Motion Tape Strain During Trunk Muscle Engagement in Young, Healthy Participants

Background: Motion Tape (MT) is a low-profile, disposable, self-adhesive wearable sensor that measures skin strain. Preliminary studies have validated MT for measuring lower back movement. However, further analysis is needed to determine if MT can be used to measure lower back muscle engagement. The...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Spencer Spiegel, Elijah Wyckoff, Jay Barolo, Audrey Lee, Emilia Farcas, Job Godino, Kevin Patrick, Kenneth J. Loh, Sara P. Gombatto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-10-01
Series:Sensors
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/21/6933
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850062441112666112
author Spencer Spiegel
Elijah Wyckoff
Jay Barolo
Audrey Lee
Emilia Farcas
Job Godino
Kevin Patrick
Kenneth J. Loh
Sara P. Gombatto
author_facet Spencer Spiegel
Elijah Wyckoff
Jay Barolo
Audrey Lee
Emilia Farcas
Job Godino
Kevin Patrick
Kenneth J. Loh
Sara P. Gombatto
author_sort Spencer Spiegel
collection DOAJ
description Background: Motion Tape (MT) is a low-profile, disposable, self-adhesive wearable sensor that measures skin strain. Preliminary studies have validated MT for measuring lower back movement. However, further analysis is needed to determine if MT can be used to measure lower back muscle engagement. The purpose of this study was to measure differences in MT strain between conditions in which the lower back muscles were relaxed versus maximally activated. Methods: Ten participants without low back pain were tested. A matrix of six MTs was placed on the lower back, and strain data were captured under a series of conditions. The first condition was a baseline trial, in which participants lay prone and the muscles of the lower back were relaxed. The subsequent trials were maximum voluntary isometric contractions (MVICs), in which participants did not move, but resisted the examiner force in extension or rotational directions to maximally engage their lower back muscles. The mean MT strain was calculated for each condition. A repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to analyze the effects of conditions (baseline, extension, right rotation, and left rotation) and MT position (1–6) on the MT strain. Post hoc analyses were conducted for significant effects from the overall analysis. Results: The results of the ANOVA revealed a significant main effect of condition (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and a significant interaction effect of sensor and condition (<i>p</i> = 0.01). There were significant differences in MT strain between the baseline condition and the extension and rotation MVIC conditions, respectively, for sensors 4, 5, and 6 (<i>p</i> = 0.01–0.04). The largest differences in MT strain were observed between baseline and rotation conditions for sensors 4, 5, and 6. Conclusions: MT can capture maximal lower back muscle engagement while the trunk remains in a stationary position. Lower sensors are better able to capture muscle engagement than upper sensors. Furthermore, MT captured muscle engagement during rotation conditions better than during extension.
format Article
id doaj-art-4e5a3f5ecde64cdab882467aa19c08b3
institution DOAJ
issn 1424-8220
language English
publishDate 2024-10-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Sensors
spelling doaj-art-4e5a3f5ecde64cdab882467aa19c08b32025-08-20T02:49:55ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202024-10-012421693310.3390/s24216933Motion Tape Strain During Trunk Muscle Engagement in Young, Healthy ParticipantsSpencer Spiegel0Elijah Wyckoff1Jay Barolo2Audrey Lee3Emilia Farcas4Job Godino5Kevin Patrick6Kenneth J. Loh7Sara P. Gombatto8Department of Mathematics and Statistics, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USADepartment of Structural Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USASchool of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USADepartment of Bioengineering, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USAQualcomm Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USAQualcomm Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USAQualcomm Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USADepartment of Structural Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USASchool of Physical Therapy, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USABackground: Motion Tape (MT) is a low-profile, disposable, self-adhesive wearable sensor that measures skin strain. Preliminary studies have validated MT for measuring lower back movement. However, further analysis is needed to determine if MT can be used to measure lower back muscle engagement. The purpose of this study was to measure differences in MT strain between conditions in which the lower back muscles were relaxed versus maximally activated. Methods: Ten participants without low back pain were tested. A matrix of six MTs was placed on the lower back, and strain data were captured under a series of conditions. The first condition was a baseline trial, in which participants lay prone and the muscles of the lower back were relaxed. The subsequent trials were maximum voluntary isometric contractions (MVICs), in which participants did not move, but resisted the examiner force in extension or rotational directions to maximally engage their lower back muscles. The mean MT strain was calculated for each condition. A repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to analyze the effects of conditions (baseline, extension, right rotation, and left rotation) and MT position (1–6) on the MT strain. Post hoc analyses were conducted for significant effects from the overall analysis. Results: The results of the ANOVA revealed a significant main effect of condition (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and a significant interaction effect of sensor and condition (<i>p</i> = 0.01). There were significant differences in MT strain between the baseline condition and the extension and rotation MVIC conditions, respectively, for sensors 4, 5, and 6 (<i>p</i> = 0.01–0.04). The largest differences in MT strain were observed between baseline and rotation conditions for sensors 4, 5, and 6. Conclusions: MT can capture maximal lower back muscle engagement while the trunk remains in a stationary position. Lower sensors are better able to capture muscle engagement than upper sensors. Furthermore, MT captured muscle engagement during rotation conditions better than during extension.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/21/6933sensorwearablebody-worn sensorsnanocompositetextilelow back
spellingShingle Spencer Spiegel
Elijah Wyckoff
Jay Barolo
Audrey Lee
Emilia Farcas
Job Godino
Kevin Patrick
Kenneth J. Loh
Sara P. Gombatto
Motion Tape Strain During Trunk Muscle Engagement in Young, Healthy Participants
Sensors
sensor
wearable
body-worn sensors
nanocomposite
textile
low back
title Motion Tape Strain During Trunk Muscle Engagement in Young, Healthy Participants
title_full Motion Tape Strain During Trunk Muscle Engagement in Young, Healthy Participants
title_fullStr Motion Tape Strain During Trunk Muscle Engagement in Young, Healthy Participants
title_full_unstemmed Motion Tape Strain During Trunk Muscle Engagement in Young, Healthy Participants
title_short Motion Tape Strain During Trunk Muscle Engagement in Young, Healthy Participants
title_sort motion tape strain during trunk muscle engagement in young healthy participants
topic sensor
wearable
body-worn sensors
nanocomposite
textile
low back
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/21/6933
work_keys_str_mv AT spencerspiegel motiontapestrainduringtrunkmuscleengagementinyounghealthyparticipants
AT elijahwyckoff motiontapestrainduringtrunkmuscleengagementinyounghealthyparticipants
AT jaybarolo motiontapestrainduringtrunkmuscleengagementinyounghealthyparticipants
AT audreylee motiontapestrainduringtrunkmuscleengagementinyounghealthyparticipants
AT emiliafarcas motiontapestrainduringtrunkmuscleengagementinyounghealthyparticipants
AT jobgodino motiontapestrainduringtrunkmuscleengagementinyounghealthyparticipants
AT kevinpatrick motiontapestrainduringtrunkmuscleengagementinyounghealthyparticipants
AT kennethjloh motiontapestrainduringtrunkmuscleengagementinyounghealthyparticipants
AT sarapgombatto motiontapestrainduringtrunkmuscleengagementinyounghealthyparticipants