Assistive technology: opportunities for societal inclusion of persons with disabilities and independence of the elderly.

Assistive technology (AT) development worldwide aims to enhance the quality of life for persons with disabilities and elderly, yet its development and commercialization may face challenges. This collection aims at obtaining a better understanding of the hurdles that various stakeholders may face in the successful development and commercialization of AT.

Targeted muscle reinnervation in managing post-amputation related pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Limb amputation can cause residual limb pain (RLP) and/or phantom limb pain (PLP). Although targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) was initially introduced to facilitate the control of prosthetic limbs, it has been noted that these patients experience less pain and improved prosthetic functional outcomes. As a result, the use of TMR in managing neuroma-related RLP is increasing. The aim of this review is to assess the quality and strength of the evidence supporting the effectiveness of TMR in managing amputation-related pain. METHODS: Five different databases, including MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase, were searched from inception to March 2022. The protocol for this systematic review has been registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42020218242). To be included, studies needed to compare pre- and postoperative pain outcomes or different techniques for adult patients who underwent TMR following amputation. Eligible studies also needed to use patient-reported outcome measures (PROMS) and be clinical trials or observational studies published in English. Excluded studies were case reports, case series, reviews, proof of concept studies, and conference proceedings. A meta-analysis was performed on studies that had similar intervention and control groups to examine treatment effects using a random-effects model. Studies were weighted using the inverse variance method, and a statistically significant p-value was considered to be less than or equal to 0.05. RESULTS: This review included five studies for qualitative analysis and four studies for quantitative analysis. Reviewed studies enrolled a total of 127 patients. The TMR group was compared with standard treatment at 12 months follow-up. The TMR group showed significantly better PLP as assessed by the numerical rating score RLP, and PLP assessed using Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) also showed significantly lower pain intensity in the TMR group. CONCLUSION: There is limited evidence of good quality favoring TMR in reducing postamputation PLP and RLP pain compared with standard care. Randomized clinical trials are encouraged to compare the efficacy of different surgical techniques.

Are internal lengthening devices effective and associated with less complications compared to other lengthening devices? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Internal lengthening devices became more popular than external fixators. This was attributed to their effectiveness and lower complication rates. However, this is an assumption that is not on the basis of solid scientific evidence. Therefore, this study systematically reviewed the quality and strength of evidence supporting femoral internal lengthening devices' effectiveness and their associated complications. Six electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane, Sage, Embase, Web of Science and Scopus) were searched from inception until 20 June 2020. Further, all included articles' bibliographies were searched manually. After screening of retrieved articles, five studies were eligible for qualitative and quantitative synthesis. Studies were assessed by two independent assessors using a modified 'assessment of the methodological quality both of randomized and nonrandomized studies of health care interventions'. Further, meta-analysis was conducted to compare the procedure's effectiveness, in terms of healing index and major complications incidence. Our findings showed internal validity as the major source of bias whereas external validity was the least. For healing index, there is limited evidence that internal lengthening devices lower healing index by 0.45 months/cm (95% CI, -0.62 to -0.28; P < 0.01) compared to LON/external fixators. The incidence of major complications, that were directly related to the procedures, did not differ between internal lengthening devices and other fixators (risk ratio=0.97; 95% CI, 0.39-2.44; P < 0.95). This review provides evidence that supports lower healing index and similar complications associated with internal lengthening devices compared to other procedures of femoral lengthening. However, the evidence is very limited to draw a solid conclusion.

Validity and reliability of smartphones in measuring joint position sense among asymptomatic individuals and patients with knee osteoarthritis: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Quantifying proprioception deficit in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) may be important in evaluating treatment effectiveness. This study investigated the concurrent and known-groups validity as well as test-retest reliability of a smartphone application in assessing joint position sense (JPS) in asymptomatic individuals and patients with knee OA. METHODS: Sixty-four knees, from 16 asymptomatic controls and 16 patients with bilateral OA, were assessed twice with a 1-week interval in between. The smartphone Goniometer Pro application and isokinetic dynamometer simultaneously quantified JPS, in terms of absolute repositioning error (RE) angle, during active and passive limb movements at selected angles. RESULTS: Both devices showed moderate to almost perfect correlations in measuring JPS; whether active (intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) >0.87) or passive (ICC >0.97). The mean RE angle differences between the two devices were <0.77° (passive JPS) and <2.76° (active JPS). Both devices were capable of distinguishing patients and asymptomatic controls at 55° and 80°. The smartphone showed moderate test-retest reliability of active JPS measurement (ICC = 0.51) in the two groups, similar to that of the isokinetic dynamometer (ICC = 0.62), but with a high measurement error. CONCLUSIONS: Smartphone application is a valid alternative to the isokinetic dynamometer in assessing JPS in patients with knee OA and asymptomatic controls. The two devices could distinguish patients and asymptomatic volunteers during passive JPS measured at 55° and 80°. Both devices have moderate reliability in quantifying active JPS, but reliability results should be considered with caution.

