Feasibility of temperature monitoring smart socks in adolescents and young adults with spina bifida.
Melissa A Bent, Abigail N Padilla, Sam P Wimmer and 3 others
PMID 38143398WHAT IT FOUND
Half of the adolescents who tried continuous temperature monitoring socks never wore them.
Of the seventeen who did, nine found them comfortable and easy to put on. The socks measured foot temperature reliably, but the study was too short and small to detect any pressure injuries.
Key findings
01Adherence was poor, with only 51.5% of enrolled participants completing the study by wearing the smart socks.
02Among those who wore the socks, the median temperature for both left and right feet was 85.1°F, with a median differential of –0.8°F.
03Nine of the eleven participants who completed the survey reported the smart socks were comfortable, very easy to put on, and very soft.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study was underpowered with a small sample size, limiting the ability to detect statistically significant differences in temperature metrics. Adherence was a major issue, with 16 of 33 enrolled participants (48.5%) either withdrawing or never wearing the socks. The four-week duration was too short to observe the development of clinically significant pressure injuries, so the technology's effectiveness in preventing harm could not be assessed. The sock sensors only monitor the plantar surface, missing potential pressure injuries on the dorsal foot or lateral malleoli. The current sock design includes a lateral tag that interferes with the use of common braces, excluding patients who wear other orthotic types.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the favorable user feedback or the temperature data as evidence that these socks prevent pressure injuries. The study was too short and small to detect any injuries, and nearly half of the participants never wore the socks, meaning the results apply only to a highly adherent subset of the population.