Comparison of segmental spinal movement control in adolescents with and without idiopathic scoliosis using modified pressure biofeedback unit

Deficits of Sensory Integration and Balance as Well as Scoliotic Changes in Young Schoolgirls

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between sensory integration and balance deficits as well as scoliotic changes in young schoolgirls. The study comprised 54 girls aged 11 years with scoliotic changes. The Clinical Test of Sensory Integration and Balance of the Biodex Balance System platform were used to analyze the deficits in sensory integration and balance. Scoliotic changes were assessed using the Diers Formetric III 4D optoelectronic method. In the present study, there was a significant relationship between sensory integration and balance deficits as well as spine curvature angle (°) (p = 0.01), vertebral surface rotation (°) (p = 0.03), pelvic tilt (°) (p = 0.02), and lateral deviation (mm) (p = 0.04). The integration of the sensory systems has a positive effect on the structure of the intended and controlled movement as well as body posture and the development of the spine. In the treatment of scoliotic changes, one should also consider exercises that improve sensory integration as well as position and balance reactions.

Efficacy of Using Retro Games in Multimodal Biofeedback System for Mental Relaxation

Video games are used to increase the engagement of biofeedback systems. For cost-effectiveness, the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) games can be used. Therefore, a multimodal biofeedback system was developed to leverage the NES games for biofeedback. This study aims to test the efficacy of the developed system, the motivation of participants, and the usability of the system. A within-group design study was conducted with 16 participants followed through four interventions: deep breathing, stress-test, non-biofeedback game (control), and biofeedback game (experiment), where their HRV was recorded. Participants showed significantly different HRV during interventions (F(1.60, 23.93) = 11.94, p < 0.001) and reported higher HRV when using biofeedback game than the non-biofeedback game (t(15) = 9.14, p < 0.0001). The motivation was reported to be the same with biofeedback and non-biofeedback version of the game and the overall system was reported as usable. The results of this study support the efficacy of using original NES games in biofeedback for mental relaxation.

MATLAB based Realtime Data Acquisition Tool for Multimodal Biofeedback and Arduino based Instruments

AfDaq is an open-source, plug and play, MATLAB based tool that offers the capabilities of multi-channel real-time data acquisition, visualization, manipulation, and local saving of data for offline analysis. The MATLAB Arduino package suffers from serious timing jitter during real-time data acquisition. This timing jitter associated with four main commands (Analog Read, Digital Read, Digital Write and PWM Set) available in MATLAB Arduino package is statistically analyzed and a simple post-hoc timing jitter correction mechanism is proposed to acquire data points with high timing accuracy. The benchmark of the final program is conducted at various sampling rates for multichannel acquisition with 10 Hz comes as the maximum sampling rate for 5 channel recording. In the end, a use case of the developed tool for physiological data acquisition in multimodal biofeedback is presented. The software tool, data, and analysis scripts that support the findings of this study are released as an open-source project to support the replicability and reproducibility of the research.

The Effect of an Innovative Biofeedback SKOL-AS® Treatment on the Body Posture and Trunk Rotation in Children with Idiopathic Scoliosis—Preliminary Study

Background and Objectives: The deformity in idiopathic scoliosis (IS) is three dimensional and effective correction involves all three planes. Recently, the biofeedback method has been implemented in the treatment of scoliosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an innovative biofeedback SKOL-AS^® postural training among children with scoliosis. Materials and Methods: The target population for this study was 28 patients (25 girls and 3 boys) aged between 5 and 16 years old diagnosed and treated with progressing low-grade scoliosis. The postural diagnosis consisted of anthropometric measurements, posterior–anterior X-ray imaging, SpinalMeter^® postural assessment and the angle of trunk rotation (ATR) assessment. The SKOL-AS^® treatment comprised of 24 sessions conducted in lying and sitting positions, two times a week. Results: It has been shown that the postural training resulted in the decrease in the ATR value (pre- vs. post-exercise in younger: 5.55 vs. 3.0 and older patients: 5.2 vs. 3.0). The increase in height of the subjects seemed to confirm a positive effect of SKOL-AS^® elongation treatment. In the posterior view, a statistically significant decrease in shoulder asymmetry in the sitting position in younger children has been observed. In the anterior view, the changes in the head position (based on mouth and eye symmetry) have been observed. The statistically significant increase in acromion–heel, acromion–iliac crest and posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS)–heel length values has been shown in younger children on the left side of the body. After treatment, older subjects had higher acromion–iliac crest and PSIS–heel values on the left side of the body. On the right side only PSIS–heel length was higher. In a sitting position, only a small increase in acromion–iliac crest length value has been observed. Conclusions: The SKOL-AS^® biofeedback method could teach good postural habits and teach patients the auto-correction of the spine.