Psychometric properties of chronic low back pain diagnostic classification systems: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: To identify and critically appraise studies evaluating psychometric properties of functionally oriented diagnostic classification systems for Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain (NS-CLBP). METHODS: This review employed methodology consistent with PRISMA guidelines. Electronic databases and journals: (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, PEDro, CINAHL, Index to chiropractic literature, ProQuest, Physical Therapy, Journal of Physiotherapy, Canadian Physiotherapy and Physiotherapy Theory and Practice) were searched from inception until January 2020. Included studies evaluated the validity and reliability of NS-CLBP diagnostic classification systems in adults. Risk of bias was assessed using a Critical Appraisal Tool. RESULTS: Twenty-two studies were eligible: Five investigated inter-rater reliability, and 17 studies analyzed validity of O'Sullivan's classification system (OCS, n = 15), motor control impairment (MCI) test battery (n = 1), and Pain Behavior Assessment (PBA, n = 1). Evidence from multiple low risk of bias studies demonstrates that OCS has moderate to excellent inter-rater reliability (kappa > 0.4). Also, two low risk of bias studies support of OCS-MCI subcategory. Three tests within the MCI test battery show acceptable inter- and intra-rater reliability for clinical use (the "sitting knee extension," the "one leg stance," and the "pelvic tilt" tests). Evidence for the reliability and validity of the PBA is limited to one high bias risk study. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple low risk of bias studies demonstrate strong inter-rater reliability for OCS classification specifically OCS-MCI subcategory. Future studies with low risk of bias are needed to evaluate reliability and validity of the MCI test battery and the PBA.

Validity and Reliability of Interactive Virtual Reality in Assessing the Musculoskeletal System: a Systematic Review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Assessment of the musculoskeletal system requires consideration of its integrated function with the nervous system. This may be assisted by using valid and reliable methods that simulate real-life situations. Interactive virtual reality (VR) technology may introduce various auditory and visual inputs that mimic real-life scenarios. However, evidence supporting the quality and strength of evidence regarding the adequacy of its psychometric properties in assessing the musculoskeletal function has not been evaluated yet. Therefore, this study reviewed the validity and reliability of VR games and real-time feedback in assessing the musculoskeletal system. RECENT FINDINGS: Nine studies were included in quality assessment. Based on outcome measures, studies were categorized into range of motion (ROM), balance, reaction time, and cervical motion velocity and accuracy. The majority of the studies were of moderate quality and provided evidence of VR adequate concurrent and, in some cases, known-groups validity. Also, VR showed high intra-rater reliability for most of the measured outcomes. Based on the included studies, there is a limited promising evidence that interactive VR using games or real-time feedback is highly valid and reliable in assessing ROM in asymptomatic participants and patients with chronic neck pain and radial fracture. For the remaining outcomes, evidence is limited to draw a robust conclusion. Future studies are recommended to test VR psychometric properties in different patients' population using a rigor research methodology.

