Capturing Objective Functional Measures Using Smartphone Inertial Sensors: Feasibility and Usability Study With Older Adults.
Christian Kempton, Kate Ryan, Sophie Clohessy and 2 others
PMID 40982887WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults found a smartphone app feasible for recording sit-to-stand movements, with high data quality.
However, single-leg balance recordings failed frequently. Users requested feedback and reminders, highlighting that current prototypes lack the motivation drivers needed for long-term home monitoring.
Key findings
01The smartphone app produced valid data for 93.5% of sit-to-stand trials but only 63.8% of single-leg balance trials.
02Participants reported high usability scores, likely due to the app's simplicity, but identified missing features like feedback and reminders as key barriers to motivation.
03Holding the phone to the chest was considered feasible but not ideal, with some participants finding it cumbersome or unsafe during balance tasks.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study had a small sample size of 17 participants. Demographic data, particularly age distribution and baseline function, were limited due to administrative issues. The app was a prototype with limited features, so usability scores may not reflect a fully developed clinical tool. The study did not assess the accuracy of the algorithms compared to clinical standards, only the proportion of data they could process. The trial was only four weeks long, so long-term adherence and novelty effects were not fully captured.
Declared interests
The app was developed by EQL Ltd. The study received support from the West Midlands Clinical Research Network. A formal data sharing agreement existed between the researchers and the commercial organization that produced the app.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that smartphone sensors are ready for remote monitoring of all physiotherapy exercises. While sit-to-stand data was robust, single-leg balance data failed in over a third of recordings, and the app lacked the feedback features users said were essential for motivation.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →