Wearable sensors for trunk posture monitoring in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: a case study

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive neuromuscular disease leading to muscle weakness and impaired quality of life. Standard clinical methods for assessing motor-functional changes have limitations, such as poor sensitivity in detecting early alterations. This study proposes the use of wearable inertial sensors for the objective monitoring of trunk and pelvic biomechanics. Wearable inertial sensors were used to record accelerations and angular velocities during the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) in a pediatric patient with DMD. Spatio-temporal gait parameters, trunk and pelvis harmonic ratios, and 3D angular range of motion were analyzed. Preliminary results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method. The objective quantification of spatio-temporal gait parameters and trunk and pelvic biomechanics was possible. The patient showed an increased range of motion of the trunk (total average sagittal ROM = 12.27°, total average frontal ROM = 10.80°, total average transverse ROM = 11.38°) and pelvis (total average sagittal ROM = 9.36°, total average frontal ROM = 18.17°, total average transverse ROM = 22.27°) compared to normative literature values. This preliminary study indicates that wearable inertial sensors offer objective insights into trunk and pelvic biomechanics in DMD patients during the 6MWT. This approach may enhance disease monitoring and aid in developing more effective therapies.