IMU-Based Pelvic Rotation Detection: A Novel Dataset, Benchmark Classifiers, and Sensor Placement Optimization

Prolonged sedentary behavior has been a major public health concern strongly associated with low back pain (LBP), the leading cause of disability worldwide. Monitoring pelvic rotations (PRs), a key factor in postural control, is crucial for LBP prevention and management. However, PR detection remains underexplored, and publicly available datasets are lacking. This study comprehensively investigates the feasibility of using inertial measurement units (IMUs) and machine learning (ML) to recognize PRs. We introduce a novel public dataset comprising over 15 hours of high-resolution IMU data from thirty-nine participants with sedentary lifestyles, specifically designed for PR detection across multiple activities, including sitting, standing, sit-to-stand-to-sit (STSTS) transitions, walking, and targeted anterior/posterior PRs during sitting and standing. We benchmark six classical ML classifiers and identify XGBoost as the most effective model, achieving weighted F1 scores of 0.988 and 0.895 in 2-class and 8-class configurations, respectively. We further conduct a systematic sensor placement optimization, demonstrating that a two-sensor configuration (pelvis and left upper leg) reached performance comparable to that of the full-body 17-sensor system. In the comprehensive 8-class classification task (sit, stand, STSTS, walk, and targeted anterior/posterior PR), this optimal combination achieved a weighted F1 score of 0.872, closely matching the result obtained using all sensors. Our work provides the community with a unique dataset, a robust baseline for PR recognition, and a practical minimal-sensor solution, thereby paving the way for real-world wearable systems aimed at reducing prolonged static postures and improving LBP management in daily life.