Article

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a clinically applicable and easy-to-use
accelerometry-based device to measure arm use in people after stroke; the Activ8
arm use monitor (Activ8-AUM). DESIGN: Development and validation study. PATIENTS:
A total of 25 people at different stages of rehabilitation after stroke were
included in this study. METHODS: The Activ8-AUM consists of 3 single-sensor
Activ8s: one on the unaffected thigh and one on each wrist.
Arm use was
calculated by combining movement intensity of the arms with data from body
posture and movements on the leg sensor. Data were divided into 2 sets: one for
determining situation-specific movement intensity thresholds for arm use, and the
other to validate the Activ8-AUM using video recordings. RESULTS: Overall
agreement between the Activ8-AUM and video recordings was 75%, sensitivity was
73% and specificity was 77%. Agreement between the different categories of arm
use ranged from 42% to 93% for the affected arm and from 24% to 82% for the unaffected arm. CONCLUSION: By combining the movement intensity threshold with
body posture and movements, good agreement was reached between the Activ8-AUM and
video recordings. This result, together with the easy-to-use configuration, makes
the Activ8-AUM a promising device to measure arm use in people after stroke.

Langue : ANGLAIS