title: Multi-Day Recordings of Wearable Sensors Are Valid and Sensitive Measures of Function and Independence in Human Spinal Cord Injury.
abstract: Wearable sensor assessment tools have proven to be reliable in measuring function in normal and impaired movement disorders during well-defined assessment protocols. While such assessments can provide valid and sensitive measures of upper limb activity in spinal cord injury (SCI), no assessment tool has yet been introduced into unsupervised daily recordings to complement clinical assessments during rehabilitation. The objective of this study was to measure the overall amount of upper-limb activity in subjects with acute SCI using wearable sensors and relate this to lesion characteristics, independence, and function. The overall amount of upper extremity activity counts, measures of wheeling (speed and distance), and limb-use laterality were measured in 30 in-patients with an acute cervical or thoracic SCI three months after injury. The findings were related to the international standards for neurological classification of SCI, the spinal cord independence measure, and the upper extremity motor scores of the Graded and Redefined Assessment of Strength, Sensibility, and Prehension. Overall upper extremity activity counts were successfully recorded in all patients and correlated with the neurological level of injury and independence. Clinical measures of proximal muscle strength were related to overall activity count and peak velocity of wheeling. Compared with paraplegics, tetraplegics showed significantly lower activity counts and increased limb-use laterality. This is the first cross-sectional study showing the feasibility and clinical value of sensor recordings during unsupervised daily activities in rehabilitation. The strong relationship between sensor-based measures and clinical outcomes supports the application of such technology to assess and track changes in function during rehabilitation and in clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: 1 Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital , Zurich, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brogioli
authors.affiliation: 1 Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital , Zurich, Switzerland .|2 Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich , Zurich, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Werner L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Popp
authors.affiliation: 1 Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital , Zurich, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: 1 Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital , Zurich, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Urs
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Albisser
authors.affiliation: 3 Clinical Trial Unit, Swiss Paraplegic Centre , Nottwil, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Anne K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Brust
authors.affiliation: 3 Clinical Trial Unit, Swiss Paraplegic Centre , Nottwil, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frotzler
authors.affiliation: 2 Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich , Zurich, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gassert
authors.affiliation: 1 Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital , Zurich, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Curt
authors.affiliation: 1 Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital , Zurich, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Michelle L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Starkey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D000066530:Neurological Rehabilitation; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: monitoring; rehabilitation; spinal cord injury; upper limb; wearable sensors