Background

Gait impairments are common in stroke patients. A reduced peak knee flexion in swing phase leads to tripping and increased risk of falling. 3D gait analysis gives detailed information about the kinematics during walking to support and evaluate clinical decision making, but is restricted to the gait lab and time consuming in preparing the subject and data analyses afterwards. Commercially available Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) might cope with these advantages and are already used to measure healthy persons and persons in sport. Whether they are also suitable for patients with complex neurological walking disorders is unknown.

Objective

To investigate whether 3D gait analysis measured with VICON and IMUs gives comparable kinematics and temporal/spatial parameters in stroke patients with a stiff knee gait during straight line walking.

Assignment

We are looking for a student who is available for a long term internship (master internship). The data is collected during clinical gait analyses in stroke patients with a stiff knee gait and is part of the regular treatment program of Roessingh Centre for Rehabilitation, Enschede. Data collection has already been started and is still going on. After catching up on the literature, you are expected to collaborate on defining and detecting specific outcome parameters based on the data set and (co)develop analysis software in Phyton. Data is available from stroke patients with a stiff knee gait, measured with different motion capture systems (markers-based (Vicon) vs inertial sensor). Assisting during the 3D data Voor de studie zijn wij op zoek naar een student bewegingswetenschappen die voor langere tijd (masterstage) beschikbaar is. De data richt zicht op de gangbeeldanalyse bij een stiff knee gait na een CVA. De dataverzameling voor dit project is momenteel al bezig. Na het inlezen in de literatuur wordt verwacht dat je mee werkt aan het definiëren en detecteren van specifieke klinische gerichte uitkomstmaten bij CVA-patiënten met een stiff knee gait gemeten met verschillende motion capture systemen (marker-based vs. intertial sensor) en het (co)-ontwikkelen van analyse software in Python.

Specific aspects:

  • Literature study
  • (Co) development data-analysis tools with use of software program in Phyton            
  • To analyze clinical relevant outcome measures of stiff knee gait (kinematics and temporal/spatial parameters) with the developed software tool.
  • Write a concept article or report
Roessingh Research & Development

The assignment will be carried out at Roessingh Research & Development (RRD) in Enschede, one of the largest scientific research centres in the field of rehabilitation. RRD focuses its scientific research on rehabilitation, sports and health management. In cooperation with Roessingh Centre for Rehabilitation and University of Twente, it contributes to the implementation of knowledge, innovations and products in daily clinical practice. This study has a strong collaborative relationship with Roessingh Diagnostic Centre for Walking Disorders.

Reaction

For further information or questions, please contact Mr. L. Schaake or Ms. R. Huurneman r.huurneman@roessingh.nl; l.schaake@rrd.nl; 088-0875711.

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