| Description |
Partial weight bearing promotes bone formation during fracture rehabilitation and can result in a faster recovery period. However, prescribed partial weight bearing load levels are often exceeded, which can lead to disjunction. On the other hand, persistent under loading can delay healing. The effects of real-time feedback on a subject's ability to partially weight bear within a target load range is investigated in this experiment. Ten healthy subjects recruited from the University of Utah were trained to partially weight bear 25% of their body weight on one leg. The subjects were shown how to perform 3-point gait on crutches and allowed time to become accustomed with walking on crutches. Subjects were instructed to partially weight bear within a target range of 20-30% of their body weight. Five subjects (Group 1) walked 50 steps without feedback, followed by 50 steps with real-time feedback. The other five subjects (Group 2) walked 50 steps with feedback, followed by 50 steps without feedback. In both groups, the subjects' ability to partially weight bear improved when receiving real-time feedback. The average maximum loads with and without feedback were 24.87 2.9 lbs. and 30.03 11.5 lbs., respectively. The number of steps within the target load range of 20-30% were counted for each subject. A one-way ANOVA performed on the number of acceptable steps (within 20-30% body weight) of the four test conditions (Group 1/Group 2 and Feedback/No feedback) found the F-ratio = 4.54 and F-crit(3,16) = 2.46, resulting in the rejection of the null hypothesis that all four population means were equal. A paired t-test performed on Group 1, pairing the number of acceptable steps without feedback with the number of acceptable steps with feedback, showed a significant statistical difference between the steps with and without feedback (P=0.0165). This indicates feedback significantly affected the subject's ability to partially weight bear within the target load range. A paired t-test was also performed on Group 2; the test showed no significant statistical difference (P=0.0958). This indicates learning occurred during the 50 steps when feedback was present, improving the subject's ability to weight bear without feedback for the next 50 steps. Future work include utilizing the experimental data to power a larger study. Also, many methods of providing real-time feedback to patients are possible and the efficacy of each should be explored. For this study, visual representation of the current load was used as the method of providing feedback. However, other forms of feedback may lead to better patient outcomes and compliance. |
