [MP]) combined with specific software (BioVal [BV]), for elbow passive range-of-motion measurements in geriatrics.

Methods: This open, monocentric, randomized study compared inertial sensor to inclinometer in patients hospitalized in an acute, post-acute, and long-term-care gerontology unit.

Results: Seventy-seven patients (mean age 83.5±6.4 years, sex ratio 1.08 [male/female]) were analyzed. The MP-BV was reliable for each of the three measurements (flexion, pronation, and supination) for 24.3% (CI 95% 13.9-32.8) of the patients. Separately, the percentages of reliable measures were 59.7% (49.2-70.5) for flexion, 68.8% (58.4-79.5) for pronation, and 62.3% (51.2-73.1) for supination. The intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.15 (0.07-0.73), 0.46 (0.27-0.98), and 0.50 (0.31-40 0.98) for flexion, pronation, and supination, respectively.

Conclusion: This study shows the convenience of the MP-BV in terms of ease of use and of export of measured data. However, this instrument seems less reliable and valuable compared to the reference instruments used to measure elbow range of motion in gerontology.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01462760.

Keywords: inclinometer; intertester reproducibility; reliability.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Randomization process. Abbreviation: MP-BV, MotionPod® inertial sensor associated with BioVal software.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Positioning of the actimeters. Notes: (A) Actimeter reference positioning. (B) Actimeter measuring elbow range of motion.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Consort flow diagram.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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