Thesis (MEng) -- Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Dorsiflexometer is a device designed and built for the assessment of a
patient’s balance capabilities. The birth of the Dorsiflexometer is due to a
serious need for physiological balance assessment equipment, capable of conducting
dynamic tests in the clinical setting. This is accomplished by recording
and analysing the patient’s response to sagittal plane perturbations. The Dorsiflexometer
is operated from a computer software interface program. It uses
the measurements from a single force plate to calculate four balance metrics’
characterising a patient’s ability to maintain balance. These balance metrics
include the sway index, equilibrium score, postural stability index and radius
parameter.
A single and a double inverted pendulum model of the human body is derived
to calculate a patient’s centre of mass movement in the sagittal plane
with the measured force plate data and body parameters. Three experiments,
involving 48 subjects, were conducted. The experimental tests proved the
competency of the machine, the accuracy of both inverted pendulum models
and the balance response of seafarers aboard an Antarctic research and supply
vessel during rough sea conditions.
The tests concluded that the inverted pendulum models can be used to calculate
the body centre of mass displacement. The double inverted pendulum
model results are more accurate compared with the single inverted pendulum
model. During rough sea conditions, the body movement and postural
response of seafarers are increased in order to keep themselves upright. The
body is furthermore exposed to a fluctuating ground reaction force which may
lead to the progression of osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal injuries. The Dorsiflexometer
proved to be capable of conducting repeatable assessments and yielding accurate results which can be used to distinguish between balance
capabilities. / AFRIKKANSE OPSOMMING: Die Dorsiflexometer is ’n apparaat wat die balansvermoë van pasiënte analiseer.
Die masjien is ontwerp en vervaardig weens die groot behoefte aan
fisiologiese balans assesserings toerusting wat dinamiese toetse in die mediese
sektor kan bepaal. Dit word bereik deur pasiënte se liggaamsreaksie in die
sagittale vlak te meet en te assesseer.
Die Dorsiflexometer is beheerbaar vanaf ’n rekenaar sagteware koppelvlak
program. Die masjien maak gebruik van ’n enkele kragplaat om pasiënte se
balans statistieke te meet. Hierdie balans statistieke wat die pasiënte se balans
vermoë beskryf en karakteriseer behels die sogenaamde: swaai indeks, balans
telling, posturale stabiliteit indeks en die radius parameter.
’n Enkel en dubbel inverse slinger model van die liggaam is afgelei. Hierdie
modelle maak gebruik van ’n pasiënt se kragplaat metings en sy liggaamlike
parameters om die swaartepunt tydens beweging te bereken.
Drie eksperimente, waarin 48 persone betrokke was, is gedoen. Die eksperimente
is gedoen om die apparaat se bevoegdheid te bewys, die akkuraatheid
van altwee inverse slinger modelle te toets en verder die balans van seevaarders
op die Antarktiese navorsings en toevoer skip tydens rowwe see toestande
te analiseer. Die toetse het bewys dat die inverse modelle gebruik kan word
om die liggaam se swaartepunt te bereken. Die dubbel inverse slinger model
resultate is wel akkurater as die enkel slinger model. Daar is bevind dat seevaarders
van meer liggaamsbeweging en posturale reaksies gebruik moet maak om orent te bly tydens rowwe seetoestande. Verder word hul liggame blootgestel
aan ’n wisselende grond reaksie krag wat kan lei tot die ontwikkeling van
osteoarthritis en muskuloskeletale beserings.
Die Dorsiflexometer is bewys as ’n aparaat wat wat akurate resultate lewer
vir herhaalbare assesserings. Dit kan gebruik word om te onderskei tussen verskillende balans vermoëns.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/96000 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Gildenhuys, Fourie |
| Contributors | Dobson, R. T., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xviii, 112 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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