A new type of "smart" socks could improve the diagnosis and treatment of remote patients by providing physiotherapists with real-time information on lower body movements.
“What was lacking in video consultations was the ability to observe the subtle differences in patients’ lower limb movements, such as shifts in weight distribution and range of foot movements,” said developer and University of Melbourne PhD candidate Deepti Aggarwal. “This meant that physiotherapists had limited understanding of the patient’s actual recovery, leading to less specific treatment. The physiotherapists were also reluctant to try out new exercises with the patients over video.”
The SoPhy system consists of a pair of socks with three sensors that capture data on a patient’s lower body movement through weight distribution, range of movement and foot orientation. The collected data then provide physiotherapists a web-interface view on movement.
“Often, without realizing it, patients will apply different tricks to not bear weight on the injured leg, such as pushing through their toes or heels,” said Aggarwal. “These movements are so subtle that they can be missed by the naked eye, even in a face-to-face consultation. The SoPhy visualization clearly highlights whether the patient is bearing any weight on the injured leg and in which parts, such as in the front, side or on the heels of the foot.”
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Cara joined TriMed Media in 2016 and is currently a Senior Writer for Clinical Innovation & Technology. Originating from Detroit, Michigan, she holds a Bachelors in Health Communications from Grand Valley State University.