Body-worn inertial measurement units track knee flexion angles with similar accuracy to optical motion capture.

ABSTRACT: Knee motion is altered in overuse injuries and chronic diseases like osteoarthritis. Yet, relying on marker-based motion capture in the lab limits our understanding of how knee motion continuously impacts joint health in the real world. Markerless optical motion capture improves clinical suitability, but space and time constraints remain barriers toward real-world assessments. Inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors have enabled continuous motion tracking outside the lab. In this study, we recorded thigh and shank-worn IMU data concurrently with marker-based and markerless optical motion capture on 10 healthy adults, who performed various daily living and exercise movements. We developed an IMU virtual alignment and data fusion paradigm to estimate knee flexion angle during each movement.

SUBMITTER: Song K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12633563 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature