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Measurement of lower extremity kinematics during level walking
Author(s) -
Kadaba M. P.,
Ramakrishnan H. K.,
Wootten M. E.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of orthopaedic research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.041
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1554-527X
pISSN - 0736-0266
DOI - 10.1002/jor.1100080310
Subject(s) - kinematics , gait , euler angles , motion capture , gait analysis , ankle , motion analysis , computer science , pelvis , rotation (mathematics) , joint (building) , motion (physics) , sensitivity (control systems) , simulation , computer vision , artificial intelligence , mathematics , physical medicine and rehabilitation , geometry , physics , engineering , medicine , anatomy , structural engineering , electronic engineering , classical mechanics
A simple external marker system and algorithms for computing lower extremity joint angle motion during level walking were developed and implemented on a computer‐aided video motion analysis system (VICON). The concept of embedded axes and Euler rotation angles was used to define the three‐dimensional joint angle motion based on a set of body surface markers. Gait analysis was peformed on 40 normal young adults three times on three different test days at least 1 Week apart using the marker system. Angular motion of the hip, knee, and ankle joints and of the pelvis were obtained throughout a gait cycle utilizing the three‐dimensional trajectories of markers. The effect of uncertainties in defining the embedded axis on joint angles was demonstrated using sensitivity analysis. The errors in the estimation of joint angle motion were quantified with respect to the degree of error in the construction of embedded axes. The limitations of the model and the marker system in evaluating pathologic gait are discussed. The relatively small number of body surface markers used in the system render it easy to implement for use in routine clinical gait evaluations. Additionally, data presented in this paper should be a useful reference for describing and comparing pathologic gait patterns.