Inertial Measurement Unit-Based Dynamic Functional Diagnosis

Abstract

Patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) have biomechanical alterations in multiple joints during level walking, possibly due to efforts made to avoid pain and minimize knee stress. These biomechanical alterations accompany gait asymmetry, which provides important information about the locomotor mechanism. This cross-sectional study (n = 131; age: 74.2 ± 5.81 y; 71.8 %female) found that patients with severe knee OA had greater gait asymmetry in the medio-lateral axis, evaluated using inertial measurement unit (IMU), and the increased gait asymmetry was associated with a greater knee pain and disability. Furthermore, we proposed “GAIT” (Gait Asymmetry Improving Therapy) concept which supports decision making of therapeutic target in knee OA patient (77 years old; female) with coexisting gait asymmetry and contralateral knee pain. Six weeks physical therapy based on the GAIT concept resulted in improved patient’s clinical outcomes. IMU-based gait assessment could provide us deeper understanding of pathomechanics of OA-related symptom and disability and would support decision making of patients treatment.