Validity and reliability of smartphone use in assessing balance in patients with chronic ankle instability and healthy volunteers: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is associated with defective posture control and balance; thus, a proper assessment of these impairments is necessary for effective clinical decision-making. There is a need for portable, valid, and reliable methods to facilitate the easy collection of real-world data, such as mobile phones. RESEARCH QUESTION: Is the smartphone "MyAnkle" application valid and reliable in assessing balance in patients with CAI and healthy volunteers? METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. Sixty-five participants completed two assessment sessions, including 31 patients (n = 41 ankles with CAI and 21 asymptomatic ankles) and 34 healthy volunteers (n = 68 ankles). In each session, dynamic single-leg stance balance was measured simultaneously using the "MyAnkle" application and the Biodex balance system (BBS) version 3. Testing was conducted at three levels of BBS difficulty-4 (D4, hard, loose platform), 6 (D6, moderate), and 8 (D8, easy, stiffer platform)-and repeated with opened and closed eyes. Both limbs were tested in a random order by two independent blinded assessors. RESULTS: The two devices showed significant poor-to-moderate correlations when eyes were closed (p < 0.05). For discriminant validity, the application did not distinguish the two study groups in all tested conditions (p > 0.05), whereas the BBS weakly to moderately distinguished the dominant limbs in the two groups at all difficulty levels with eyes-open and at D8 with eyes-closed regardless to limb dominance. For reliability, a significantly poor to moderate inter-session reliability was noted for the two devices. SIGNIFICANCE: "MyAnkle" application is valid in assessing balance in patients with CAI when the eyes are closed. However, similarly to BBS, its one-week test-retest reliability may be insufficient for accurate follow-up of balance changes and need to be interpreted with caution. Future studies need to establish its inter-tester reliability and its usefulness in telerehabilitation.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Arabic version of the Core Outcome Measures Index for the back (COMI-back) in patients with non-specific low back pain.

PURPOSE: To cross-culturally adapt the Core Outcome Measures Index for the back (COMI-back) for the Arabic language and to test its reliability and validity in Egyptian patients with non-specific low back pain (LBP). METHODS: COMI-back was translated and cross-culturally adapted into Arabic according to standard guidelines. Its construct validity was assessed in 85 patients with chronic LBP (mean (± SD) age, 41.1 (± 10.4) years and 65/85 (76.5%) female) who completed a booklet of questionnaires including the Arabic versions of COMI-back, Roland Morris disability questionnaire, Oswestry disability index, the short form health survey 36, and the visual analogue scale for back pain. Test-retest reliability was assessed in 52 participants who completed the booklet again within 7 days. RESULTS: Floor effects (worst status; 1.2-10.6%) and ceiling effects (best status; 1.2-11.8%) for COMI-back were acceptable, except for symptom-specific well-being (18.8%, floor), leg pain (23.5%, ceiling), and work disability (31.8%, ceiling). The COMI item scores correlated with those of the reference questionnaires (ρ = 0.45-0.88) to the hypothesized extent, except for the COMI symptom-specific well-being (ρ = 0.16-0.17) and quality of life (ρ = 0.38). The intra-class correlation coefficient for the summary score was 0.90, whereas that of the individual items ranged from 0.71-0.92. The standard error of measurement and minimal detectable change for the summary score were 0.51 and 1.41 points, respectively. The predefined hypotheses for construct validity and reliability were largely confirmed. CONCLUSION: The Arabic version of COMI-back represents a valid and reliable instrument for use in Arabic-speaking patients with non-specific LBP.

A proposed soft pneumatic actuator control based on angle estimation from data-driven model.

This article proposes a bending angle controller for soft pneumatic actuators, which could be implemented in soft robotic rehabilitation gloves to assist patients with hand impairment, such as stroke survivors. A data-driven model is used to estimate the angle as pneumatic pressure is applied to the actuator. Furthermore, a finite element model was used to manually optimize the dimensions of the actuator. An embedded flex sensor, which together with a custom testing rig, was used to gather input data for the data-driven model. This rig contains a pneumatic pressure control circuit as well as a camera for image acquisition. Collected data were fed into a linear regression model to predict the data-driven model. Experiments were carried out to validate model's accuracy as well as modified proportional-integral-derivative controller angle controller performance. The latter controller is designed to mitigate the non-linear response of solenoid valves at different pressures of the actuator. The data-driven model along with the used controller allows more accurate estimation and quicker response.

