Accelerometry-Based Berg Balance Scale Score Estimation

Abstract

The objective of the study was to investigate the validity of 3-D-accelerometry-based Berg balance scale (BBS) score estimation. In particular, acceleration patterns of BBS tasks and gait were the targets of analysis. Accelerations of the lower back were measured during execution of the BBS test and corridor walking for 54 subjects, consisting of neurological patients, older adults, and healthy young persons. The BBS score was estimated from one to three BBS tasks and from gait-related data, separately, through assessment of the similarity of acceleration patterns between subjects. The work also validated both approaches' ability to classify subjects into high- and low-fall-risk groups. The gait-based method yielded the best BBS score estimates and the most accurate BBS-task-based estimates were produced with the stand to sit, reaching, and picking object tasks. The proposed gait-based method can identify subjects with high or low risk of falling with an accuracy of 77.8% and 96.6%, respectively, and the BBS-task based method with corresponding accuracy of 89.5% and 62.1%.

Novel sensing technology in fall risk assessment in older adults: a systematic review

“…Inertial sensors were used in 17 investigations. Of those 17, 11 utilized a sensor placed on the lower back area for quantifying center of mass movement [ 10 , 22 , 24 , 26 , 31 , 33 , 34 , 36 – 39 ]. Six studies utilized sensors placed bilaterally on lower limb (foot/shoe/shank/ankle) for recording spatial/temporal gait parameters [ 10 , 21 , 23 , 33 , 35 , 40 ], and 3 used a body sensor network (>3 sensors on various anatomical landmarks: head, shoulder, wrist, elbow, knee, pelvis, ankle/shank) for quantifying limb and trunk kinematics [ 10 , 33 , 35 ].…”

“…Given inertial sensor’s unique benefit in unconstrained range of measurement, steady state walking (over ground/treadmill) was used as the primary assessment activity for 12 studies [ 10 , 23 , 24 , 26 , 28 , 31 , 33 – 36 , 38 , 40 ], while the Timed Up and Go (TUG) ( n = 4) [ 21 , 37 – 39 ], five time sit to stand(5STS) ( n = 2) [ 25 , 37 ], standing balance ( n = 1) [ 22 ] and alternate step test (AST) (n = 1) [ 37 ] were also used in the assessment procedure.…”

“…For fall risk assessment involving other dynamic tests (alternate step test, forward reaching, Stand-to-Sit, Sit-to-Stand transition, dynamic balance game, and choice reaction stepping), outcome measures included the duration of movement [ 25 , 27 , 37 ],velocity of movement [ 29 ], acceleration amplitude [ 25 , 31 ], jerk amplitude [ 37 ], energy-related measures [ 37 ], and frequency-domain measures [ 25 , 37 ], reaction time [ 27 ], error rate [ 27 ] and specific performance scores [ 20 , 27 ].…”

Analyzing the Use of Accelerometers as a Method of Early Diagnosis of Alterations in Balance in Elderly People: A Systematic Review

“…The quality of the included papers was rated according to the following scale: low (score < 33.3%), medium (33.4–66.7%), and high (score > 66.8%) [48]. Of the articles, 1 was deemed to be of low quality [49], 14 of medium quality [50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63], and 2 of high quality [64,65]. The results from this assessment are detailed in Appendix A, Table A1, Table A2 and Table A3.…”

Predicting Functional Independence Measure Scores During Rehabilitation With Wearable Inertial Sensors

“…Similarly, Wang et al [16] mapped accelerometer data from upper arm movements to the FMA for shoulder-elbow. Finally, Simila et al [17] analyzed lower-back accelerometer data to estimate Berg balance scale scores for identifying subjects with high or low risk of falling.…”