scholarly journals Assessing the Validity and Reliability of A Low-Cost Microcontroller-Based Load Cell Amplifier for Measuring Lower Limb and Upper Limb Muscular Force

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (17) ◽  
pp. 4999
Author(s):  
Julie Gaudet ◽  
Grant Handrigan

Lower and upper limb maximum muscular force development is an important indicator of physical capacity. Manual muscle testing, load cell coupled with a signal conditioner, and handheld dynamometry are three widely used techniques for measuring isometric muscle strength. Recently, there is a proliferation of low-cost tools that have potential to be used to measure muscle strength. This study examined both the criterion validity, inter-day reliability and intra-day reliability of a microcontroller-based load cell amplifier for quantifying muscle strength. To do so, a low-cost microcontroller-based load cell amplifier for measuring lower and upper limb maximal voluntary isometric muscular force was compared to a commercial grade signal conditioner and to a handheld dynamometer. The results showed that the microcontroller-based load cell amplifier correlated nearly perfectly (Pearson's R-values between 0.947 to 0.992) with the commercial signal conditioner and the handheld dynamometer, and showed good to excellent association when calculating ICC scores, with values of 0.9582 [95% C.I.: 0.9297–0.9752] for inter-day reliability and of 0.9269 [95% C.I.: 0.8909–0.9533] for session one, intra-day reliability. Such results may have implications for how the evaluation of muscle strength measurement is conducted in the future, particularly for offering a commercial-like grade quality, low cost, portable and flexible option.

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yannely Serrano-Villar ◽  
Eliana-Isabel Rodríguez-Grande ◽  
María Solange Patiño Segura

Abstract Background: Manual Muscle Testing (MMT) is a useful tool to evaluate ventilatory mechanics in adults with asthma. However, in the reviewed literature, there are few studies that report psychometric features of this test. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate MMT reliability and validity in respiratory muscles in adults with asthma.Methods: It was a cross-sectional study. Muscle strength (MMT and static respiratory pressures), sociodemographic and anthropometric variables related to the disease were evaluated. Measurements were carried out by two independent evaluators The reliability of MMT was analyzed with the weighted kappa and the convergent validity was evaluated by comparing the MTT and the respiratory pressure measurements using Pearson's correlation coefficient. The level of significance was p <0.05. Results: Twenty-six adults with stable asthma participated in the study. The intrarater reliability for MMT was between moderate and substantial (kappa=0.45-0.88) for all evaluated muscles while the interrater reliability was slight and fair for intercostal muscles (kappa=0.07-0.24), and fair and substantial (kappa=0.36-0.75) for other muscles. The convergent validity of MMT and respiratory pressures was low (r=0.20-0.48).Conclusions: MMT is a reliable measurement that can be used to evaluate respiratory muscle strength in adults with asthma. This study support MMT application for respiratory muscles at clinical settings when more objective measures such as MIP and MEP are not available. Considering that the MMT is a useful, practical, low-cost tool commonly used by physiotherapists, future studies could evaluate the convergent validity compared with dynamometry or electromyography of the respiratory muscles.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-48
Author(s):  
Irwan Syahputra ◽  
Nurwijayanti Nurwijayanti

Background: Osteoarthritis is a disease of the joints that can cause disability and is progressive in the joints which cause changes in the water content, proteoglycin content, and collagen in the joints. One of the ways to improve functional ability in osteoarthritis cases is to use isotonic and isometric training exercise. Pain is a clinical symptom of knee osteoarthritis, limiting movement due to pain over time will cause rehabilitation problems such as impaired flexibility and stability, reduction of muscle mass (atrophy). Mild and moderate intensity quadriceps strength training is effective at achieving optimal muscle strength and function without causing significant muscle damage. Destination: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of isotonic and isometric exercises on muscle strength. Research methods: This study uses a pre-experimental research type using "One Group Pre - test and Post - Test". This research has carried out the first observation (pretest) so that researchers can test the changes that occur after the treatment, and the control group. Result: with the Wilcoxon signed rank test test the isometric and isotonic groups had p = 0.000 while the control group had a significance value of p = 1,000; and the 3 groups test has different values, namely: isotonic exercise has a value of 27.67; isometric; 28.60; and control 12.73. The conclusion that can be concluded that the value of isometric training has the highest value, namely 28.60 which means it is the most effective exercise to increase the value of Manual Muscle Testing. Conclusion: There is an effect of giving isometric and isotonic exercises in strengthening the quadriceps muscles.


