Development and validation of a user-friendly data logger (SUDALS) for use with flexible electrogoniometers to measure joint movement in clinical trials

Abstract

Objective: Our aim was to develop and validate a user-friendly data logger system (SUDALS) for use with flexible electrogoniometry.

Methods: Data pertaining to flexion/extension of the knee from 10 normal subjects were collected during a range of activities of daily living (ADL) such as walking, ascending and descending stairs, getting in and out of a chair and deep squatting. The accuracy, reliability and reproducibility of the data from SUDALS were verified by comparing against the data simultaneously collected from the Vicon system.

Results: The results of these studies indicate that the SUDALS together with flexible electrogoniometers is able to produce stable, precise, accurate and repeatable knee flexion/extension angles with little variation existing between the data produced by the SUDALS, the Vicon system and that reported in the literature.

Conclusion: The SUDALS together with flexible electrogoniometers is a useful clinical tool, capable of recording knee flexion/extension angles accurately during ADL.

Keywords:

• Flexible electrogoniometer
• SUDALS
• Activities of daily living (ADL)
• Knee flexion/extension
• Knee excursion
• Concurrent validity

Acknowledgement

I would like to thank the University of Strathclyde for funding my PhD with the Overseas Research Student Award (ORSA) and I would also like to thank Mr John Mcclean (Technician – Bioengineering Unit, University of Strathclyde), who has dedicated his time in assisting us with all technical issues that were present during the development and testing of the system.