Smartwatch-based functional assessment for upper extremity impairment after musculoskeletal injuries: A pilot study.
Hyung Seok Nam, Sol Han, Ja-Ho Leigh and 1 others
PMID 38912103WHAT IT FOUND
Smartwatch movement data correlated with clinical scores in ten patients with shoulder injuries.
Smoothness metrics tracked elbow and forearm function. This suggests wearable sensors could monitor rehab progress, but the tiny sample and single device mean it is not yet a reliable clinical tool.
Key findings
01Smartwatch-derived motion smoothness parameters correlated significantly with standard clinical upper limb function scores.
02Total performance time during fine motor tasks negatively correlated with function scores, indicating slower movement in patients with greater impairment.
03The study was a pilot with only ten participants, limiting the generalizability and certainty of the findings.
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
Very small sample size of only ten participants. Single-center study with a specific population of workplace injuries. Pain levels were not measured or controlled for, despite being a major factor in musculoskeletal function. Only one type of smartwatch was used, so results may not apply to other devices. The study was cross-sectional; it did not test if the sensors could track change over time in individual patients.
Declared interests
Partially funded by the Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Service. Authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these correlations as evidence that smartwatches can accurately diagnose or quantify impairment in individual patients. The sample was too small (n=10) and the design too preliminary to support clinical utility without further validation.