Application of Wearable Sensors Technology for Lumbar Spine Kinematic Measurements during Daily Activities following Microdiscectomy Due to Severe Sciatica
Athanasios Triantafyllou,
Georgios Papagiannis,
Sophia Stasi,
Daphne Bakalidou,
Maria Kyriakidou,
George Papathanasiou,
Elias C. Papadopoulos,
Panayiotis J. Papagelopoulos,
Panayiotis Koulouvaris
Affiliations
Athanasios Triantafyllou
Orthopaedic Research and Education Center “P.N.Soukakos”, Biomechanics and Gait Analysis Laboratory “Sylvia Ioannou”, “Attikon” University Hospital, 1st Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
Georgios Papagiannis
Orthopaedic Research and Education Center “P.N.Soukakos”, Biomechanics and Gait Analysis Laboratory “Sylvia Ioannou”, “Attikon” University Hospital, 1st Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
Sophia Stasi
Laboratory of Neuromuscular and Cardiovascular Study of Motion, Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Egaleo, Greece
Daphne Bakalidou
Laboratory of Neuromuscular and Cardiovascular Study of Motion, Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Egaleo, Greece
Maria Kyriakidou
Physiotherapy Department, University of the Peloponnese, 23100 Sparta, Greece
George Papathanasiou
Laboratory of Neuromuscular and Cardiovascular Study of Motion, Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Egaleo, Greece
Elias C. Papadopoulos
Orthopaedic Research and Education Center “P.N.Soukakos”, Biomechanics and Gait Analysis Laboratory “Sylvia Ioannou”, “Attikon” University Hospital, 1st Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
Panayiotis J. Papagelopoulos
Orthopaedic Research and Education Center “P.N.Soukakos”, Biomechanics and Gait Analysis Laboratory “Sylvia Ioannou”, “Attikon” University Hospital, 1st Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
Panayiotis Koulouvaris
Orthopaedic Research and Education Center “P.N.Soukakos”, Biomechanics and Gait Analysis Laboratory “Sylvia Ioannou”, “Attikon” University Hospital, 1st Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
Background: The recurrence rate of lumbar spine microdiscectomies (rLSMs) is estimated to be 5–15%. Lumbar spine flexion (LSF) of more than 10° is mentioned as the most harmful load to the intervertebral disc that could lead to recurrence during the first six postoperative weeks. The purpose of this study is to quantify LSFs, following LSM, at the period of six weeks postoperatively. Methods: LSFs were recorded during the daily activities of 69 subjects for 24 h twice per week, using Inertial Measurement Units (IMU). Results: The mean number of more than 10 degrees of LSFs per hour were: 41.3/h during the 1st postoperative week (P.W.) (29.9% healthy subjects-H.S.), 2nd P.W. 60.1/h (43.5% H.S.), 3rd P.W. 74.2/h (53.7% H.S.), 4th P.W. 82.9/h (60% H.S.), 5th P.W. 97.3/h (70.4% H.S.) and 6th P.W. 105.5/h (76.4% H.S.). Conclusions: LSFs constitute important risk factors for rLDH. Our study records the lumbar spine kinematic pattern of such patients for the first time during their daily activities. Patients’ data report less sagittal plane movements than healthy subjects. In vitro studies should be carried out, replicating our results to identify if such a kinematic pattern could cause rLDH. Furthermore, IMU biofeedback capabilities could protect patients from such harmful movements.
