Gait analysis of a patient with severe motor impairment post- intensive care due to COVID-19: 1 year follow up and physical therapy / Análise da marcha de paciente com comprometimento motor grave após terapia intensiva por COVID-19: acompanhamento de 1 ano e fisioterapia

Abstract Introduction Viral infections, such as infection by SARS-CoV-2, can affect gait biomechanics, but this effect can be overlapped by consequences of critical illness and time in intensive care unit. Objective To report biomechanical alterations during the clinical evolution of a post-COVID-19 patient who presented severe motor impairment after intensive care. Methods Data was collected from the patient's chart at José Silveira Foundation and previous medical reports from the hospitalization period. The patient was wheelchair bound, with physiotherapy twice a week, and by the end of 1-year follow-up was able to walk independently. Three-dimensional gait analysis with kinetics and electromyography were conducted at three time points. Results All spatiotemporal gait parameters, kinematic, kinetic and electromyographic data was importantly altered when compared to the normal range of values. With physiotherapy, gait quality indicators showed important improvements and all muscles presented a significant increase in the magnitude of the electromyographic signal (at least a two-fold increase). Trunk kinematic alterations decreased significantly during this period. Kinetic and kinematic changes perceived in the hips, knees and ankles showed approximation to the expected pattern, however still without normalizing, and patient's muscle coordination improved over time. Conclusion This report has great clinical importance, as it describes, using an instrumented gait laboratory, the evolution of a patient with severe motor impairment post intensive care due to COVID-19, a condition in lack of description in the literature, which will help health professionals in the planning of rehabilitation strategies.

Resumo Introdução Infecções virais, como a infecção por SARS-CoV-2, podem afetar a biomecânica da marcha, mas esse efeito pode ser sobreposto por consequências de doença crítica e tempo em unidade de terapia intensiva. Objetivo Relatar as alterações biomecânicas durante a evolução clínica de um paciente pós-COVID-19 que apresentou comprometimento motor severo após terapia intensiva. Métodos Os dados foram coletados a partir do prontuário do paciente na Fundação José Silveira e dos relatórios médicos anteriores referentes ao período de inter-nação. O paciente estava em cadeira de rodas, com fisioterapia duas vezes por semana, e ao final de 1 ano de acompanhamento era capaz de deambular de forma independente. A análise tridimensional da marcha com cinética e eletromiografia foi realizada em três momentos. Resultados Todos os parâmetros espaço-temporais da marcha, dados cinemáticos, cinéticos e eletromiográficos estavam significativamente alterados quando comparados com a faixa normal de valores. Com a fisioterapia, os indicadores de qualidade da marcha apresentaram melhorias importantes e todos os músculos apresentaram um aumento significativo na magnitude do sinal eletromiográfico (aumento de pelo menos duas vezes). As alterações cinemáticas do tronco diminuíram significativamente neste período. As alterações cinéticas e cinemáticas percebidas nos quadris, joelhos e tornozelos mostraram aproximação do padrão esperado, porém ainda sem normalização, e a coordenação muscular do paciente melhorou com o passar do tempo. Conclusão Este relato é de grande importância clínica, pois descreve, por meio de um laboratório de marcha instrumentado, a evolução de um paciente com comprometimento motor severo após terapia intensiva por COVID-19, quadro pouco descrito na literatura, o que ajudará profissionais de saúde no planejamento de estratégias de reabilitação.

Assessment of Postoperative Surface Electromyography and Joint Angle in Children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy / 医用生物力学

Objective To analyze and assess the postoperative motor function in children with spastic cerebral palsy (SCP) by surface electromyography (sEMG) and joint angle. Methods Sixteen children with SCP were involved in this study. The sEMG of rectus femoris, biceps femoris, semitendinosus, tibialis anterior, lateral gastrocnemius and medial gastrocnemius muscles and joint angles of the hip, knee and ankle during straight walking were collected preoperatively and postoperatively. In every gait phase, the mean values of joint angles, root mean square and integrated electromyography of sEMG were calculated, to evaluate muscle strength and muscular tension quantitatively. Results The muscle tension of lower limbs was significantly decreased (P<0.05). The muscle strength of rectus femoris and biceps femoris was decreased in the swing phase. At the midswing and terminal swing phase, the strength of tibialis anterior increased significantly (P<0.05). The flexion angle of hip and knee decreased significantly (P<0.05). The dorsiflexion angle of ankle increased significantly (P<0.05), and the varus angle decreased significantly (P<0.05). Conclusions After operation, the crouching gait and clubfoot were improved positively. Therefore, the motor function of children was improved. Combining sEMG and joint angle can evaluate the muscle function of patients quantitatively, and it also can provide references for clinical diagnosis.

