Evaluating a wearable biofeedback device for reducing end-range sagittal lumbar spine flexion among home caregivers
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Updated: Oct 25, 2025
Home-Based Monitor for Gait and Activity Analysis
Published on: August 8, 2019
Megan Kamachi1, Mohammadhasan Owlia2, Tilak Dutta1
1KITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, 550 University Ave., Toronto, ON, M5G 2A2, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Rosebrugh Building, 164 College Street, Room 407, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G9, Canada.
Abstract:
Caregivers who work in the home environment are at risk of back injury due to the awkward postures they have to adopt while providing care. Real-time biofeedback provided by a recently developed wearable device (PostureCoach) may be able to reduce this risk. The effectiveness of a two-day training intervention (including PostureCoach and an educational video) was evaluated for its ability to decrease the amount of time spent in end-range spine flexion. Twenty novice caregivers repeated a series of simulated care tasks. Real-time auditory biofeedback was provided to the intervention group (n = 10) when participants' sagittal lumbar spine flexion exceeded a preset threshold during training trials. Participants in the control group (n = 10) received no feedback. Participants repeated the tasks again two weeks and two months post-intervention. The intervention group maintained decreased end-range (80th and 95th percentile) spine flexion compared to controls at both post-intervention time points.
