Measurement of the Wheelchair-Operating Time Spent by Stroke Patients Using a New Triaxial Accelerometer System

Yoshino Terui^1,2*, Takanobu Shioya¹, Koichi Hasegawa², Eriko Suto², Atsuyoshi Kawagoshi³, Masahiro Satake¹, Sachie Sawamura⁴, Shunichi Sakata⁵

¹Department of Physical Therapy, Akita University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Akita, Japan.
²Akita Prefectural Center for Rehabilitation and Psychiatric Medicine, Akita, Japan.
³Akita City General Hospital, Akita, Japan.
⁴Brain and Blood Vessels-Akita, Akita, Japan.
⁵Kumamoto Technology and Industry Foundations, Kumamoto, Japan.

DOI: 10.4236/ojtr.2014.24020                

Abstract

Purpose: We investigated the validity of a triaxial accelerometer system for measuring the time spent lying down, sitting, standing, walking, and operating a wheelchair by control subjects and stroke patients in a convalescence ward. Methods: Physical activities were measured using a new triaxial accelerometer system (A-MES; Activity Monitoring and Evaluation System) that consists of two sensors, a station, and analytical software used with a personal computer. In Experiment 1, the times that the healthy subjects (n = 12) spent operating a wheelchair, lying down, sitting, standing, and walking were measured both by the A-MES and by videotaping (video time). In Experiment 2, the amounts of time spent by the stroke patients not able to walk without support (n = 30) as they were lying down, sitting, standing, walking, and operating a wheelchair were measured by the A-MES. Results: The time spent operating a wheelchair measured with the A-MES was significantly correlated with the video time in the healthy subjects. The stroke patients’ average times (minutes) of total, operating a wheelchair, lying down, sitting, standing, and walking were 601.0 ± 18.1, 57.1 ± 28.8, 265.0 ± 86.3, 263.3 ± 60.6, 7.8 ± 7.0, and 7.7 ± 6.0, respectively. Conclusions: The A-MES accurately evaluated the stroke patients’ time spent operating a wheelchair. The stroke patients’ mean time spent operating a wheelchair over the course of one day was 57.1 ± 28.8 min in a Center for Rehabilitation.

Keywords

Stroke, Wheelchairs, Physical Activity

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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