Progress of Big Data Analysis in Gait Biomechanics / 医用生物力学

Objective To study the research progress of big data analysis in gait biomechanics. Methods Based on the scientific and technological literature related to big data analysis in gait biomechanics during the year 2011-2020 as the research object, content analysis method was used to analyze and discuss from four aspects, including topic structure, hierarchy level, model type and analysis technology. On this basis, the future research of gait biomechanics big data analysis was prospected. Results The application of big data analysis in gait biomechanics mainly involves five research directions, namely, intervention and rehabilitation, exercise training, prosthesis design and evaluation, understanding of etiology and diagnosis, understanding of human movement characteristics. Big data analysis in gait biomechanics is divided into three levels, of which descriptive analysis is the most used type, accounting for about 41%. The models and specific techniques of big data analysis in gait biomechanics field were reviewed. Topological data analysis is a promising big data exploration tool for future research. Conclusions Big data technology has great potential in gait biomechanics and clinical medicine research.

Desenvolvimento de instrumentação para aplicação e avaliação do treinamento locomotor com suporte parcial de peso / Development of instrumentation for application and assessment of locomotor training with partial body weight support

O treino locomotor com suporte parcial de peso (TLSP) é um método para reabilitação da marcha que consiste em suspender o indivíduo sobre uma esteira enquanto seus membros inferiores são movimentados passivamente. Para aplicar o TLSP de forma apropriada, é preciso que a descarga de peso sobre membros inferiores seja controlada e monitorada. O objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver um sistema de suporte de peso (SSP) capaz de medir descarga de peso sobre membros inferiores e superiores. Além disso, instrumentação para medição do ângulo do joelho, contato do pé e eletromiografia foi desenvolvida para avaliação do treino. O SSP foi construído com um sistema de polias, cabo de aço, guincho manual, uma célula de carga fixa ao cabo e duas outras em apoios para as mãos adaptados a uma esteira elétrica. Eletrogoniômetros e footswitches foram construídos para o sistema de medição, e uma plataforma de aquisição de sinais foi desenvolvida em ambiente LabVIEW®. As células de carga e os eletrogoniômetros foram calibrados e testados. Um ensaio piloto foi realizado com um indivíduo saudável a uma velocidade de 1,5 km/h com descarga de 60% do peso corporal sobre membros inferiores. O SSP desenvolvido apresentou erro menor que 1,5% e forneceu medidas das descargas de peso sobre membros superiores e inferiores. Ele permitiu analisar assimetria sobre membros superiores, o que pode ser importante na reabilitação neurológica. O spadrões cinemáticos e eletromiográficos fornecidos pelo sistema de medida foram semelhantes aos mostrados na literatura. A patente do sistema foi requerida junto ao INPI sob o protocolo n° 0000280904043771.

The locomotor training with partial weight support (LTPWS) is a method for gait rehabilitation which consists in suspending the individual over a treadmill while its lower limbs are passively moved mimicking the gait cycle. In order to properly apply LTPWS, the weight load over lower limbs must be controlled and monitored. The main aim of this work was to develop a partial weight support system (WSS) able to measure lower and upper limb loading. Also, instrumentation for measuring knee angle, foot contact and EMG data was developed for training assessment. The WSS was constructed with a pulley system, a steel cable, a manual winch, aload cell fixed at the cable and two other load cells fixed to handrails built on an electrical treadmill. For the measuring system, electrogoniometers and footswitches were constructed and a signal acquisition platform was developed on LabVIEW® environment. The load cells and electrogoniometers were calibrated and tested. A pilot test with a healthy individual was carried out at a speed of 1.5 km/h with a load of 60% of the body weight, over lower limbs. The developed WSS exhibited an error below 1.5% and was able to measure upper and lower limb weight load. It allows analyzing upper limbs loading and lateral unbalance, what might be important for neural rehabilitation. The measuring system was able to provide kinematic and electromyographic patterns similar to those shown in the literature under similar conditions. A patent request was submitted to the INPI under protocol nº 0000280904043771.