Citation

Horak FB, King L, Mancini M. Phys. Ther. 2014; 95(3): 461-470.

Affiliation

M. Mancini, PhD, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, American Physical Therapy Association)

DOI

10.2522/ptj.20140253

PMID

25504484

Abstract

This prospective paper will discuss the potential roles that body-worn, movement monitors for balance and gait assessment and treatment may play in rehabilitation. Recent advances in wireless, inexpensive sensor technology and smart devices, is resulting in an explosion of miniature, portable sensors that can quickly and accurately quantify body motion. Practical, useful, movement monitoring systems are now becoming available. It is critical that therapists understand the potential advantages and limitations of such emerging technology. One important advantage of obtaining objective measures of balance and gait from body-worn sensors is impairment-level metrics characterizing how and why functional performance of balance and gait activities are impaired. Therapy can then be focused on the specific physiological reasons for difficulty walking or balancing during specific tasks. A second advantage of using technology to measure balance and gait behavior is the increased sensitivity of the balance and gait measures to document mild disability and change with rehabilitation. A third advantage of measuring movement, such as postural sway and gait characteristics, with body-worn sensors is the opportunity for immediate biofeedback provided to patients that can focus attention and enhance performance. In the future, body-worn sensors may allow therapists to perform tele-rehabilitation to monitor compliance with home exercise programs and the quality of their natural mobility in the community. Therapists need technological systems that are quick to use and provide actionable information and useful reports for their patients and referring physicians. Therapists should look for systems that provide measures that have been validated with respect to gold-standard accuracy and to clinically-relevant outcomes such as fall-risk and severity of disability.

Language: en