Self-Powered Triboelectric Insole for Gait Asymmetry and Plantar Pressure Signatures in Rehabilitation Patients: A...

(1) Background: Gait analysis technologies have advanced; however, traditional systems like optical motion capture are lab-bound and costly, limiting rehabilitation monitoring. This cross-sectional study evaluates self-powered triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) insoles combined with IMU sensors to assess gait asymmetry, plantar pressure signatures, age effects and injury history in rehabilitation patients, aiming to enable portable, battery-free phenotyping. (2) Methods: Fifty-three patients (22 females, 31 males; age, 29 ± 26 years) from Astana clinics with trauma histories (e.g., spine, ankle, fractures) and 10 healthy references underwent a 2 min walk test (2MWT). TENG insoles captured plantar loading; ankle/knee IMUs measured spatiotemporal parameters (cadence, asymmetry). The data were normalized; the analyses used an ANOVA and correlations (Python 3.14.3). (3) Results: The TENG sensors showed force/frequency linearity (up to 10 V at 20 N). The cadence averaged 101 ± 10 steps/min, declining with age (r = -0.31, p = 0.03) and fractures (r = -0.23, p = 0.04). The asymmetry varied (-54% to +31%) without category differences. Flatfoot (55%) was linked to lateral loading shifts; condition-specific waveform signatures emerged (e.g., lateral heel in ankle issues). (4) TENG-IMU systems feasibly capture gait phenotypes in heterogeneous cohorts, supporting out-of-lab monitoring for personalized rehabilitation without batteries. Prospective validation is required for further practical implications.