3D modelling of pGALS manoeuvres in children. Version 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Development of 3D computer modelling of paediatric Gait, Arms, Legs, Spine (pGALS) manoeuvres and description of reference data for children and young people without joint pathology
IRAS ID
185984
Contact name
Daniel P Hawley
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Childrens NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 2 days
Research summary
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) describes joint inflammation (arthritis) and is the commonest chronic rheumatology condition in childhood, characterised by relapsing and remitting flares. Recent work has shown early treatment leads to improved long-term outcomes. Currently, diagnosis of joint inflammation rests largely on clinician examination; paediatric Gait, Arms, Legs, Spine (pGALS) is a musculoskeletal screening examination which is widely practiced by clinicians, to determine presence or absence of active joint inflammation. Clinical findings may be subtle in the early course of inflammation flares therefore tools which aid detection of joint inflammation are desirable. Joint hypermobility is common in childhood and can be difficult to differentiate from arthritis. Although not previously studied in this context, we believe 3-dimensional movement analysis might be a useful tool to differentiate arthritis from hypermobility.
This study aims to develop computer models and protocols for 3-dimensional analysis of the movements associated with pGALS and collect normal data from 10 healthy volunteers (who will be recruited from healthy siblings of children attending rheumatology clinics). Three-dimensional movement analysis has been successfully used to aid clinical assessment in other settings including gait analysis in children with cerebral palsy. Upper limb movement analysis may be useful in detecting and differentiating altered movement during pGALS examination due to subtle joint changes resulting from arthritis or hypermobility – an application in which it has not previously been studied.
We will recruit 10 healthy volunteers between 8-16 years. These individuals will each undertake a 2-hour session at the Sheffield gait laboratory during which they will have standard body and limb markers placed, and will copy demonstrated movements associated with pGALS examination. This will be recorded and computer models will subsequently allow detailed analysis of 3-dimensional movement data, which will constitute normal data for use in future work.
REC name
South Central - Hampshire A Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/SC/0119
Date of REC Opinion
24 Feb 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion