Aquatic Therapy after Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: Gait Initiation Analysis Using Inertial Sensors

Silvia Fantozzi, Davide Borra, Matteo Cortesi (), Alberto Ferrari, Simone Ciacci, Lorenzo Chiari and Ilaria Baroncini
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Silvia Fantozzi: Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Information Engineering “Guglielmo Marconi”, University of Bologna, Viale Risorgimento 2, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Davide Borra: Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Information Engineering “Guglielmo Marconi”, University of Bologna, Viale Risorgimento 2, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Matteo Cortesi: Department for Life Quality Studies, University of Bologna, Via del Pilastro 8, 40126 Bologna, Italy
Alberto Ferrari: Health Sciences and Technologies—Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research, University of Bologna, Viale Risorgimento 2, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Simone Ciacci: Department Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Via del Pilastro 8, 40126 Bologna, Italy
Lorenzo Chiari: Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Information Engineering “Guglielmo Marconi”, University of Bologna, Viale Risorgimento 2, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Ilaria Baroncini: Montecatone Rehabilitation Institute S.p.A., Via Montecatone 37, 40026 Imola, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-9

Abstract: Populations with potential damage to somatosensory, vestibular, and visual systems or poor motor control are often studied during gait initiation. Aquatic activity has shown to benefit the functional capacity of incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) patients. The present study aimed to evaluate gait initiation in iSCI patients using an easy-to-use protocol employing four wearable inertial sensors. Temporal and acceleration-based anticipatory postural adjustment measures were computed and compared between dry-land and water immersion conditions in 10 iSCI patients. In the aquatic condition, an increased first step duration (median value of 1.44 s vs. 0.70 s in dry-land conditions) and decreased root mean squared accelerations for the upper trunk (0.39 m/s 2 vs. 0.72 m/s 2 in dry-land conditions) and lower trunk (0.41 m/s 2 vs. 0.85 m/s 2 in dry-land conditions) were found in the medio-lateral and antero-posterior direction, respectively. The estimation of these parameters, routinely during a therapy session, can provide important information regarding different control strategies adopted in different environments.

Keywords: anticipatory postural adjustment; inertial measurement unit (IMU); wearable sensors; water activity; first step (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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