Real-Time Sensing of Upper Extremity Movement Diversity Using Kurtosis Implemented on a Smartwatch.

Wearable activity sensors typically count movement quantity, such as the number of steps taken or the number of upper extremity (UE) counts achieved. However, for some applications, such as neurologic rehabilitation, it may be of interest to quantify the quality of the movement experience (QOME), defined, for example, as how diverse or how complex movement epochs are. We previously found that individuals with UE impairment after stroke exhibited differences in their distributions of forearm postures across the day and that these differences could be quantified with kurtosis-an established statistical measure of the peakedness of distributions.

Developing a mobile exercise program for individuals with Spinal Cord Injury: Stakeholder perceptions of app features and implementation determinants.

Background: Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) often experience physical deconditioning, leading to long-term health challenges. While regular exercise can offer substantial health benefits, adherence to exercise guidelines among individuals with SCI is hindered by barriers such as inaccessibility. Exercise programs using the mobile application (App) tailored to individual needs present a promising solution for promoting exercise adherence among individuals with SCI.

Wireless wearable sensors can facilitate rapid detection of sleep apnea in hospitalized stroke patients.

Study Objectives: To evaluate wearable devices and machine learning for detecting sleep apnea in patients with stroke at an acute inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF).

Methods: A total of 76 individuals with stroke wore a standard home sleep apnea test (ApneaLink Air), a multimodal, wireless wearable sensor system (ANNE), and a research-grade actigraphy device (ActiWatch) for at least 1 night during their first week after IRF admission as part of a larger clinical trial. Logistic regression algorithms were trained to detect sleep apnea using biometric features obtained from the ANNE sensors and ground truth apnea rating from the ApneaLink Air.

Detecting the symptoms of Parkinson's disease with non-standard video.

Background: Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), necessitate frequent clinical visits and monitoring to identify changes in motor symptoms and provide appropriate care. By applying machine learning techniques to video data, automated video analysis has emerged as a promising approach to track and analyze motor symptoms, which could facilitate more timely intervention. However, existing solutions often rely on specialized equipment and recording procedures, which limits their usability in unstructured settings like the home.

Validity and reliability study of a novel surface electromyography sensor using a well-consolidated electromyography system in individuals with cervical spinal cord injury.

Study Design: Non-interventional, cross-sectional pilot study.

Objectives: To establish the validity and reliability of the BioStamp nPoint biosensor (Medidata Solutions, New York, NY, USA [formerly MC10, Inc.]) for measuring electromyography in individuals with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) by comparing the surface electromyography (sEMG) metrics with the Trigno wireless electromyography system (Delsys, Natick, MA, USA).

A Research Protocol to Study the Priming Effects of Breathing Low Oxygen on Enhancing Training-Related Gains in Walking Function for Persons With Spinal Cord Injury: The BOST Trial.

Unlabelled: Brief episodes of low oxygen breathing (therapeutic acute intermittent hypoxia; tAIH) may serve as an effective plasticity-promoting primer to enhance the effects of transcutaneous spinal stimulation-enhanced walking therapy (WALK) in persons with chronic (>1 year) spinal cord injury (SCI). Pre-clinical studies in rodents with SCI show that tAIH and WALK therapies harness complementary mechanisms of plasticity to maximize walking recovery. Here, we present a multi-site clinical trial protocol designed to examine the influence of tAIH + WALK on walking recovery in persons with chronic SCI.

Validation of Proprietary and Novel Step-counting Algorithms for Individuals Ambulating With a Lower Limb Prosthesis.

Objective: To compare the accuracy and reliability of 10 different accelerometer-based step-counting algorithms for individuals with lower limb loss, accounting for different clinical characteristics and real-world activities.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: General community setting (ie, institutional research laboratory and community free-living).

Reliability of home-based remote and self-assessment of transfers using the Transfer Assessment Instrument among wheelchair users with spinal cord injury.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Objective: To evaluate the reliability of home-based remote and self-assessment of transfer quality using the Transfer Assessment Instrument (TAI) among wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Setting: Participant's home environment.

Examination of physical activity development in early childhood: protocol for a longitudinal cohort study of mother-toddler dyads.

