Proof of Concept of a Partial Weight-Bearing Supporting Real-Time Feedback System

Patient compliance with lower limb partial weight bearing (PWB) instructions during post-surgical early mobilization is often low and many are unable to adhere to the prescribed limits without the implementation of concurrent biofeedback.

A real-time feedback system based on eSHOE instrumented insoles was tested in order to preliminarily quantify its efficiency at improving geriatric patients' compliance.

In order to gain a proof of concept, measurements with one patient after a hip fracture were carried out. The compliance with the prescribed load restriction was measured on four measurement dates, first without and then with the feedback. The number of correctly loaded steps (NCS), the mean peak load (MPL) and the maximal load (ML) were considered.

Preliminary results of one patient show that NCS was nearly doubled and the MPL was reduced to acceptable limits, while the ML was reduced on three of the four days.

The results indicate that the developed system is easily implementable into the rehabilitative routine and has a positive effect on PWB performance of geriatric subjects while walking.