Advisor(s)
C Scott Bickel
Committee Member(s)
Jennifer Braswell Christy
Matthew Ford
Keith Tansey
Patricia Winchester
Document Type
Dissertation
Date of Award
2012
Abstract
This study investigated a novel robotic assessment of spasticity resulting from a spinal cord injury (SCI). Torque data was analyzed to provide a single measure spasticity score. Three participants with motor incomplete SCI and resultant spasticity were compared to three non-injured participants (NI) using three different angular velocities of passive lower extremity movement in the Lokomat gait orthosis. The mean spasticity scores (NI vs. SCI) at120°/s, 180°/s, and 240°/s were: 0.41 ± 0.30 vs. 3.70 ± 2.07; 0.65 ± 0.49 vs. 4.33 ± 3.57; and 1.55 ± 1.16 vs. 5.26 ± 3.99, respectively. Mean surface electrode electromyography measures (NI vs. SCI) during the passive movement at each velocity were the following: 0.73 ± 0.11 mv/s vs. 5.13 ± 3.12 mv/s; 0.69 ± 0.10 mv/s vs. 4.01 ± 3.18 mv/s; and 0.75 ± 0.13 mv/s vs. 5.08 ± 2.90 mv/s, respectively. A general trend was found of increasing spasticity score with increasing joint angular velocity. These preliminary results show that the torque-derived spasticity score used here may offer an objective, quantitative method for characterizing and tracking spasticity.
ProQuest Publication Number
ISBN
978-1-267-41225-6
Recommended Citation
Van Hiel, Leslie R., "Examining Spasticity after Spinal Cord Injury Using a Novel Robotic Assessment" (2012). All ETDs from UAB. 3207.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/3207
Comments
etdadmin_upload_139231