A New Rehabilitation Device for Balance Impaired Individuals

Wiktor Sieklicki, Robert Barański, Szymon Grocholski, Patrycja Matejek, Mateusz Dyrda, Konrad Klepacki

2019

Abstract

In the paper authors present a device designed to improve the rehabilitation process of people with balance impairment. The discussed device (JStep) utilizes a commercially available static standing frame (stander) modified in order to fit force sensing units under the feet and in the pillows around the hips of a patient. While executing rehabilitation tasks, the patient may compensate his balance deficiency by leaning on the pillows around his hips. Information about weight distribution between left and right leg together with the information about the force applied to the pillows supporting the patient's body is further presented on a display in front of the patient. Such a setup allows physicians to work with the patient while having direct information about compensation necessary for completing a task or gives the patient a visual biofeedback about how well he is doing the exercise. The system is based on an ATmega controller, load cells and analogue amplifiers. In this framework a case study is presented of a 16 y.o. patient with Cerebral Palsy affecting his cerebellum, labelled as ataxic Cerebral Palsy. Two exercise scenarios utilizing the proposed device are discussed and results of a 6-week exercise are further presented. They show a decrease in necessary compensation in order to maintain a standing posture as well as a better accuracy in achieving the desired force distribution between right and left leg while standing upright.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Sieklicki W., Barański R., Grocholski S., Matejek P., Dyrda M. and Klepacki K. (2019). A New Rehabilitation Device for Balance Impaired Individuals. In Proceedings of the 12th International Joint Conference on Biomedical Engineering Systems and Technologies (BIOSTEC 2019) - Volume 1: BIODEVICES; ISBN 978-989-758-353-7, SciTePress, pages 26-35. DOI: 10.5220/0007374300260035

in Bibtex Style

@conference{biodevices19,
author={Wiktor Sieklicki and Robert Barański and Szymon Grocholski and Patrycja Matejek and Mateusz Dyrda and Konrad Klepacki},
title={A New Rehabilitation Device for Balance Impaired Individuals},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 12th International Joint Conference on Biomedical Engineering Systems and Technologies (BIOSTEC 2019) - Volume 1: BIODEVICES},
year={2019},
pages={26-35},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0007374300260035},
isbn={978-989-758-353-7},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 12th International Joint Conference on Biomedical Engineering Systems and Technologies (BIOSTEC 2019) - Volume 1: BIODEVICES
TI - A New Rehabilitation Device for Balance Impaired Individuals
SN - 978-989-758-353-7
AU - Sieklicki W.
AU - Barański R.
AU - Grocholski S.
AU - Matejek P.
AU - Dyrda M.
AU - Klepacki K.
PY - 2019
SP - 26
EP - 35
DO - 10.5220/0007374300260035
PB - SciTePress