Construct Validity of a Wearable Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) in Measuring Postural Sway and the Effect of Visual Deprivation in Healthy Older Adults
Inertial Motor sensors (IMUs) are valid instruments for measuring postural sway but their ability to detect changes derived from visual deprivation in healthy older adults requires further investigations. We examined the validity and relationship of IMU sensor-derived postural sway measures compared...
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MDPI AG
2024-11-01
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| author | Luca Ferrari Gianluca Bochicchio Alberto Bottari Alessandra Scarton Francesco Lucertini Silvia Pogliaghi |
| author_facet | Luca Ferrari Gianluca Bochicchio Alberto Bottari Alessandra Scarton Francesco Lucertini Silvia Pogliaghi |
| author_sort | Luca Ferrari |
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| description | Inertial Motor sensors (IMUs) are valid instruments for measuring postural sway but their ability to detect changes derived from visual deprivation in healthy older adults requires further investigations. We examined the validity and relationship of IMU sensor-derived postural sway measures compared to force plates for different eye conditions in healthy older adults (32 females, 33 males). We compared the relationship of the center of mass and center of pressure (CoM and CoP)-derived total length, root means square (RMS) distance, mean velocity, and 95% confidence interval ellipse area (95% CI ellipse area). In addition, we examined the relationship of the IMU sensor in discriminating between open- (EO) and closed-eye (EC) conditions compared to the force plate. A significant effect of the instruments and eye conditions was found for almost all the variables. Overall, EO and EC variables within (force plate r, from 0.38 to 0.78; IMU sensor r, from 0.36 to 0.69) as well as between (r from 0.50 to 0.88) instruments were moderately to strongly correlated. The EC:EO ratios of RMS distance and 95% CI ellipse area were not different between instruments, while there were significant differences between total length (<i>p</i> = 0.973) and mean velocity (<i>p</i> = 0.703). The ratios’ correlation coefficients between instruments ranged from moderate (r = 0.65) to strong (r = 0.87). The IMU sensor offers an affordable, valid alternative to a force plate for objective, postural sway assessment. |
| format | Article |
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| issn | 2079-6374 |
| language | English |
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| series | Biosensors |
| spelling | doaj-art-642a2afa542247d9af5e660eb134e63f2025-08-20T01:53:44ZengMDPI AGBiosensors2079-63742024-11-01141152910.3390/bios14110529Construct Validity of a Wearable Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) in Measuring Postural Sway and the Effect of Visual Deprivation in Healthy Older AdultsLuca Ferrari0Gianluca Bochicchio1Alberto Bottari2Alessandra Scarton3Francesco Lucertini4Silvia Pogliaghi5Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37131 Verona, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37131 Verona, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37131 Verona, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37131 Verona, ItalyDepartment of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino, 61029 Urbino, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37131 Verona, ItalyInertial Motor sensors (IMUs) are valid instruments for measuring postural sway but their ability to detect changes derived from visual deprivation in healthy older adults requires further investigations. We examined the validity and relationship of IMU sensor-derived postural sway measures compared to force plates for different eye conditions in healthy older adults (32 females, 33 males). We compared the relationship of the center of mass and center of pressure (CoM and CoP)-derived total length, root means square (RMS) distance, mean velocity, and 95% confidence interval ellipse area (95% CI ellipse area). In addition, we examined the relationship of the IMU sensor in discriminating between open- (EO) and closed-eye (EC) conditions compared to the force plate. A significant effect of the instruments and eye conditions was found for almost all the variables. Overall, EO and EC variables within (force plate r, from 0.38 to 0.78; IMU sensor r, from 0.36 to 0.69) as well as between (r from 0.50 to 0.88) instruments were moderately to strongly correlated. The EC:EO ratios of RMS distance and 95% CI ellipse area were not different between instruments, while there were significant differences between total length (<i>p</i> = 0.973) and mean velocity (<i>p</i> = 0.703). The ratios’ correlation coefficients between instruments ranged from moderate (r = 0.65) to strong (r = 0.87). The IMU sensor offers an affordable, valid alternative to a force plate for objective, postural sway assessment.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6374/14/11/529agingpostural controlbalanceinertial sensorsrisk of falls |
| spellingShingle | Luca Ferrari Gianluca Bochicchio Alberto Bottari Alessandra Scarton Francesco Lucertini Silvia Pogliaghi Construct Validity of a Wearable Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) in Measuring Postural Sway and the Effect of Visual Deprivation in Healthy Older Adults Biosensors aging postural control balance inertial sensors risk of falls |
| title | Construct Validity of a Wearable Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) in Measuring Postural Sway and the Effect of Visual Deprivation in Healthy Older Adults |
| title_full | Construct Validity of a Wearable Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) in Measuring Postural Sway and the Effect of Visual Deprivation in Healthy Older Adults |
| title_fullStr | Construct Validity of a Wearable Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) in Measuring Postural Sway and the Effect of Visual Deprivation in Healthy Older Adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | Construct Validity of a Wearable Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) in Measuring Postural Sway and the Effect of Visual Deprivation in Healthy Older Adults |
| title_short | Construct Validity of a Wearable Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) in Measuring Postural Sway and the Effect of Visual Deprivation in Healthy Older Adults |
| title_sort | construct validity of a wearable inertial measurement unit imu in measuring postural sway and the effect of visual deprivation in healthy older adults |
| topic | aging postural control balance inertial sensors risk of falls |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6374/14/11/529 |
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