Measuring highly accurate foot position and angle trajectories with foot-mounted IMUs in clinical practice

authored by: Andreas J. Jocham, Daniel Laidig, Bernhard Guggenberger, Thomas Seel
Abstract: Background: Gait analysis using foot-mounted IMUs is a promising method to acquire gait parameters outside of laboratory settings and in everyday clinical practice. However, the need for precise sensor attachment or calibration, the requirement of environments with a homogeneous magnetic field, and the limited applicability to pathological gait patterns still pose challenges. Furthermore, in previously published work, the measurement accuracy of such systems is often only validated for specific points in time or in a single plane. Research question: This study investigates the measurement accuracy of a gait analysis method based on foot-mounted IMUs in the acquisition of the foot motion, i.e., position and angle trajectories of the foot in the sagittal, frontal, and transversal plane over the entire gait cycle. Results: A comparison of the proposed method with an optical motion capture system showed an average RMSE of 0.67° for pitch, 0.63° for roll and 1.17° for yaw. For position trajectories, an average RMSE of 0.51 cm for vertical lift and 0.34 cm for lateral shift was found. The measurement error of the IMU-based method is found to be much smaller than the deviations caused by the shoes. Significance: The proposed method is found to be sufficiently accurate for clinical practice. It does not require precise mounting, special calibration movements, or magnetometer data, and shows no difference in measurement accuracy between normal and pathological gait. Therefore, it provides an easy-to-use alternative to optical motion capture and facilitates gait analysis independent of laboratory settings.
Organisation(s): Institute of Mechatronic Systems
External Organisation(s): FH JOANNEUM University of Applied Sciences
Technische Universität Berlin
Medical University of Graz
Type: Article
Journal: Gait and Posture
Volume: 108
Pages: 63-69
No. of pages: 7
ISSN: 0966-6362
Publication date: 02.2024
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Biophysics, Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Rehabilitation
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2023.11.002 (Access: Open)

BibTeX

@article{60da3a8f17b8495bbfb79154dfdff933,
title = "Measuring highly accurate foot position and angle trajectories with foot-mounted IMUs in clinical practice",
abstract = "Background: Gait analysis using foot-mounted IMUs is a promising method to acquire gait parameters outside of laboratory settings and in everyday clinical practice. However, the need for precise sensor attachment or calibration, the requirement of environments with a homogeneous magnetic field, and the limited applicability to pathological gait patterns still pose challenges. Furthermore, in previously published work, the measurement accuracy of such systems is often only validated for specific points in time or in a single plane. Research question: This study investigates the measurement accuracy of a gait analysis method based on foot-mounted IMUs in the acquisition of the foot motion, i.e., position and angle trajectories of the foot in the sagittal, frontal, and transversal plane over the entire gait cycle. Results: A comparison of the proposed method with an optical motion capture system showed an average RMSE of 0.67° for pitch, 0.63° for roll and 1.17° for yaw. For position trajectories, an average RMSE of 0.51 cm for vertical lift and 0.34 cm for lateral shift was found. The measurement error of the IMU-based method is found to be much smaller than the deviations caused by the shoes. Significance: The proposed method is found to be sufficiently accurate for clinical practice. It does not require precise mounting, special calibration movements, or magnetometer data, and shows no difference in measurement accuracy between normal and pathological gait. Therefore, it provides an easy-to-use alternative to optical motion capture and facilitates gait analysis independent of laboratory settings.",
keywords = "Digital health, Foot motion estimation, Foot-mounted, Gait assessment, Inertial sensor, Wearable sensor systems",
author = "Jocham, {Andreas J.} and Daniel Laidig and Bernhard Guggenberger and Thomas Seel",
note = "Funding information: The authors would like to thank all participants for their participation in the study.",
year = "2024",
month = feb,
doi = "10.1016/j.gaitpost.2023.11.002",
language = "English",
volume = "108",
pages = "63--69",
journal = "Gait and Posture",
issn = "0966-6362",
publisher = "Elsevier",
}