title: A new, transportable ergometer for the measurement of musculotendinous stiffness during wrist flexion.
abstract: We present here a new, dedicated mechanical device for monitoring quick-release movements of the wrist. The ergometer was designed to easily assess musculotendinous properties during wrist flexion. Maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) and quick-release (QR) movements during wrist flexion were performed on 14 subjects. A validation of the ergometer, using a test-retest methodology, was performed to assess its reliability and sensitivity. The device has been technically and biomechanically validated in a range of situations, including inertia measurement (mean inertia was found 0.0119+/-0.0012 N m s(2) rad(-1)) and appearance of the unloading reflex. Our results indicate that the device provides highly reliable, sensitive evaluation of wrist muscle stiffness (intraclass correlation coefficient for inertia, maximal voluntary contraction and stiffness index were 0.873, 0.994 and 0.930, respectively). Its portability facilitates measurement of the influence of repetitive, occupational activity on the musculotendinous complex of the wrist flexors.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire DMAG-INERIS EA 3901, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, 3, rue des Louvels, F-80036 Amiens Cedex 1, France. erwan.stephan@gmail.com
authors.forename: Erwan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stephan
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Delanaud
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bisch
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Libert
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Telliez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D016552:Ergometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013997:Time Factors; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000502:physiology*