Article

Several multi-segment foot models to measure the motion of intrinsic joints of
the foot have been reported. Use of these models in clinical decision making is
limited due to lack of rigorous validation including inter-clinician, and
inter-lab variability measures.
A model with thoroughly quantified variability
may significantly improve the confidence in the results of such foot models. This
study proposes a new clinical foot model with the underlying strategy of using
separate anatomic and technical marker configurations and coordinate systems.
Anatomical landmark and coordinate system identification is determined during a
static subject calibration. Technical markers are located at optimal sites for
dynamic motion tracking. The model is comprised of the tibia and three foot
segments (hindfoot, forefoot and hallux) and inter-segmental joint angles are
computed in three planes. Data collection was carried out on pediatric subjects
at two sites (Site 1: n=10 subjects by two clinicians and Site 2: five subjects
by one clinician). A plaster mold method was used to quantify static
intra-clinician and inter-clinician marker placement variability by allowing
direct comparisons of marker data between sessions for each subject.
Intra-clinician and inter-clinician joint angle variability were less than 4
degrees . For dynamic walking kinematics, intra-clinician, inter-clinician and
inter-laboratory variability were less than 6 degrees for the ankle and forefoot,
but slightly higher for the hallux. Inter-trial variability accounted for 2-4
degrees of the total dynamic variability. Results indicate the proposed foot
model reduces the effects of marker placement variability on computed foot
kinematics during walking compared to similar measures in previous models.
CI - Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS