BIOMECHANICAL MODELS AND MEASURING TECHNIQUES FOR ULTRASOUND-BASED MEASURING SYSTEM DURING GAIT

Abstract

Nowadays clinical motion analysis is a usual method. More and more laboratories offer their facilities and use this investigation for supporting doctors in their decisions. During the past two years a new and modern on-line motion analysis system was established at the Department of Applied Mechanics which is capable for a complex analysis of the upper limb, the gait, the run, other cyclic movements, and the spine. This paper focuses on the presentation of a new 3D motion analysis technique for treadmill walking. An ultrasound-based 3D measurement system and a measuring arrangement developed were used to measure and determine gait parameters during treadmill walking. The model considers each limb segment to be a rigid body, linked to each other by a joint. This paper also presents a new 3D motion analysis software package for treadmill walking and introduce the DataManager developed. We studied knee kinematics and temporal-distance gait measurement parameters (step length, stride length, stride width, etc.) to be obtained from treadmill walking. Treadmill walking allows the analysis of several cycles of each subject. On the basis of the analysis the standard deviation of temporal-gait parameters and the knee kinematics data of each subject can be established. The 3D movement analysis system presented is a suitable and standardized procedure for quick gait analysis.