الفهرس 
cover englishOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 159 |  |  |
| | | from | 159 | | |
Abstract
Background: Laser therapy shows potential effectiveness for treating tendinopathy. Tendinopathy may cause significant limitation in Joint Range-Of-Motion (ROM) which is an integral part of human movement. In order for an individual to move efficiently and with minimal effort, full ROM across the joints is imperative. In addition, appropriate ROM allows the joints to adapt more easily to stresses imposed on the body, as well as decreasing the potential for injury. Currently, clinicians use all or any of numerous assessment instruments to measure and monitor ROM: a universal goniometer, an inclinometer or a tape measure. However, such tools appear to have major drawbacks in measuring ROM. computer vision-based motion tracking can provide an inexpensive, non-obtrusive solution for range of joint motion measurement. This research outlines the problem of measuring human joints movements using a computer vision system that supports the physiotherapist as a tool for determining the effectiveness of low level laser therapy (LLLT) in different musculoskeletal disorders such as tendinopathy. Purpose: is to provide a computer vision-based system that overcomes the problem of measuring human joint movements and supports the physiatrist in determining the effectiveness of laser therapy to different musculoskeletal disorders such as tendinopathy. SUbjects: thirty patients diagnosed with tendinopathy (male and female) were selected. They were divided into two groups each of 15 patients; group 1 was the Achilles tendinopathy group and group 2 was the lateral epicondylar tendinopathy group. Both groups received laser treatment. All measurements were taken at baseline, after 4 weeks of treatment and at follow-up 4 weeks after the end of treatment. Results: As noted the standard error of the mean of the differences between the computer vision system and both electronic and virtual goniometers respectively were (0.286715186, 0.019715186) while the confidence intervals of the mean of the differences respectively were (0.3169 to 0.2565, 0.03378 to 0.005651). There was a significant difference in ankle dorsi flexion, ankle plantar flexion, elbow extension, wrist flex ion, wrist extension, and ulnar deviation ROM pre and post treatment for all the three methods, where p value < 0.05, While in elbow flexion there wasn’t a significant difference in ROM pre and post treatment for the three methods, where p value> 0.05. Regarding radial deviation the electronic goniometer measurements showed a significant difference in ROM pre and post treatment, where p value was 0.04, while both virtual goniometer and computer vision system didn’t show significant difference as the p value was 0.06. In addition, There was a significant difference in ankle dorsi flexion, ankle plantar flexion, elbow flexion, elbow extension, wrist flex ion, wrist extension, radial deviation and ulnar deviation ROM pre treatment and at follow up for all the three methods, where p value < 0.05. Conclusion: This system showed reasonable reliability and accuracy in measurement of the joint movements before, after treatment, and at follow up of patients having tendinopathy. A significant improvement in ROM was found at follow up four weeks after laser therapy.