Automatic Assist Level Adjustment Function of a Gait Exercise Rehabilitation Robot with Functional Electrical Stimulation for Spinal Cord Injury: Insights from Clinical Trials.

This study aimed to identify whether the combined use of functional electrical stimulation (FES) reduces the motor torque of a gait exercise rehabilitation robot in spinal cord injury (SCI) and to verify the effectiveness of the developed automatic assist level adjustment in people with paraplegia. Acute and chronic SCI patients (1 case each) performed 10 min of gait exercises with and without FES using a rehabilitation robot. Reinforcement learning was used to adjust the assist level automatically.

Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty for Osteoarthritis Eliminates Lateral Thrust: Associations between Lateral Thrust Detected by Inertial Measurement Units and Clinical Outcomes.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between clinical outcomes and lateral thrust before and after unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) using inertial measurement sensor units. Eleven knees were evaluated with gait analysis. The varus angular velocity was used to evaluate lateral thrust.

A Novel Classification of Coronal Plane Knee Joint Instability Using Nine-Axis Inertial Measurement Units in Patients with Medial Knee Osteoarthritis.

The purpose of this study was to propose a novel classification of varus thrust based on gait analysis with inertial motion sensor units (IMUs) in patients with medial knee osteoarthritis (MKOA). We investigated thigh and shank acceleration using a nine-axis IMU in 69 knees with MKOA and 24 (control) knees. We classified varus thrust into four phenotypes according to the relative medial-lateral acceleration vector patterns of the thigh and shank segments: pattern A (thigh medial, shank medial), pattern B (medial, lateral), pattern C (lateral, medial), and pattern D (lateral, lateral).

Relationship between Intervertebral Disc Compression Force and Sagittal Spinopelvic Lower Limb Alignment in Elderly Women in Standing Position with Patient-Specific Whole Body Musculoskeletal Model.

The intervertebral disc loading based on compensated standing posture in patients with adult spinal deformity remains unclear. We analyzed the relationship between sagittal alignment and disc compression force (Fm). In 14 elderly women, the alignment of the sagittal spinopelvic and lower extremities was measured.

What is the most fixable intramedullary implant for basicervical fracture and transcervical shear fracture? - A finite element study.

Objective: The objectives of this study are 1) to biomechanically compare six different intramedullary fixations for basicervical fracture (AO 31-B3, Type 2 in area classification) and transcervical shear fracture (AO 31-B2.3, Type 1-2 in area classification) using the finite element (FE) method, and 2) to investigate the effects of two different unstable fracture types on fixation.

Methods: FE models of two different types of proximal femoral fractures are constructed from CT scan images of a patient with osteoporosis.

Association between global sagittal malalignment and increasing hip joint contact force, analyzed by a novel musculoskeletal modeling system.

Patients with adult spinal deformity have various standing postures. Although several studies have reported a relationship between sagittal alignment and exacerbation of hip osteoarthritis, information is limited regarding how spinopelvic sagittal alignment changes affect hip joint loading. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between sagittal spinopelvic-lower limb alignment and the hip joint contact force (HCF) using a novel musculoskeletal model.

Diagnostic Accuracy of the Mobile Assessment of Varus Thrust Using Nine-axis Inertial Measurement Units.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to clarify the diagnostic accuracy of the mobile assessment of varus thrust using inertial measurement units (IMUs).

Methods: A total of 80 knees in 49 patients were enrolled in this study. On visual analysis of gait to determine the presence or absence of varus thrust, 23 knees were assigned to the Present group, 17 to the Ambiguous group, and 40 to the Absent group.

Relationship between Dynamic Trunk Balance and the Balance Evaluation Systems Test in Elderly Women.

Objective: Falls are major contributors to elderly subjects becoming bedridden. Consequently, it is important to evaluate and minimize the risk of falls in the elderly. Trunk stability is important for balance function and is related to fall prevention in elderly women.

Development of a Rehabilitation Robot Combined with Functional Electrical Stimulation Controlled by Non-disabled Lower Extremity in Hemiplegic Gait.

Objective: We developed a rehabilitation robot to assist hemiplegics with gait exercises. The robot was combined with functional electrical stimulation (FES) of the affected side and was controlled by a real-time-feedback system that attempted to replicate the lower extremity movements of the non-affected limb on the affected side. We measured the reproducibility of the non-affected limb movements on the affected side using FES in non-disabled individuals and evaluated the smoothness of the resulting motion.

Hybrid control of powered orthosis and functional neuromuscular stimulation for restoring gait.

The restoration of motor functions of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of important subjects for study. For this purpose, methods of functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS) have been investigated in medical science and practice during these three decades. However, we have not achieved complete restoration of motor functions in SCI patients.

Development of FES-rowing machine.

As per present social needs, assisting machines are very much needed for persons of advanced age. We analyzed and developed a fitness apparatus suitable for meeting the requirement of elderly people. The proposed apparatus consists of a rowing machine and Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES), that can be used to exercise every muscle of a person of advanced age.

A computer simulation of human walking in persons with joint contractures.

Joint contractures decrease the patient's ability to walk, but usually other parts of the body compensate the affected joint contractures. When we restore the gait performance in paraplegic patients by means of functional electrical stimulation, however, we cannot expect complications of compensation. A computer simulation was done to clarify how the contractures affect the gait pattern when no complications of compensation were expected.