A Self-Contained 3D Biomechanical Analysis Lab for Complete Automatic Spine and Full Skeleton Assessment of Posture, Gait and Run.

Quantitative functional assessment of Posture and Motion Analysis of the entire skeleton and spine is highly desirable. Nonetheless, in most studies focused on posture and movement biomechanics, the spine is only grossly depicted because of its required level of complexity. Approaches integrating pressure measurement devices with stereophotogrammetric systems have been presented in the literature, but spine biomechanics studies have rarely been linked to baropodometry. A new multi-sensor system called GOALS-E.G.G. (Global Opto-electronic Approach for Locomotion and Spine-Expert Gait Guru), integrating a fully genlock-synched baropodometric treadmill with a stereophotogrammetric device, is introduced to overcome the above-described limitations. The GOALS-EGG extends the features of a complete 3D parametric biomechanical skeleton model, developed in an original way for static 3D posture analysis, to kinematic and kinetic analysis of movement, gait and run. By integrating baropodometric data, the model allows the estimation of lower limb net-joint forces, torques and muscle power. Net forces and torques are also assessed at intervertebral levels. All the elaborations are completely automatised up to the mean behaviour extraction for both posture and cyclic-repetitive tasks, allowing the clinician/researcher to perform, per each patient, multiple postural/movement tests and compare them in a unified statistically reliable framework.

An integrated procedure for spine and full skeleton multi-sensor biomechanical analysis & averaging in posture gait and cyclic movement tasks.

Spine and posture disorders cover large interest in rehabilitation. Quantitative functional evaluation represents the main goal in Movement/Gait analysis. However very few studies outline the behaviour of spine during Posture and Movement/Gait analysis. To overcome such limits, several years ago our group started, a project to transfer into a complete fully 3D reliable and detailed representation, different segmental biomechanical models presented in literature. As result a complete 3D parametric biomechanical skeleton model has been developed to be used in quantitative analysis. Posture and Movement/Gait analysis are performed by 3D Opto-electronic stereophotogrammetric measurements of body landmarks labelled by passive markers. Depending on different analysis purposes, the model can work at different stages of complexity. Examples on the application of such model into biomechanical and clinical fields have been presented in literature. Our group is continuously working to add new features to such model, which is now able to fully integrate data deriving from force platforms, SEMG, foot pressure maps. By means of data fusion and optimisation procedures all these inputs are used in the model to assess lower limbs internal joint forces, torques and muscular efforts. The possibility to compute the average of cyclic or repetitive tasks has been included as well. Recently we added the possibility to assess internal joint forces and torques at each spine vertebral level and to correlate these latter with all the other model's features. The aim of this study is to present the methodological aspects of such new features and their potential applicability in clinical and biomechanical fields.

A 3-D biomechanical skeleton model for posture and movement analysis.

A project to merge into a full 3D reliable and detailed human skeleton representation various segmental biomechanical models presented in literature has been undertaken by our group. The obtained 3D skeleton model is fully parametric and can so be fitted to each subject anthropometric characteristics. A non-ionizing approach based on 3D opto-electronic measurements of body landmarks labelled by passive markers has been chosen to build the 3D parametric biomechanical skeleton model. To this aim various protocols involving different body labelling (and so different related anthropometric data) have been established for different analyses. To analyse human posture and spinal related pathologies, a 27 markers protocol has been set for static analysis, while 49 markers protocol has been set for gait and movement analysis. A special focus has been devoted to identify and model the spine with a correct degree of accuracy and reliability. To this aim complex signal processing and optimisation procedures have been tested. The model is able to fully integrate information deriving from other measurements devices as force platform data, surface EMG, foot pressure maps. The presented model is the first proposed in literature, to authors knowledge, able to process such multifactorial information to perform a full kinematic and kinetic analysis with particular focus on the spine. Several hundreds of patients have been already analysed and followed up with this methodology that proved to be useful for various posture and spine related pathologies (in particular spine deformities, low-back pain etc.).

A 3-D parametric biomechanical skeleton model for posture and spine shape analysis.

A project has been undertaken by our group to merge different segmental biomechanical models presented in literature into a full 3D parametric human skeleton representation, based on opto-electronic measurements. The obtained 3D skeleton model can then be fitted to each subject's anthropometrical characteristics. The accuracy and precision of this model relies both on anatomical findings (cadaver dissections, in vivo measurements, and parametric regression equations) reported in literature and on the approach and signal processing procedures we largely described and discussed in previous papers. The aim of this work is to present and describe the above mentioned 3D parametric biomechanical skeleton model. This model and the related graphical software package have been developed as a clinical tool for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, and they are currently used in different clinical centres.