Reachable workspace in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) by kinect

INTRODUCTION: A depth-ranging sensor (Kinect) based upper extremity motion analysis system was applied to determine the spectrum of reachable workspace encountered in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). METHODS: Reachable workspaces were obtained from 22 individuals with FSHD and 24 age- and height-matched healthy controls. To allow comparison, total and quadrant reachable workspace relative surface areas (RSAs) were obtained by normalizing the acquired reachable workspace by each individual's arm length. RESULTS: Significantly contracted reachable workspace and reduced RSAs were noted for the FSHD cohort compared with controls (0.473 ± 0.188 vs. 0.747 ± 0.082; P < 0.0001). With worsening upper extremity function as categorized by the FSHD evaluation subscale II + III, the upper quadrant RSAs decreased progressively, while the lower quadrant RSAs were relatively preserved. There were no side-to-side differences in reachable workspace based on hand-dominance. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the feasibility and potential of using an innovative Kinect-based reachable workspace outcome measure in FSHD.