A newer approach for quantitative assessment of patellar tendon reflex response using biomechanical data of foot movement by a digital method

Summary Background Assessment of deep tendon reflexes such as patellar tendon reflex (PTR) is the vital diagnostic procedure executed routinely by clinicians which can provide valuable information about the reflex arc. Despite common acceptance, the reflex rating scales remain subjective and qualitative, creating an opportunity for the development of objective measures to improve the reliability and efficacy of these clinical tools. Material and methods The proposed study presents with reflex quantification system for knee jerk response using electrogoniometer and accelerometer. These sensors are capable of detecting dynamic changes occurring in the movement of an object and they can convert biomechanical information of movement into digital signals. The proposed system utilizes this technology to assess knee jerk response and provide quantitative data on various aspects of the knee jerk. Results The dynamic action of the leg during knee jerk response created movement patterns which were captured by the utilization of the data acquisition system. Based on the reflex response of the leg, the frequency of analog signals from biomechanical sensors as well as the amplitude of the graph was changed. Components of knee jerk response such as Reflex Movement latency (RL), Jerk time (JT), Total reflex response time (TRT) and Reflex amplitude was recorded from the data obtained. Conclusion This study presents the method of patellar tendon reflex response measuring system based on computational data acquisition system using wearable sensors. This methodology can be used as a additional tool in clinical assessment of deep tendon reflexes. The main advantages of the proposed system are its portability, user-friendly and non-invasive nature.