Accelerometer based calf muscle pump activity monitoring

✍ Scribed by Karol J. O’Donovan; Derek T. O’Keeffe; Pierce A. Grace; Gerard M. Lyons

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2005
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 261 KB
• Volume: 27
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1350-4533
• DOI: 10.1016/j.medengphy.2005.02.002

✦ Synopsis

Long distance travel is associated with increased risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). There is an increased risk of travel related DVT in passengers with a predisposition to thrombosis. Assisting blood circulation in the lower limb will reduce the risk of DVT. Leg exercises are recommended as a DVT preventative measure while flying but this fails to account for a passenger who is distracted by in flight entertainment or who falls asleep for an extended period. A method for monitoring calf muscle pump activity using accelerometers has been developed and evaluated. The proposed technique could be used to alert the traveller that there is a need to exercise their calf muscle, thus reducing the risk of DVT.