Measurement of lumbar spine range of movement and coupled motion using inertial sensors - a protocol validity study.

Measurement of spinal lumbar range of movement is useful in clinical examination of the spine and for monitoring changes in spinal movement characteristics of individuals over time, particularly in the research context. As the spine exhibits six degrees of movement, three dimensional measurements provide additional information that could benefit the study of spinal conditions. Inertial measurement systems present an innovative method of spinal motion measurement.

Feasibility of using inertial sensors to assess human movement.

The aim of this study was to determine the suitability of inertial sensors for motion analysis research. Inertial sensors (Xsens Technologies, Netherlands) consisting of 3D gyroscopes, accelerometers and a magnetometer were compared against an electromagnetic motion tracking system (Fastrak, Polhemus, USA) for measuring motions of an artificial hinge joint and random 3D motions. Subsequently, to assess the feasibility of using inertial sensors for human motion analysis, the movements of the hip joint during walking were recorded in 20 normal asymptomatic subjects.