Data underlying: Quantification of the development of trunk control in healthy infants using inertial measurement units

Trunk motor control is essential for the proper functioning of the upper extremities and is an important predictor of gait capacity in children with delayed development. Early diagnosis and intervention could increase the trunk motor capabilities in later life, but current tools used to assess the level of trunk motor control are largely subjective and many lack the sensitivity to accurately monitor development and the effects of therapy. Inertial measurement units could yield an objective quantitative assessment that is inexpensive and easy-to-implement. We performed an experiment with six young children, each wearing a trunk-attached sensor, to determine if the root mean square of jerk, a proxy for smoothness of movement, can distinguish age. Root mean square of jerk decreases with age, up to 24 months, and is correlated to a more established method, i.e., center-of-pressure velocity, as well as other standard inertial measurement unit outputs. This metric therefore shows potential as a method to differentiate trunk motor control levels.

躯干运动控制对于上肢正常功能的发挥至关重要，同时也是发育迟缓儿童步态能力的重要预测指标。早期诊断与干预可提升个体日后的躯干运动能力，但当前用于评估躯干运动控制水平的工具大多主观性较强，且多数缺乏足够灵敏度以精准监测发育进程与治疗效果。惯性测量单元（Inertial Measurement Unit，IMU）可提供一种低成本且易于实现的客观量化评估方案。我们针对6名幼儿开展了一项实验，每名受试者均佩戴附着于躯干的传感器，以探究作为运动平滑度替代表征的加加速度（jerk）均方根值是否可区分年龄差异。研究结果显示，在24月龄以内，加加速度的均方根值随年龄增长呈下降趋势，且与成熟评估手段（即足底压力中心速度）及其他标准惯性测量单元输出指标均存在相关性。因此，该指标展现出用于区分躯干运动控制水平的应用潜力。