Analyzing the human body joints range of movement: The use of bendsensors

This study aimed to describe the use of bendsensors to analyze the human body joints range of movement (ROM). To achieve this goal, we used a system integrating an electronic platform and bendsensors, which is able to capture frontal and sagittal planes movements. A program written in the Processing 1.2.1 language was developed to allow information conversion obtained by the electrical bendsensor resistance variation in degrees, which are shown in a computer screen. After installing the program, we defined the size and position of each bendsensor to capture the hand, knee and ankle ROM. The results indicated that the proposed sensor could be useful to analyze hand ROM, but it is limited by its format to analyze knee and ankle ROM in the frontal and sagittal planes. Other limitations of the system bendsensor/electronic platform are: the need of a wire connection from the bendsensor to the electronic platform and from the platform to a computer; the small number of the developed electronic platform analogical inputs; the impossibility to evaluate movements in the transverse plane (i. e. rotation); the difficulty to evaluate complex movements, which involve more than one plane. Another limitation is the necessity to validate these sensors to improve the confidence of the ROM evaluation by them.