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Assessment of finger range of motion (ROM) is often required for monitoring the effectiveness of rehabilitative treatments and for evaluating patients' functional impairment. There are several devices which are used to measure this motion, such as wire tracing, tracing onto paper and mechanical and electronic goniometry. These devices are quite cheap, excluding electronic goniometry; however the drawbacks of these devices are their lack of accuracy and the time- consuming nature of the measurement process. The work described in this thesis considers the design, implementation and validation of a new medical measurement system utilized in the evaluation of the range of motion of the human finger joints instead of the current measurement tools. The proposed system is a non-contact measurement device based on computer vision technology and has many advantages over the existing measurement devices. In terms of accuracy, better results are achieved by this system, it can be operated by semi-skilled person, and is time saving for the evaluator. The computer vision system in this study consists of CCD cameras to capture the images, a frame-grabber to change the analogue signal from the cameras to digital signals which can be manipulated by a computer, Ultra Violet light (UV) to illuminate the measurement space, software to process the images and perform the required computation, a darkened enclosure to accommodate the cameras and UV light and to shield the working area from any undesirable ambient light. Two calibration techniques were used to calibrate the cameras, Direct Linear Transformation and Tsai. A calibration piece that suits this application was designed and manufactured. A steel hand model was used to measure the fingers joint angles. The average error from measuring the finger angles using this system was around 1 degree compared with 5 degrees for the existing used techniques.

Bei einer altersgerechten Arbeitsgestaltung mittels digitaler Menschmodelle (DMM) sind die altersbedingten Veränderungen der menschlichen Leistungsfähigkeit zu berücksichtigen. Altersbedingte Veränderungen wie bspw. der Beweglichkeit sind aktuell nur rudimentär bei der virtuellen Arbeitsprozessgestaltung abbildbar. Deshalb wird im Beitrag ein Konzept zur Integration von Altersfaktoren in DMM vorgestellt. Dem User-Centered-Design Prozess folgend, werden die einzelnen Schritte zur Integration von Altersfaktoren am Beispiel der Beweglichkeit dargestellt. Dazu werden die erhobenen Nutzeranforderungen und die Darstellung der nutzerorientierten Konfiguration der Altersfaktoren im DMM dargestellt. Im Ergebnis wird gezeigt, wie altersbedingte Veränderungen der menschlichen Leistungsfähigkeit in DMM nutzer-orientiert eingebunden werden können. Dem Nutzer soll damit perspektivisch eine effektive und effiziente altersgerechte Gestaltung in DMM mittels akkurater, relevanter Daten sowie geeigneter Unterstützung ermöglicht werden.

The purposes of this study were (1) to determine if three selected aerobic dance related conditions would result in chronic alterations of flexibility of college women and (2) to compare flexibility measures of college age females during a semester of aerobic dance instruction. Subjects were sixty-three college women enrolled in aerobic dance, bowling, and archery classes. Eight flexibility measures were obtained during the third and eleventh weeks of the experimental period. Data were analyzed by a factor analysis the Pearson Product Moment Correlation, and eight oneway analyses of covariance. Conclusions of the investigation were (1) a program of aerobic dance alone is not sufficient to promote flexibility, and (2) supplemental flexibility activities of ten minutes duration used with aerobic dance training are beneficial in increasing hip flexion.

Advancements in computational capabilities have allowed researchers to turn towards modeling as an efficient tool to replicate and predict outcomes of complex systems. Computational models of the musculoskeletal system have gone through various iterations with early versions employing dramatic simplifications. In this work, a three-dimensional computational model of the wrist joint was developed. It accurately recreated the skeletal structures of the hand and wrist and represented the constraints imposed by soft tissue structures like ligaments, tendons, and other surrounding tissues. It was developed to function as a tool to investigate the biomechanical contributions of structures and the kinematic response of the wrist joint. The model was created with the use of a commercially available computer-aided design software employing the rigid body modeling methodology. It was validated against three different cadaveric experimental studies which investigated changes in biomechanical response following radioscapholunate fusion and proximal row carpectomy procedures. The kinematic simulations performed by the model demonstrated quantitatively accurate responses for the range of motions for both surgical procedures. It also provided some understanding to the trends in carpal bone contact force changes observed in surgically altered specimens. The model provided additional insight into the importance of structures like the triangular fibrocartilage and the capsular retinacular structures, both of which are currently not very well understood. As better understanding of components of the wrist joint is achieved, this model could function as an important tool in preoperative planning and generating individualized treatment regiments.

