Quantified Method of Assessing Functional Progress in Patients Undergoing Rehabilitation
Authors: M. Karunanithi, J. Boyle, and T. Wark
Date: August 2006
Abstract:
To measure the progress of stroke patients undergoing rehabilitation in a quantative rather than qualitative manner, an observational trial was conducted with ambulatory monitoring devices consisting of 2-axis accelerometers in a rehabilitation ward of a large hospital in Queensland, Australia. Over 95 days, 15 post-stroke patients were fitted with a device around their waist to monitor movement/activity over 24 hours with the exception of shower time. Data was downloaded daily into a laptop for analysis. Data was viewed through a customised data viewer to select the start (time the subject was first measured), middle and last (day before patient was discharged) day to perform data analysis to determine the activity profile. From this window of data, angle of torso and kinetic energy expended were derived from the accelerometers. Using a simple rule-based activity classification with the angle of torso and kinetic energy expended, a daily activity profile was determined with percentages of activity (walking/sitting/standing) and inactivity (lying). The results of this clinical trial demonstrate ambulatory monitoring technology has the potential to provide quantitative measure of functional progress in patients undergoing rehabilitation.
© 2006 CSIRO
Abstract only