A Signal Processing Method for Assessing Ankle Torque with a Custom-Made Electronic Dynamometer in Participants Affected by Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
Iulia Iovanca Dragoi,
Teodor Petrita,
Florina Georgeta Popescu,
Florin Alexa,
Sorin Barac,
Frank L. Bowling,
Neil D. Reeves,
Cosmina Ioana Bondor,
Mihai Ionac
Affiliations
Iulia Iovanca Dragoi
Department of Vascular Surgery and Reconstructive Microsurgery, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Teodor Petrita
Department of Communications, Politehnica University Timisoara, 2 Vasile Parvan, 300223 Timisoara, Romania
Florina Georgeta Popescu
Discipline of Occupational Health, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Florin Alexa
Department of Communications, Politehnica University Timisoara, 2 Vasile Parvan, 300223 Timisoara, Romania
Sorin Barac
Department of Vascular Surgery and Reconstructive Microsurgery, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Frank L. Bowling
Department of Vascular Surgery and Reconstructive Microsurgery, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Neil D. Reeves
Research Centre for Musculoskeletal Science & Sports Medicine, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Oxford Rd., Manchester M1 5GD, UK
Cosmina Ioana Bondor
Department of Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu Hațieganu”, 8 Victor Babeș, 400000 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Mihai Ionac
Department of Vascular Surgery and Reconstructive Microsurgery, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Portable, custom-made electronic dynamometry for the foot and ankle is a promising assessment method that enables foot and ankle muscle function to be established in healthy participants and those affected by chronic conditions. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) can alter foot and ankle muscle function. This study assessed ankle toque in participants with diabetic peripheral neuropathy and healthy participants, with the aim of developing an algorithm for optimizing the precision of data processing and interpretation of the results and to define a reference frame for ankle torque measurement in both healthy participants and those affected by DPN. This paper discloses the software chain and the signal processing methods used for voltage—torque conversion, filtering, offset detection and the muscle effort type identification, which further allowed for a primary statistical report. The full description of the signal processing methods will make our research reproducible. The applied algorithm for signal processing is proposed as a reference frame for ankle torque assessment when using a custom-made electronic dynamometer. While evaluating multiple measurements, our algorithm permits for a more detailed parametrization of the ankle torque results in healthy participants and those affected by DPN.
