Markerless Motion Capture Parameters Associated with Fall Risk or Frailty: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Current frailty and fall risk assessments require in-person evaluations, limiting accessibility and objectivity.
• Markerless motion capture (MMC) presents a potential for remote, objective health monitoring.
• However, specific kinematic parameters for frailty and fall risk using MMC are not well-defined.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of studies utilizing MMC for assessing frailty and fall risk.
• To identify key kinematic parameters associated with these conditions using MMC.
• To synthesize current evidence on the application and limitations of MMC in this domain.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was performed across MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and CINAHL up to October 2024.
• Studies included were those using MMC to assess adults and comparing outcomes to validated frailty or fall risk measures.
• Data extraction focused on study design, participant demographics, MMC technology used, extracted features, and key findings.

Main Results:

• 39 studies met inclusion criteria, involving 3114 participants (mean age 75.8).
• Microsoft Kinect was the predominant MMC technology (75%).
• Gait analysis identified gait speed, stride length, and step width as key fall risk parameters. Frailty parameters were less consistent, with power and range of motion noted in arm tests.

Conclusions:

• Markerless motion capture demonstrates significant potential for objective, remote assessment of fall risk and frailty.
• Standardization of MMC methods and improved data loss reporting are crucial for future research and clinical translation.
• Further research is needed to refine frailty-specific kinematic markers identified through MMC.