Wearable sensor-based exercise training for Osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is one of the leading causes of lower limb disability among the elderly and can cause loss of knee joint proprioception that contributes towards deterioration of postural balance. Maintaining a good postural stability is essential while performing everyday functional activities and to avoid falls. Exercise training has been reported to reduce pain as well as improve performance of functional tasks in patients with KOA however compliance to exercise can be challenging due to pain, lack of motivation and traditional nature of exercise that can easily overtax patients. Furthermore, there are not exercise programs that are specifically designed for patients with KOA in order to address lost knee joint proprioception. Recent studies have also demonstrated that visual feedback during exercise can enhance the benefits of exercise training. Therefore, the aim of the proposed study is to implement an interactive sensor-based exercise training to improve postural balance, gait and activities of daily living in patients with KOA.