Estimation of the ankle power during the terminal stance of gait using an inertial sensor.
Toshinori Miyashita, Shintarou Kudo, Yoshihiro Maekawa
PMID 31037009WHAT IT FOUND
A single inertial sensor on the fibular head estimated ankle push-off power during terminal stance in 20 limbs of 13 healthy male participants.
Vertical acceleration and body weight gave an equation, but the method was not tested in patients.
Key findings
01When walking speed increased, peak ankle plantar flexion power and fibular head acceleration increased, while ankle plantar flexion angle did not.
02Vertical acceleration and body weight were used to estimate ankle plantar flexion power.
03The method was tested only in 20 limbs of 13 healthy male participants, not in patients or outdoor settings.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study used 20 limbs of 13 healthy male participants, so it does not show whether the sensor works in elderly people or individuals with gait disorder. The testing was laboratory-based on a level walkway, so road surface, road slope, and personal shoes may change the sensor signal. The paper states that abnormal kinematics, such as limited lower-limb joint range of motion, may not provide accurate acceleration waveforms. The study reports estimation of ankle power from acceleration and body weight, but it does not report patient outcomes or treatment effects.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat the estimated ankle power equation as ready for clinical use. It was built from 20 limbs of 13 healthy male participants in a laboratory, and the paper states that future studies should examine whether the method can be used in elderly individuals and people with gait disorder.