Translating gait measurement beyond the laboratory with wearable sensors: advantages and challenges

Gait is emerging as a powerful tool to detect early disease and monitor progression across a number of diseases. Typically quantitative gait assessment has been limited to specialised laboratory facilities. However, measuring gait in home and community settings may provide a more accurate reflection of gait performance as it allows walking activity to be captured over time in habitual contexts. Modern accelerometer-based wearable technology allow objective measurement of free-living walking activity/behaviour (macro level) as well as discrete gait characteristics (micro level). Quantification of macro and micro gait characteristics in unsupervised environments presents considerable challenges. This presentation will address the methodological advantages and challenges of measuring macro and micro gait characteristics during free-living activity. The use of macro and micro level gait outcomes as a measurement tool for characterising patient populations and discriminating disease will also be discussed.