Wearable technology mediated biofeedback to modulate spine motor control: a scoping review

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Lower back pain (LBP) is a prevalent disability impacting many individuals.
• Patient-centered approaches are increasingly guiding LBP treatment.
• Wearable sensors offer biofeedback for diverse applications, including clinical settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of wearable sensor-mediated biofeedback frameworks.
• To examine their use in enhancing spine posture and motor function.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive scoping review adhering to PRISMA-ScR guidelines.
• Searched Embase, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and IEEEXplore (1980-2020).
• Extracted data on wearable biofeedback for spine movement, focusing on feedback type, timing, trigger, location, and magnitude.

Main Results:

• 23 articles were analyzed.
• Inertial measurement units (IMUs) were the most common wearable sensors.
• Haptic (vibrotactile) feedback was the predominant stimulus, often triggered instantaneously based on lumbar angles or pelvic/thoracic orientation.

Conclusions:

• This is the first review of wearable sensor biofeedback for spine motor control.
• Identified a lack of consensus on feedback timing and structure, indicating a need for optimization.
• Findings enhance understanding of wearable biofeedback's utility for lumbar spine sensorimotor control in various settings.