Shoulder motion assessment on clinics. Measure the 3D scapular and humeral positions using an electromagnetic tracking device

摘要

In clinical practice, the shoulder is often conceptualized as a functional ball-and-socket joint, during arm movements. Motion between humerus and scapular, at the scapulohumeral joint, is often interpreted as angular changes between humerus and trunk, on anatomical planes. This approach is inadequate for an accurate and unambiguous description of arm movements because doesn't include scapular and/or clavicular contribution; and because functional arm movements are not confined to anatomical planes. Scapular motion recording is hard to using surface markers due to broad flat shape of the bone and the significant subcutaneous motion. Thus, a palpation method is described in combination with a six-degree-of-freedom electromagnetic tracking device for recording the 3D motion of the thorax, scapula and humerus, based on recommendations of the International Shoulder Group (Wu et al., 2005). Some derived clinical shoulder postural and functional assessment parameters are discussed as also their possible applications on clinics.