Utilization of wearable technology to assess gait and mobility post-stroke: a systematic review.
Denise M Peters, Emma S O'Brien, Kira E Kamrud and 6 others
PMID 33882948WHAT IT FOUND
Wearable devices often captured gait speed and step count after stroke, but most studies were hospital or lab based.
Few reported device accuracy, and one step-count algorithm failed at slow walking speeds, so do not rely on them to diagnose community mobility yet.
Key findings
01Thirteen studies were included: six randomized trials, five cross-sectional studies, one non-randomized control trial, and one longitudinal pilot study.
02Accelerometers were the most common wearable technology, but only a limited number of studies examined reliability or validity of these devices.
03One included study found sensor-derived daily walking speeds were highly correlated with 10-m walk speeds, while another found ActivPAL step counts were not acceptable for slow walking.
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
Only 13 studies were included, and they differed widely in device type, body placement, setting, time post-stroke, and outcome measured. Most studies were conducted in hospital, inpatient, outpatient, or unspecified settings rather than community environments, so they may not reflect everyday mobility. Few studies reported reliability or validity of wearable devices for pathological gait, so accuracy is uncertain. The search did not include reliability or validity keywords, so relevant studies may have been missed. Quality ratings relied on reviewers' interpretation of reported methods. Consumer-grade devices may overestimate or underestimate activity compared with research-grade devices, and accuracy in impaired gait is unclear.
Declared interests
The supplied article is labeled as Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural. It does not include a conflict-of-interest declaration or state that a company that sells the technology funded, designed, or wrote the study.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that wearable devices are proven to improve or diagnose community mobility after stroke. Most included studies were hospital or lab based, few reported validity, and one step-count algorithm was not acceptable for slow walking speeds.