A new research and education facility housing a gait laboratory at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden opened in september. The laboratory uses the latest 3D optical motion tracking system from Qualisys.
“We will continue to run the clinic and carry out research and development at the hospital just as we have done for the last 20 years,” says Roy Tranberg, Certified Prosthetist/ Orthotist at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, “we have chosen to invest in new equipment from Qualisys, which will help us to grow to be bigger and better within clinical gait analysis.”
The new gait laboratory will help more patients to receive the help they need whilst ensuring the quality of care is maintained for those who have already been treated for different gait disorders. At the hospital, patients with different conditions are examined using gait analysis,which influences the treatment of patients with walking difficulties and their overall quality of life.
Patients referred for gait analysis have symptoms such as cerebral palsy, diabetes, hip arthrosis, Achilles tendon ruptures or have suffered strokes. All patients have gait-related difficulties and might need advanced surgery, botulinum toxin injection, orthosis or physiotherapy in order to alleviate gait difficulties in hip, knee or ankle joints.
“We carry out a far deeper analysis which gives more information than a regular medical visit which in turn enables us to make a more accurate assessment of upcoming treatments and/or interventions.” continued Tranberg, “It is not only beneficial for the patients, but sometimes for the family too.”
When using Qualisys technology, the patient’s movement patterns are captured by attaching reflective markers to the skin and tracking their motion using 16 Oqus cameras, which is then recreated in a 3D rendering of the body. Force plates that are built into the floor measure ground reaction forces simultaneously with the motion and provide calculations of forces within the body as the patient is walking.
“Not even clinically trained eyes can note the rapid movement that occurs between the joint segments when a person takes a step. They can see tendencies, but it’s impossible, even for skilled medical doctors, to see, in detail, how a knee joint is stressed in one footstep. Thanks to the technology, we can see fifteen times faster than the eye thus giving patients a more accurate and complete assessment”, says Roy Tranberg.
Roy Tranberg has over twenty years of experience in motion research using Qualisys technology. He is a member of the clinic, investigating patients daily and conducting research in the field of motion, together with leg physiotherapist, Roland Zügner. The new gait laboratory is taking medical care and orthopedics to new heights.
Qualisys is a leading provider of motion capture technology and has a long history of supplying research, engineering and sports facilities with high-end camera systems and expertise in capturing and analyzing movements. Qualisys offers a wide range of products and services and has offices in Gothenburg, Chicago and Shanghai.
Qualisys is certified according to ISO 9001:2015 and compliant with Medical Device Directive 93/42/EEC, which demonstrates our commitment to provide highest possible quality products and services to our customers. The certifications reflect our ongoing investment in technology, process and people.