Mechatronic Pole System for Monitoring the Correctness of Nordic Walking

Abstract

Marching with Nordic walking (NW) poles is a common form of physical activity. It is recommended in the treatment and rehabilitation of many diseases. NW’s wide range of applications in rehabilitation and its effectiveness are limited by the need for experienced physiotherapists to supervise patients during the training. A prerequisite for good rehabilitation results is correctly using the poles during walking. Essential parameters of NW include the angle of inclination of the pole, the force of the pole on the ground, and proper coordination of performed movements. The purpose of this paper is to present the design and operating principle of a mechatronic NW pole system for measuring and recording the gait parameters. The subject of the work was the assessment of the usefulness of the mechatronic NW pole system for phases identified during marching. The study was conducted in field conditions. The study’s main objective was to compare the obtained results from the developed system with those of a commercial system for measuring foot pressure distributions on the ground. The paper also presents sample results measuring walkers’ gait with NW poles in the field and the resulting gait phase analysis.

Comparative Analysis of Gait Kinematics in Older Adults: Free Walking vs. Nordic Walking with Classic and Mechatronic Poles

“…In addition, the pole also featured distance sensors, two optical and two ultrasonic, and one sensor of each type at the foot and handle. The conducted signal tests from the inertial, pressure, contact, and distance sensors confirmed sufficient accuracy for the study of gait biomechanics [20,21].…”

“…The design of the mechatronic poles has been described in our previous studies [20,21]. In short: the classic NW poles have two nine-axis inertial sensors (a three-axis gyroscope, an accelerometer, and a magnetometer).…”

“…The system is also equipped with a wireless communication module that sends the measured walking parameters to a mobile device (smartphone/tablet). A dedicated application is installed on the mobile device, enabling online/offline monitoring and analysis of the patient's NW gait by a trainer/physiotherapist [21]. However, before using mechatronic poles in the study of gait biomechanics, it is essential to investigate whether equipping classic NW poles with sensors would cause changes in the gait pattern.…”

Effects of nordic walking training on gait and exercise tolerance in male ischemic heart disease patients

“…The difference in mass between classic and mechatronic sticks was 100 g, without changing the position of the center of gravity. It was possible to adjust the length of the mechatronic stick, which was adapted to the participant's body height, so that in a standing position, the person holding the stick perpendicular to the ground had the elbow joint bent at an angle of 90 degrees and the forearm parallel to the ground 31 . www.nature.com/scientificreports/…”