Musculoskeletal computational modeling is a versatile and effective tool which may be used to study joint mechanics, examine muscle and ligament function, and simulate surgical reconstructive procedures. While injury to the elbow joint can be significantly debilitating, questions still remain regarding its normal, pathologic, and repaired behavior. Biomechanical models of the elbow have been developed, but all have assumed fixed joint axes of rotation and ignored the effects of ligaments. Therefore, the objective of this thesis was to develop and validate a computational model of the elbow joint whereby joint kinematics are dictated by three-dimensional bony geometry contact, ligamentous constraints, and muscle loading.Accurate three-dimensional bone geometry was generated by acquiring CT scans, segmenting the images to isolate skeletal features, and fitting surfaces to the segmented data. Ligaments were modeled as tension-only linear springs, and muscle were represented as force vectors with discrete attachment points. Bone contact was modeled by a routine which applied a normal force at points of penetration, with a force magnitude being a function of penetration depth. A rigid body dynamics simulator was used to predict the model's behavior under particular external loading conditions.The computational model was validated by simulating past experimental investigations and comparing results. Passive flexion-extension range of motion predicted by the model correlated exceptionally well with reported values. Bony and ligamentous structures responsible for enforcing motion limits also agreed with past observations. The model's varus stability as a function of elbow flexion and coronoid process resection was also investigated. The trends predicted by the model matched those of the associated cadaver study.This thesis successfully developed an accurate musculoskeletal computational model of the elbow joint complex. While the model may now be used in a predictive manner, further refinements may expand its applicability. These include accounting for the interference between soft tissue and bone, and representing the dynamic behavior of muscles.

A avaliação da flexibilidade dos músculos da cadeia posterior é uma abordagem comum na prática clínica. O teste do terceiro dedo ao solo (DS) é frequentemente utilizado por ser de fácil aplicação e por ter se mostrado confiável e reprodutivo. O resultado do teste é a distância entre o terceiro dedo da mão e o solo e reflete a amplitude máxima permitida por esta cadeia muscular. Porém, o movimento para a execução do teste desloca para frente e para baixo grande parte da massa corporal exigindo respostas posturais para se evitar um risco de queda à frente. Foi levantada a hipótese de que o resultado desse teste possa variar de acordo com a demanda de equilíbrio do teste e a habilidade do indivíduo em realizar tais ajustes de equilíbrio. Objetivo: Verificar a influência do equilíbrio postural na flexibilidade mensurada pelo teste DS avaliada através de três paradigmas com os seguintes objetivos específicos: 1) verificar se a minimização da demanda de equilíbrio postural influencia o resultado do teste; 2) verificar se condições de aclive ou declive, que alteram as demandas de equilíbrio, influenciam no resultado do teste DS e; 3) verificar se é possível, através de uma rápida abordagem, orientar o indivíduo a executar uma estratégia de equilíbrio que melhore seu desempenho no teste DS. Métodos: 20 voluntários adultos jovens (6 homens e 14 mulheres) foram avaliados sobre uma plataforma de força em postura bípede quieta e em 6 testes DS em diferentes condições de demandas de equilíbrio na seguinte ordem: 1) Teste padrão (TP); 2) teste com suporte de equilíbrio (TS); 3) re-teste da condição padrão (re-teste); 4) teste em aclive (TAc); 5) teste em declive (TDc) 6) teste com orientações prévias de equilíbrio (TOr). Em cada um destes testes além da medida a distância entre o 3o dedo ao solo, foi calculada a posição média do Centro de Pressão (CP) através dos dados da plataforma de força e os ângulos articulares do tornozelo, joelho, quadril, lombar e tronco através de imagens digitais do voluntário em perfil. O ângulo de flexão total com a somatória dos ângulos também foi calculado. No paradigma 1 as variáveis foram comparadas entre condições TP, TS e re-teste. No paradigma 2 foram comparadas as condições TP, TAc e TDc. No paradigma 3 foram comparadas as condições TP e TOr. Os paradigmas 1 e 2 utilizaram a ANOVA para medidas repetidas com nível de significância p < 0,05 e teste post-hoc t de Student com correção de Bonferroni. Adicionalmente, no paradigma 1 foi realizado o teste de correlação de Pearson entre o resultado do teste DS e o CP. No paradigma 3 foi utilizado o teste T de Student com nível de significância p < 0,05. Resultados: O paradigma 1 mostrou melhora de 73% no resultado do teste DS, deslocamento anterior do CP, além de maior flexão de tornozelo e tronco na condição TS em relação ao TP. O ângulo de flexão total foi 30º maior na condição TS. O re-teste mostrou sinais de aprendizagem com resultados intermediários entre o TP e o TS. O CP correlacionou-se negativamente com o resultado do teste DS. O paradigma 2 