Dispositivo para avaliação postural em ambiente tridimensional

Abstract

The human posture can be defined as the balance between bone and muscle structures of the human body, through which it is possible to diagnose and treat various pathologies, so that science is in search of quantitative and precise methods for its analysis. A correct upright posture is considered a good health marker, making evaluation essential for a favorable therapeutic prognosis. As a result, it is necessary to develop new tools for postural evaluation with less mathematical and methodological errors to obtain accurate and reliable results for the clinic and research. The objective of this research is to present a new tool for postural evaluation, based on an electromechanical arm that allows measuring points in the three dimensional universe. The prototype was developed and improved in order to reduce errors at the time of data collection, for which a Hall effect sensor was used. The program allows to evaluate 24 relations between the points, in addition to the vertebral column analyzing the distance in millimeters and the angle in degrees between an anatomical accident and another in the anterior views, lateral right, posterior and left lateral. The initial tests were performed on the X and Y axes in an angular model, drawn at 10-degree angles and obtained low variability in their measurements, emphasizing the high accuracy of the prototype measuring system. Thus, it was possible to develop a new method of postural evaluation with low cost, high accuracy in its results for use in clinical practice, research and later insertion in the single health system.