Posture monitor for vibration exercise training

Falls and fall-related fractures are common in the elderly and lead to negative health outcomes. Muscle function and balance impairment are important risk factors for falls. Traditional exercise improves muscle mass and function as well as balance. However, older adults often do not exercise regularly because of physical and cognitive limitations or lack of adherence. Whole body vibration promises to be an exercise intervention that can overcome some of the limitations of traditional exercise. Yet to ensure safety, the head and brain must be protected from high amplitudes of acceleration while training. Maintaining a body position without fully extended joint angles in the lower extremity (ankle, knee, hip) leads to a greater degree of vibration absorption into the soft tissues of the lower extremity and lower spine, as well as smaller transfer to the upper spine and brain. When using vibration exercise devices, users can be unaware of their incorrect body position until they begin to experience negative side effects. This is likely to be even more pronounced in older adults with physical and cognitive impairments. In this work, a system is designed using accelerometers to monitor the acceleration of the user at different body locations and a Microsoft Kinect to record the joint angles of the user as they exercise. These devices provide the user with feedback, letting them know if they are in a safe range of acceleration. If not, the system will inform them how to alter their posture to decrease the transmission of acceleration. This information will help open the door to vibration exercise for the geriatric population by aiding them to exercise safely.