Is Virtual Reality Effective in Orthopedic Rehabilitation? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Virtual reality (VR) is an interactive technology that allows customized treatment and may help in delivering effective person-centered rehabilitation. PURPOSE: The purpose of this review was to systematically review and critically appraise the controlled clinical trials that investigated VR effectiveness in orthopedic rehabilitation. DATA SOURCES: Pubmed, CINAHL, Embase, PEDro, REHABDATA, and Sage publications were searched up to September 2018. In addition, manual searching and snowballing using Scopus and Web of Science were done. STUDY SELECTION: Two reviewers screened studies for eligibility first by title and abstract and then full text. DATA EXTRACTION: Articles were categorized into general or region-specific (upper limbs, lower limbs, and spine) orthopedic disorders. Study quality was assessed using the Evaluation Guidelines for Rating the Quality of an Intervention Study scoring. Meta-analysis quantified VR effectiveness, compared with no treatment, in back pain. DATA SYNTHESIS: Nineteen studies were included in the quality assessment. The majority of the studies were of moderate quality. Fourteen studies showed that VR did not differ compared with exercises. Compared with the no-treatment control, 5 studies favored VR and 3 other studies showed no differences. For low back pain, the meta-analysis revealed no significant difference between VR and no-treatment control (n = 116; standardized mean difference = -0.21; 95% confidence interval = -0.58 to 0.15). LIMITATIONS: Limitations included heterogeneity in interventions and the outcome measures of reviewed studies. Only articles in English were included. CONCLUSION: The evidence of VR effectiveness is promising in chronic neck pain and shoulder impingement syndrome. VR and exercises have similar effects in rheumatoid arthritis, knee arthritis, ankle instability, and post-anterior cruciate reconstruction. For fibromyalgia and back pain, as well as after knee arthroplasty, the evidence of VR effectiveness compared with exercise is absent or inconclusive.

Design and validation of a smart wearable device to prevent recurrent ankle sprain.

Lateral ankle sprain is one of the most common ankle injuries, especially in sports. When not treated properly, chronic ankle instability (CAI) may develop causing recurrent sprains and permanent damage to ankle ligaments. In this study, the design, implementation and validation of a smart wearable device connected to a smartphone application is described. This device can predict and prevent the occurrence of ankle sprain. Prediction of potentially harmful motion is achieved by continuous monitoring of ankle kinematics using inertial motion sensors. Detection of such a motion immediately triggers electrical stimulation of the peroneal muscles causing foot dorsiflexion, and hence prevents potential injury. The proposed device has the advantage of having a very short response time of eight milliseconds which is sufficient to halt the sprain motion. Laboratory validation testing using a custom designed trapdoor showed an accuracy of 96% in detecting and correcting hazardous motion. Furthermore, this device complies well with the design constrains of a wearable device such as small size and low power consumption. It is also low cost and unobtrusive due to the wireless connection between all components. Future work is recommended to test the clinical effectiveness of the proposed device in patients with CAI.

Validity and reliability of smartphone applications for clinical assessment of the neuromusculoskeletal system.

INTRODUCTION: Clinicians increasingly use smartphone medical applications. There is no evidence to support the validity and reliability of applications used to assess the neuromusculoskeletal system. The aim of this study was to systematically review the quality of studies as well as the validity and reliability of using a smartphone as a clinical assessment tool for the neuromusculoskeletal system. Areas covered: PubMed, CINAHL and Embase were searched. A manual search was also conducted. Additionally, forward snowballing of relevant articles was performed in Scopus and Web of Science. Two reviewers independently selected the articles, extracted the data using a standardized form and assessed the articles quality based on a scoring system Expert commentary: Thirty-four articles were found eligible and were categorized into four groups: Range of Motion (ROM), posture and deformity, tremors and reflexes, and gait and mobility. Only the ROM category supported the validity and reliability of using smartphone applications as assessment tools. Regarding quality assessment scores, the articles in ROM and posture and deformity categories ranged from poor to good quality, whereas those in the tremors and reflexes and gait and mobility categories had poor quality.

The effectiveness of manual versus algometer pressure release techniques for treating active myofascial trigger points of the upper trapezius.

Manual pressure release (MPR) is a popular treatment of trigger points. Yet, treatment response may be influenced by inconsistent application of pressure. Further, it may contribute to increased risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the wrist and hand in therapists. Therefore, this study aimed at introducing a novel method to apply pressure using the algometer and to compare its effectiveness to MPR. Forty-five volunteers with active trigger points of the upper trapezius received algometer pressure release (APR), MPR, or sham ultrasound (US). Pain pressure threshold (PPT) and contralateral active and passive neck side-bending ranges were assessed at baseline and immediately after a single session. Results showed no significant differences in post-treatment PPT between the study groups (p > 0.05). The APR group showed a significant increase in passive side-bending range compared with the two other groups, whereas active range improved in the APR compared with the US group (p < 0.05). Our results show that using algometer to apply pressure release to upper trapezius trigger points is more effective compared with manual release and sham US.