Development of an electrogoniometer wrist platform to remove measurement error

Details

• Personal Author:
  Hughes R ; Spielholz PO
• Description:
  Electrogoniometers represent one of the few feasible methods of measuring wrist motion on a person while he or she is moving and performing work. However, there have been questions as to the accuracy of angle readings due to crosstalk introduced by forearm rotation. A forearm rotation correction procedure was previously developed that resulted in reducing mean flexion/extension error from 7.06 degrees to 4.79 degrees and radial/ulnar deviation error from 10.56 degrees to 4.73 degrees. However, correcting for forearm rotation necessitates the use of an electrotorsiometer in conjunction with the electrogoniometer. A wrist platform was developed for the electrogoniometer, which may remove significant forearm rotation crosstalk from wrist angle channels. A wrist-cuff was made from thermoplast splinting material with an angled platform attached to the superior surface. The distal end of the electrogoniometer was taped to the top of the hand, while the proximal end was taped to the platform. In theory, the wrist platform would then allow the electrogoniometer to rotate with the hand instead of becoming twisted, as happens during standard application. A jig was also developed for calibrating actual wrist and forearm rotation angles to those measured by the goniometers. In a pilot study using a limited range of motion, the wrist platform was compared with a standard application. Results showed that forearm rotation was removed as a significant factor for flexion/extension. Forearm rotation remained a significant factor for ulnar/radial deviation measurement, but removed only 0.25 degrees of additional error. Mean error using the platform was 2.39 degrees for flexion/extension and 2.38 degrees for radial/ulnar deviation. These results show that this easily made device may have useful application in the measurement of wrist motions in laboratory studies or tasks with limited ranges of motion such as key-boarding. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Biomechanical Phenomena Electricity Ergonomics Musculoskeletal System Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Analytical-instruments Arm-injuries Biomechanics Body-regions Electrical-measurement Electrical-measurement-devices Extremities Humans Measurement-equipment Motion-studies Physiological-measurements Task-performance

  More +
• Publisher:
  American Industrial Hygiene Association
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Georgia ; OSHA Region 10 ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 4 ; Washington ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSR - Division of Safety Research
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  14
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20043685
• Citation:
  American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 9-15, 1998, Atlanta, Georgia. Fairfax, VA: American Industrial Hygiene Association, 1998 May; :14
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1998
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 9-15, 1998, Atlanta, Georgia
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:3615b77e3c3fc26ac621180d72f68bb99e14926578f4086175d14b4bb79261c8d2962f87924988a79d99db5e8a5ad147c00876b0a9fe29c9b7cd7328e2cd0104
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/195519/cdc_195519_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 653.28 KB ]