DESIGN OF A NEW SYSTEM FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF HEAD MOTION.

A simple method is presented here for the measurement of the range of the head motion for patients with neck injuries. Although the complete motion of the cervical spine is a complex process, a simple model involving three angular measurements was chosen as adequate for comparisons with normal ranges of motion. The designed system involves the use of a hemispherical shell mounted with the help of a frame over the head of the patient. Two light sources are mounted on the patient's head and the readings are taken from circular scales marked on the outer shell surface. The proposed method is simple, relatively inexpensive and can be used in a clinical setting. Moreover, readings for all three primary motions can be obtained for any given position of the head.