Author(s):  
Jennifer A. Dunn ◽  
Sabrina Koch-Borner ◽  
M. Elise Johanson ◽  
Johanna Wangdell

Objectives: To reach agreement on standardized protocols for assessing upper limb strength and grip and pinch force for upper limb reconstructive surgery for tetraplegia. Methods: Selected members of an expert panel composed of international therapists formed at the 2018 International Congress for Upper Limb Surgery for Tetraplegia conducted a literature review of current practice that identified gaps and inconsistencies in measurement protocols and presented to workshop attendees. To resolve discrepancies, a set of questions was presented to workshop attendees who voted electronically. Consensus was set at 75% agreement. Results: For manual muscle testing, consensus was reached for using the Medical Research Council scale, without plus or minus, and the use of resistance through range when testing grade 4 and grade 5 strength. Pectoralis major and serratus anterior should be routinely tested, however there was no consensus on other shoulder muscles. Grip and pinch strength should be tested according to the American Society of Hand Therapists positioning. For grip strength, either the Jamar or Biometrics dynamometer expressed in kilograms should be used. For grip and pinch strength, three measurements should be performed at each testing. No consensus was reached on a device for pinch strength. Conclusion: This work is an important step to enable comparable data in the future. Further consensus methods will work toward developing more comprehensive guidelines in this population. Building international consensus for pre- and postoperative measures of function supports objective evaluation of novel therapies and interpretation of multicenter studies.


Rheumatology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Didem Saygin ◽  
Chester V Oddis ◽  
Siamak Moghadam-Kia ◽  
Bonny Rockette-Wagner ◽  
Nicole Neiman ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives Muscle weakness in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) is conventionally assessed using manual muscle testing (MMT). However, more objective tools must be developed to accurately and reliably quantify muscle strength in myositis patients. Hand-held dynamometry (HHD) is a quantitative, portable device with reported reliability in neuromuscular disorders. Our aim was to assess the reliability, validity and responsiveness of HHD in myositis. Methods Myositis patients [DM, necrotizing myopathy (NM), PM and anti-synthetase syndrome] evaluated at the University of Pittsburgh myositis centre were prospectively enrolled. Each patient was assessed at 0, 3 and 6 months for validated outcome measures of myositis disease activity and physical function. At each visit, muscle strength was assessed using both MMT and HHD (Micro FET2, Hoggan Health Industries, Draper, UT, USA). The reliability, validity and responsiveness of the HHD was assessed using standard statistical methods. Results Fifty IIM patients (60% female; mean age 51.6 years; 6 PM, 9 NM, 24 DM and 11 anti-synthetase syndrome) were enrolled. HHD showed strong test–retest intrarater reliability (r = 0.96) and interrater reliability (r = 0.98). HHD correlated significantly with the MMT score (r = 0.48, P = 0.0006) and myositis disease activity and functional measures. Longitudinal analysis showed a significant and strong association between the HHD and MMT as well as 2016 ACR/EULAR myositis response criteria (r = 0.8, P &lt; 0.0001) demonstrating responsiveness. The mean effect size and standardized response mean of HHD was large: 0.95 and 1.03, respectively. MMT had a high ceiling effect compared with HHD. Conclusion HHD demonstrated strong reliability, construct validity and responsiveness in myositis patients. External validation studies are required to confirm these findings.


Neurology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 93 (19) ◽  
pp. e1756-e1767 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurike Harlaar ◽  
Jean-Yves Hogrel ◽  
Barbara Perniconi ◽  
Michelle E. Kruijshaar ◽  
Dimitris Rizopoulos ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo determine the effects of 10 years of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in adult patients with Pompe disease, focusing on individual variability in treatment response.MethodsIn this prospective, multicenter cohort study, we studied 30 patients from the Netherlands and France who had started ERT during the only randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial with ERT in late-onset Pompe disease (NCT00158600) or its extension (NCT00455195) in 2005 to 2008. Main outcomes were walking ability (6-minute walk test [6MWT]), muscle strength (manual muscle testing using Medical Research Council [MRC] grading), and pulmonary function (forced vital capacity [FVC] in the upright and supine positions), assessed at 3- to 6-month intervals before and after the start of ERT. Data were analyzed with linear mixed-effects models for repeated measurements.ResultsMedian follow-up duration on ERT was 9.8 years (interquartile range [IQR] 8.3–10.2 years). At the group level, baseline 6MWT was 49% of predicted (IQR 41%–60%) and had deteriorated by 22.2 percentage points (pp) at the 10-year treatment point (p < 0.001). Baseline FVC upright was 54% of predicted (IQR 47%–68%) and decreased by 11 pp over 10 years (p < 0.001). Effects of ERT on MRC sum score and FVC supine were similar. At the individual level, 93% of patients had initial benefit of ERT. Depending on the outcome measured, 35% to 63% of patients had a secondary decline after ≈3 to 5 years. Still, at 10 years of ERT, 52% had equal or better 6MWT and/or FVC upright compared to baseline.ConclusionsThe majority of patients with Pompe disease benefit from long-term ERT, but many patients experience some secondary decline after ≈3 to 5 years. Individual variation, however, is considerable.Classification of evidenceThis study provides Class IV evidence that for the majority of adults with Pompe disease, long-term ERT positively affects, or slows deterioration in, muscle strength, walking ability, and/or pulmonary function.


2006 ◽  
Vol 87 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond C. Li ◽  
Jan M. Jasiewicz ◽  
James Middleton ◽  
Peter Condie ◽  
Andrew Barriskill ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 861-865 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hideyuki USA ◽  
Masashi MATSUMURA ◽  
Daisuke OGAWA ◽  
Masafumi HATA ◽  
Kazuna ICHIKAWA ◽  
...  

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