By Dr Ed Chadwick (Lecturer in Biomedical Engineering and Theme Lead for Rehabilitation, Institute for Science & Technology in Medicine, Keele University)
Moving forward in partnership
Updating the clinical biomechanics & movement lab
There are a series of tests we do to study movement. The first involves accurately measuring how
limbs move. For this we need cameras that can
track reflective markers attached to certain points of
the body, which is a process similar to what is used
in video game or movie animation. We also measure
how much force people use when performing everyday tasks, and to do this we use force sensors, either hand-held, or set into the floor so that people
Scene from the original lab, showing some old recording equipwalk on them (“force plates”). Finally, we measure
ment and a makeshift device used to calibrate the force plate
how well people control their muscles to coordinate
In the early days of motion analysis, the Royal Stoke their movements, using muscle activity sensors on
University Hospital had a motion laboratory based
the arms, legs and torso.
on video recordings. These took a very long time to
process, were hard to store, and had limited accura- The newly equipped lab will be fully up and running
cy. ISTM is now in the process of bringing the labor- in the not too distant future. It is hoped that by locatatory up to date in partnership with the University
ing this facility in the Hospital, rather than at the UniHospitals of North Midlands (UHNM) with the very
versity, closer patients involvement in research studlatest motion capture system, force sensors and
ies will be possible, thus helping to ensure that our
muscle recording technology.
work is more easily translated into clinical practice.
Biomechanics is the study of the structure and function of the human musculo-skeletal system. We use
it to analyse the movement of people who have difficulty moving, whether it is standing up and walking,
or reaching out to pick up a cup of tea. This is a
common problem following nervous-system injuries
such as stroke and spinal cord injury, but also in
people who have had fractures, dislocations, or joint
replacements. Movement analysis allows us to find
out what is causing their difficulties, and design novel treatments that can help them overcome their limitations.
“
TRANSLATE
Movement analysis allows us
to find out what is causing
their difficulties, and design
novel treatments that can
help them overcome their limitations.
3
Dr Chadwick inspecting one of the new force sensors that will be
used to monitor how well people perform a range of everyday tasks