mostrou grande melhora no resultado do teste DS em TAc em comparação a TDc e TP com maior flexão de tornozelo e maior flexão na soma das articulações. O paradigma 3 mostrou melhora de 62% no resultado do teste DS com deslocamento anterior do CP e maior flexão de tornozelo, lombar, tronco e soma dos ângulos em TOr em comparação com TP. Conclusão: O teste DS mostrou grande influência do equilíbrio postural. Condições com menor demanda de equilíbrio apresentaram resultados melhores que a condição com maior demanda. Na condição padrão de teste, o resultado foi melhor nas estratégias em que o CP é deslocado à frente. A instrução para que os indivíduos adotassem esta estratégia de equilíbrio levou a melhores resultados / Flexibility evaluation is a standard assessment in clinical and in sports settings. The Toe-touch test (TTT) is a common assessment tool to evaluate posterior muscular chain flexibility. It is a simple, reliable and reproductive test. But the test procedure implies a balance demand as it requires a great amount of body mass to be forward displaced. It was then hypothesized that the balance demand during the TTT and the subject\'s ability to deal with it may affect the flexibility measured by the test. Objective: The main objective was to verify the influence of postural balance on the flexibility measured by the TTT by means of three experimental paradigms with the following specific purposes: 1) to verify whether the minimization of the balance demand during the test may improve test results; 2) to verify whether the test outcome might be influenced by ground inclination (toes up or toes down); and 3) To verify if it is possible to briefly guide the subject to perform a better balance strategy to deal with the balance demand of the test. Methods: 20 young adults (6 men and 14 women) volunteered to participate. They were evaluated over a force platform during quiet stance and during 6 trials of the TTT under the following balance conditions: 1) Standard balance condition TTT (ST); 2) TTT with a balance support device (SupT); 3) ST re-test; 4) TTT over an inclined surface with toes up (TUT); 5) TTT over an inclined surface with toes down (TDT); 6) TTT with balance instructions (InsT). For each test it was calculated the mean position of the Center of Pressure (CP), the ankle, knee, hip, lumbar and trunk angles, as well as the sum of all these angles and the TTT outcome, i.e., the distance from the third finger to the ground. In the first experimental paradigm these variables were compared between tests ST, SupT and re-test. In the second paradigm the comparisons were performed between tests ST, TUT and TDT. And, finally, tests ST and InsT were compared in the third paradigm. In paradigms 1 and 2 the repeated measure ANOVA was performed with significance level of p < 0.05 and T student tests with Bonferroni correction as post-hoc tests. Additionally, the Pearson correlation test was used to calculate the correlation between CP and the tests outcomes. For the third paradigm it was used the T student test with significance level p < 0.05. Results: The first paradigm showed an average improvement of 73% in the test outcome associated by a forward CP displacement and greater ankle and trunk flexion in SupT compared to ST. The SupT also showed a greater flexion of 30? in the sum of angles. Re-test of ST showed learning effects with intermediary results between ST and SupT. Additionally, it was found a negative correlation between CP position and test outcome, the forward the CP, the better the test result. The second paradigm showed a great test improvement in TUT with greater flexion in ankle and in the summed angles compared to TDT and ST. And paradigm 3 showed an improvement of 62% in test outcome associated with forward CP displacement and greater ankle, lumbar, trunk and summed angles in InsT compared to ST. Conclusions: The TTT is highly influenced by balance. Test outcome was improved under less demanding conditions than those with more demanding condition. In the standard balance condition, test outcome was better when the balance strategy involved the forward displacement of the CP. The instruction to the subject to adopt that balance strategy lead to better test outcome

INTRODUÇÃO: Estudos com mulheres na faixa dos 50 anos justificam-se porque nesta etapa da vida os declínios fisiológicos são bastante evidentes e relacionados ao climatério e período pós-menopausa. Apesar de viverem mais do que os homens, adoecem mais frequentemente e registram índices mais baixos de saúde percebida do que eles. Melhoras funcionais foram evidenciadas com exercícios na água, todavia são raros os estudos que utilizam a caminhada em imersão como método exclusivo ou principal recurso de intervenção para promoção de saúde. OBJETIVO: Avaliar os efeitos de um programa de 12 meses de caminhada em imersão em mulheres quinquagenárias saudáveis. MÉTODOS: Participaram 59 mulheres em grupos de 10 a 12 participantes que configuraram um único grupo caracterizando-se como um estudo quase-experimental. A intervenção foi realizada 2 vezes por semana em sessões de 30 minutos, por um ano, em piscina aquecida em aproximadamente 310. O programa foi dividido em 4 etapas de 3 