Background: Physical activity (PA) development in toddlers (age 1 and 2 years) is not well understood, partly because of a lack of analytic tools for accelerometer-based data processing that can accurately evaluate PA among toddlers. This has led to a knowledge gap regarding how parenting practices around PA, mothers' PA level, mothers' parenting stress, and child developmental and behavioral problems influence PA development in early childhood.

Methods: The Child and Mother Physical Activity Study is a longitudinal study to observe PA development in toddlerhood and examine the influence of personal and parental characteristics on PA development.

Miniaturized wireless, skin-integrated sensor networks for quantifying full-body movement behaviors and vital signs in infants.

Early identification of atypical infant movement behaviors consistent with underlying neuromotor pathologies can expedite timely enrollment in therapeutic interventions that exploit inherent neuroplasticity to promote recovery. Traditional neuromotor assessments rely on qualitative evaluations performed by specially trained personnel, mostly available in tertiary medical centers or specialized facilities. Such approaches are high in cost, require geographic proximity to advanced healthcare resources, and yield mostly qualitative insight.

Predicting Duration of Outpatient Physical Therapy Episodes for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury Based on Locomotor Training Strategy.

Objective: To characterize individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI) who use outpatient physical therapy or community wellness services for locomotor training and predict the duration of services, controlling for demographic, injury, quality of life, and service and financial characteristics. We explore how the duration of services is related to locomotor strategy.

Design: Observational study of participants at 4 SCI Model Systems centers with survival.

Utilization of Robotic Exoskeleton for Overground Walking in Acute and Chronic Stroke.

Stroke commonly results in gait deficits which impacts functional ambulation and quality of life. Robotic exoskeletons (RE) for overground walking are devices that are programmable to provide high dose and movement-impairment specific assistance thus offering new rehabilitation possibilities for recovery progression in individuals post stroke. The purpose of this investigation is to present preliminary utilization data in individuals with acute and chronic stroke after walking overground with an RE.

Differential cardiopulmonary monitoring system for artifact-canceled physiological tracking of athletes, workers, and COVID-19 patients.

Soft, skin-integrated electronic sensors can provide continuous measurements of diverse physiological parameters, with broad relevance to the future of human health care. Motion artifacts can, however, corrupt the recorded signals, particularly those associated with mechanical signatures of cardiopulmonary processes. Design strategies introduced here address this limitation through differential operation of a matched, time-synchronized pair of high-bandwidth accelerometers located on parts of the anatomy that exhibit strong spatial gradients in motion characteristics.

The impact of a yoga-based physical therapy group for individuals with traumatic brain injury: results from a pilot study.

Objective: To compare the impacts of yoga-based physical therapy versus a seated rest within the context of standard rehabilitation practice on sleep, heart rate variability (HRV), anxiety, and fatigue during acute traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation.

Methods: Eleven individuals participated in this crossover study involving the following interventions in a randomized order: group yoga-based physical therapy (YPT), conventional physical therapy (CPT), and group seated rest in a relaxing environment (SR). HRV and self-reported anxiety and fatigue were measured immediately before and after each group, and sleep after each condition and at baseline.

Experience of Robotic Exoskeleton Use at Four Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Centers.

Background And Purpose: Refinement of robotic exoskeletons for overground walking is progressing rapidly. We describe clinicians' experiences, evaluations, and training strategies using robotic exoskeletons in spinal cord injury rehabilitation and wellness settings and describe clinicians' perceptions of exoskeleton benefits and risks and developments that would enhance utility.

Methods: We convened focus groups at 4 spinal cord injury model system centers.

Monitoring daily function in persons with transfemoral amputations using a commercial activity monitor: a feasibility study.

Objective: To assess in a feasibility study the mobility of persons with transfemoral amputations using data collected from a popular, consumer-oriented activity monitor (Fitbit).

Design: Observational cohort study.

Setting: Research hospital outpatient evaluation.

Global position sensing and step activity as outcome measures of community mobility and social interaction for an individual with a transfemoral amputation due to dysvascular disease.

Background And Purpose: Community mobility of individuals following lower limb amputation is highly variable and has a great impact on their quality of life. Currently, clinical assessments of ambulatory ability and motivation influence prosthetic prescription. However, these outcome measures do not effectively quantify community mobility (ie, mobility outside of the clinic) of individuals with an amputation.