Kitasato University | Dr. Watanabe

■ Features of the Rehabilitation Department

At Kitasato University’s School of Allied Health Sciences, the Rehabilitation Department specializes in physical therapy. Students major in this field with the goal of obtaining a physical therapist license in the future.

■ Challenges Before Implementing SPLYZA Motion

When conducting three-dimensional motion analysis, the traditional marker-based method required a large number of personnel to obtain full-body stick figures. Additionally, the preparation for filming was labor-intensive. As a result, frequent data collection was difficult, and it was challenging to gather sufficient data.

■ Reasons for Implementing SPLYZA Motion

The biggest reason for adopting SPLYZA Motion was that it could address the challenge of "ease of use" that we faced with traditional methods.

SPLYZA Motion allows motion analysis with just a single device and a video recording, significantly reducing preparation time. The simplicity of data analysis is also a major advantage in an educational setting, as students can deepen their understanding by working with real motion data.

Beyond reducing workload, we saw it as an essential tool that could expand the scope of both education and research, which led to our decision to implement it.

■ How Is SPLYZA Motion Being Utilized?

We are using it for both university classes and research.

In Classes:
It is utilized in lectures and practical training. For example, we record patients’ gait movements and single-leg balance tests, then analyze the data by quantifying changes in joint angles based on the videos. Previously, we relied solely on visual observation, which was subjective. However, by using SPLYZA Motion, we can now accurately understand movements through numerical data. Students incorporate this data into their reports, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of movement changes.

In Research:
We mainly use it to analyze baseball pitching motions and soccer kicking motions, conducting investigations into the causes of muscle strains. We are also accumulating data related to conditions like baseball elbow and lower back pain in soccer players, aiming to improve injury prevention and treatment methods.

Additionally, we utilize it in studies targeting elementary school students, collecting around 100 cases annually to investigate the relationship between elbow pain and pitching motion.


Note: Post-implementation pitching motion / Pre- and post-surgical maximum gait analysis

■ Results After Implementation

The key outcomes can be summarized in three main areas:
"Reduced Workload, Enhanced Learning Effectiveness, and Improved Research Efficiency."

1. Reduced Workload:
Unlike the traditional method that required markers, motion analysis can now be performed simply by recording videos. This has significantly reduced the preparation time and the burden on personnel. Additionally, being able to conduct analyses directly on-site has been a major advantage.

2. Enhanced Learning Effectiveness:
With quantifiable data, students are now able to understand changes in movement more concretely. Previously, observations relied heavily on subjective judgment and vague impressions, but objective data now complements these observations, making it easier for students to grasp the concepts.

3. Improved Research Efficiency:
The ease of conducting motion analysis has made it possible to accumulate a large volume of data. In the past, the need for more personnel and effort made it difficult to collect extensive data. Now that it can be easily utilized on-site, this has led to new discoveries and insights.