Article

The purpose of this study is to quantify the in vivo mechanical
response of the child trunk under loading during physiotherapy treatments.
METHODS: Twenty-six children aged 45 days to 7 years (14 girls and 12 boys) took
part in this study. The forces applied by the physiotherapist were recorded using
a force-plate embedded in the manipulation table supporting the child. Two
synchronized cameras filmed the scene in a calibrated environment. The
displacement of reflective targets glued on the physiotherapist's hands was
calculated using an automatic tracking procedure and the 3D reconstruction
"Direct Linear Transformation" algorithm. The progression of physical parameters
was evaluated according to the age of the child. They included force,
displacement, normalized displacement, loading speed, displacement and normalized
displacement at the maximum force, force at the maximum displacement, viscous
criterion and effective stiffness. FINDINGS: For all patients, the mean maximum
displacement and load were 22 mm (SD 9 mm) and 240 N (SD 46 N) respectively. The
force-displacement curves had shown the complexity of the in vivo behavior: four
phases have been distinguished with cycles in respect with the respiratory
phases. The increase in force always occurred before the increase in
displacement. INTERPRETATION: This study helps to understand the in vivo behavior
of the child trunk subjected to repetitive non-injurious mechanical loading.
Further analysis in other populations and with different therapeutic maneuvers
would refine the results.
CI - Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS