Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
In conclusion, this study describes an original
experimental protocol that quantifies the mobility of the
cervical spine in the sagittal, frontal and horizontal planes,
both to assess the amplitude of primary movements as well
as that for their associated movements. This protocol has the
advantage of overcoming measurement bias associated with
compensative movements of the scapulothoracic complex as
well as ocular mobility in the quantification of movements of
the cervical spine. This experimental protocol will
subsequently be used to study different unhealthy groups:
patients with whiplash, arthrodesis, prosthesis, etc.
5.4. Changes in the three-dimensional kinematics of
the knee with medial compartment arthrosis
The functional movements of a weight-bearing knee joint
are difficult to quantify in a sufficiently accurate way to
allow an appropriate analysis of the kinematic changes
caused by a pathology. Indeed, using non-invasive motion
analysis systems (see Chapter 2), we have seen that there
are significant errors in this assessment associated with
impromptu
movements of soft tissues, particularly on the
thigh, and with the sliding of the skin around the joint (see
Chapter 4). Recently, studies using a three-dimensional
reconstruction of two fluoroscopic images helps assess the
kinematics of the knee in certain situations to a high degree
of accuracy - errors less than 0.4 ± 0.9° and 0.4 ± 0.4 mm
[LI 08]; however, this tool is still invasive and it is not
possible to perform clinical analyses based on this protocol.
To limit the errors associated with soft tissue artifacts
while continuing to use a non-invasive protocol, harnesses
specially designed to analyze the kinematics of the knee
have been developed by the Research Laboratory in Imagery
and Orthopedics (LIO) in Montreal, since 1992. The accuracy
