A robotic brace for dynamic trunk support when evaluating seated trunk control after a spinal cord injury
10.3760/cma.j.issn.0254-1424.2024.01.008
- VernacularTitle:动态脊柱支撑机器人在脊髓损伤后躯干控制评定中的初步应用研究
- Author:
Jiehong SHI
1
;
Rongli WANG
;
Ninghua WANG
Author Information
1. 北京大学医学部医学技术研究院，北京 100191
- Keywords:
Robots;
Spinal cord injury;
Trunk control;
Seated posture
- From:
Chinese Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
2024;46(1):38-43
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To explore the utility of a robotic trunk support brace (a RoboBDsys) in evaluating seated trunk control after a spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods:Twenty wheelchair-dependent SCI patients were tested for trunk resistance while seated and wearing the RoboBDsys. In the test they were required to maintain an upright seated position for 1 minute while external forces were applied from the left, right, anterior and posterior directions. The system generated eight observations of swings of the center of pressure (COP), their mean velocity and their standard deviations. Sway area, sway path (SP), mean sway frequency (MF) and mean sway amplitude (MA) were also recorded along with the maximum voluntary contraction torque (MVC). The trunk control test (TCT), the Tinetti Balance Scale (Tinetti), the modified Functional Reach Test (mFRT) and Spinal Cord Independence Measure III (SCIM-III) were also administerd and their results were correlated with the RoboBDsys resistance test results.Results:All twenty of the patients completed the resistance test in the left and right directions, but only 11 did it in the anterior and posterior directions. In the left and right-direction resistance tests the average center of pressure deviation, sway area and MVC showed some significant correlation with the TCT, Tinetti, mFRT and SCIM-III results (| r| ranging from 0.46 to 0.74). The average MVC in the anterior-direction correlated moderately with the TCT, mFRT and SCIM-III results (| r|=0.63 to 0.67), while that in the posterior-direction had moderate correlation with the TCT and mFRT results only (| r|=0.63 to 0.67). Conclusion:The Robotic Brace for Dynamic Trunk Support system can be effective in assessing reactive postural control and functional independence after a spinal cord injury.
