Biomechanics of disability and rehabilitation

For a long time, disability was characterized by the deficiency, congenital or acquired, of an organ or function, resulting in the inability to perform certain activities, and leading to social disadvantage. From then on, disability was defined with reference to a notion of "normality".

Since the 1990s, a process of reflection has led to a conceptual evolution in the notion of disability. In 1993, the United Nations (UN) defined disability as a restriction in the ability to participate in the life of the community on an equal basis with others. From this point onwards, the notion of "handicap" emerged, highlighting the importance of adapting the environment to an individual's abilities. Internationally, this process led to the definition, in 2002, of the International Classification of Functioning by the World Health Organization (WHO), replacing the International Classification of Disability (WHO, 1980). This new classification gives pride of place to the description of activity limitations and participation restrictions. In 2006, the United Nations, through the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, signaled its determination to innovate in the management of disability, notably through the principles of equal opportunity, non-discrimination, inclusion and freedom of choice. The political repercussions are numerous, as in France, where several laws were passed between 2001 and 2005, recognizing in particular the right to compensation for the consequences of disability, including through adaptation of the environment.

Although difficult to assess, it is estimated that 10% of the world's population lives with a disability, which would represent 650 million people. Furthermore, projections show that by 2050, the population aged over 85 will increase fivefold, leading to a rise in the number of people with potential disabilities. It is therefore essential to develop technologies that facilitate participation in activities where impaired mobility, perception or cognition are limiting factors. This is where applied research into disability comes into its own, requiring the application of multi-disciplinary knowledge: physiology and pathophysiology, mechanics, automation, robotics, IT, and so on.

Biomechanics is one of these multidisciplinary scientific fields, which applies the scientific foundations of mechanics to the study of living organisms. Based on a model of the human body adapted to its objectives, the biomechanist uses kinematic methods to quantify the movement of different body segments. Analysis of the dynamic equilibrium of different body parts also provides access to the mechanical actions at the origin of movement, and enables the study of mechanical interactions with the environment. Biomechanics...