Quantitative Behavioral Assessment & Rehabilitation Core Capabilities

Study participant walk on treadmill, supervised by two researchers

The Quantitative Behavioral Assessment and Rehabilitation (QBAR) Core builds on four established laboratories within the College of Health Professions that provide state-of-the-art measurements of behavioral function (e.g., 3-D kinematics, kinetics, and electromyography) and rehabilitation interventions (locomotor, constraint-induced movement, and intensive task-oriented upper extremity training) in persons with hemiparesis post-stroke.

Core Resources

Upper Extremity Rehabilitation Lab

The mission of this MUSC and VA supported lab is to generate and implement innovative, scientifically-based rehabilitation interventions to improve recovery of upper extremity (UE) motor function after neurological injury/disease. The lab features a one of a kind Virtual Environment, an interactive computer game called Duck Duck Punch, to retrain post-stroke UE movement. The system was designed, developed, and licensed by a uniquely collaborative interprofessional research team with expertise in stroke rehabilitation and computer science.

Upper Extremity Motor Assessment Lab

Using state of the art equipment, MUSC and VA investigators utilize the UE motor assessment lab to quantify an individual’s UE movement patterns (kinematics), muscle activity (electromyography), and postural control (forceplate bench) while performing functional activities. These data are combined with assessments of “real world” UE use such as rating scale assessments of function and/or wrist-worn activity monitors in order to inform rehabilitation programs uniquely tailored to individuals’ specific impairments and goals.

Locomotor Energetics & Assessment Laboratory

Cutting-edge instrumentation in this laboratory includes: 12-camera motion capture system (PhaseSpace, Inc.); instrumented split belt treadmill (Bertec, Inc.) with incline; custom-made system for balance perturbation during treadmill walking (Aretech); 16 channel EMG system; safety harness for treadmill walking; metabolic cart (Quark CPET, Cosmed) with integrated 12-lead ECG (Quark C12x, Cosmed) for measurement of physiologic performance; and a variety of other specialized instrumented measurement equipment.

Locomotor Rehabilitation Laboratory

This laboratory houses a ZeroG mobile body weight support system (the 6th one installed nationally) designed to create a permissive environment for retraining walking ability over a treadmill (customized Woodway split-belt treadmill with integrated therapist seating) as well as over level ground, with environmental obstacles, up a set of steps, or even on exercise equipment such as a Precor elliptical trainer. Additional equipment include a Shuttle System lower extremity exercise machine for training cardiovascular endurance as well as lower extremity strength and power; step activity monitors; accelerometric, gyroscopic, and inertial sensor systems; and a Gaitrite Platinum instrumented walkway for spatiotemporal measurements with an M2 system for spatiotemporal measurement of mobility tasks other than straight line walking. Assessments during rehabilitation also are made possible with an 8-camera active marker based motion capture system (PhaseSpace, Inc.) and 16 channel EMG system (Delsys, Inc.).

Motor Performance Laboratory

This laboratory is equipped with a diagnostic ultrasound machine (GE Logiq i), Biodex Pro System 4 isokinetic dynamometer to assess muscular performance, 8-channel EMG system (Motion Lab Systems), multi-gym, and various other exercise equipment (3 bikes, 2 treadmills, a safety support system to prevent falls, elliptical trainer, and jump trainer).

If you're interested in the capabilities of the Quantitative Behavioral Assessment and Rehabilitation Core for stroke recovery research, you may also be interested in learning more about how its capabilities can be applied to to the study of rehabilitation at the National Center of Neuromodulation for Rehabilitation website.