meses cada, com evolução crescente na dificuldade dos exercícios. Foram realizadas 5 avaliações: inicial (t0), após 3 meses (t1), 6 meses (t2), 9 meses (t3) e no final do programa - 12 meses (t4). Para a avaliação subjetiva sobre o estado de saúde, mobilidade e humor, foi utilizada uma escala mista de zero a dez. Um breve relato sobre os principais efeitos do programa, com base em questão aberta, também foi analisado. Para a avaliação da força isométrica dos músculos flexores e extensores do quadril e do tornozelo utilizou-se um dinamômetro portátil e para a avaliação da flexibilidade foi utilizado o teste de sentar e alcançar. Para avaliação do equilíbrio foram utilizados os testes de apoio unipodal com olhos abertos (TAU-OA) e fechados (TAU-OF) e o teste \"timed up and go\" (TUG). RESULTADOS: Os resultados observados entre a avaliação inicial e final (t0-t4) do programa mostraram que houve melhora de 16,13% na percepção de saúde (p < 0,001), de 22,15% na mobilidade (p < 0,001) e de 9,69% no humor (p=0,003). Na análise de conteúdo, 49,4% das falas relacionaram-se com a melhora da saúde; 22,9% com a autoestima e satisfação e 19,3% foram relacionadas à capacidade física. A força dos extensores do quadril melhorou 27,67% (p < 0,001), dos flexores do quadril 48,81% (p < 0,001), dos flexores plantares 32,59% (p < 0,001) e dos dorsiflexores 40,75% (p < 0,001). A melhora observada na flexibilidade foi de 54,55% (p < 0,001). O equilíbrio estático avaliado pelo TAU-OA melhorou 35,51% e pelo TAU-OF 261,96% ambos com p < 0,001. Houve melhora de 31,78% no equilíbrio dinâmico (p < 0,001); O equilíbrio, tanto estático como dinâmico e a flexibilidade tiveram melhora em todas as etapas. CONCLUSÃO: O estudo mostrou que esta forma de atividade, realizada em grupos com programa de longa duração, porém de fácil replicação, em 4 etapas progressivas melhorou o estado de saúde, a mobilidade e o estado de humor; a força dos músculos do quadril e do tornozelo, a flexibilidade, bem como o equilíbrio estático e dinâmico das mulheres participantes. Com isto ressaltamos a relevância de políticas públicas que favoreçam e incentivem a prática dos exercícios físicos prazerosos visando um envelhecimento natural e com autonomia funcional / INTRODUCTION: Studies with 50 year-old women are justified because in this stage of life physiological declines are quite evident and related to climacteric and postmenopausal period. Although women live longer than men they fall sick more often and register lower perceived health indices than men do. Functional improvements were observed with immersion exercises, however, studies that use immersion walk as the only method or main intervention resource to promote health are rare. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of a 12-month immersion walk program in healthy 50 year-old women. METHOD: 59 women participated in groups of 10 to 12 participants which constituted a unique group thus characterized as a quasi-experimental study. The intervention was conducted twice a week, in 30 minute-sessions, for a year, in a pool heated at approximately 31ºC. The program was divided into 4 phases of 3 months each, with increasing evolution in exercise difficulty. 5 evaluations were carried out: initially (t0), after 3 months (t1), 6 months (t2), 9 months (t3) and at the end of the program, 12 months (t4). For the subjective assessment of the health status, mobility and mood, a mixed scale from zero to ten was used. A brief report of the main effects of the program, based on an open question, was also analysed. To evaluate the isometric strength of the flexion and extension muscles of the hip and ankle, a portable dynamometer was used and to evaluate flexibility the sit and reach test was used. To evaluate balance the one-legged stance-open eyes (OLS-OE), the one-legged stance-closed eyes (OLS-CE), and the timed up and go (TUG) tests were used. RESULTS: The results observed between the initial and final evaluation of the program (t0-t4) showed 16.13% improvement in the perception of health (p < 0,001), 22.15% in mobility (p < 0,001) and 9.69% in mood (p= 0,003). In the content analysis, 49.4% of speeches were related to health improvement; 22.9% to self-esteem and satisfaction and 19.3% were related to physical capacity. The strength of hip extensors improved 27.67% (p < 0,001), hip flexors 48.81% (p < 0,001), plantar flexors 32.59% (p < 0,001), and dorsiflexors 40.75% (p < 0,001). Improvement observed in flexibility was 54.55% (p < 0,001). Static balance assessed by OLS-OE improved 35.51% and by OLS-CE 261.96%, both with (p < 0,001). There was a 31.78% improvement in dynamic balance (p < 0,001). Both static and dynamic balance as well as flexibility improved in all phases. CONCLUSION: The study showed that this form of activity, developed in groups with a long-term program, but easily replicated, in 4 progressive stages has improved health status, mobility and mood; hip and ankle muscle strength flexibility, as well as static and dynamic balance of participating women. Thus, we emphasize the relevance of public policies that favour and encourage the practice of pleasurable physical exercises, aiming at a natural aging process with functional autonomy