Gait Analysis From a Single Ear-Worn Sensor: Reliability and Clinical Evaluation for Orthopaedic Patients

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Technology

Background:

• Objective gait assessment is crucial for post-orthopaedic surgery follow-up and rehabilitation.
• Current gait analysis methods often require elaborate laboratory setups, limiting accessibility and increasing costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a single ear-worn sensor for clinical gait analysis in orthopaedic patients.
• To develop a reliability measure for gait event detection suitable for free-walking environments.
• To demonstrate the sensor's utility for longitudinal analysis of gait parameters.

Main Methods:

• Recruitment of patient groups undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and knee replacement.
• Utilisation of a single ear-worn sensor for data acquisition during free-walking.
• Development and application of a reliability measure for gait event confidence.
• Analysis of temporal and force-related gait asymmetry.

Main Results:

• The ear-worn sensor provides objective gait assessments for orthopaedic patients.
• A reliability measure was devised to indicate confidence in estimated gait events.
• The sensor facilitates detailed longitudinal analysis of gait parameters, including asymmetry.
• The method eliminates the need for expensive laboratory setups.

Conclusions:

• An ear-worn sensor is a viable tool for objective gait assessment in orthopaedic surgery patients.
• This technology simplifies monitoring protocols and enables remote, home-based patient assessment.
• The proposed method reduces the cost and complexity associated with traditional gait analysis.