Wearable Technology Detects Gait Freezing, Falls in People With Parkinson Disease

Data supports the use of wearable devices to monitor freezing of gait and falls in patients with Parkinson disease, although limitations in the current body of evidence point to several areas requiring more work, according to a systematic review published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.

“Research on [wearables for] freezing of gait and fall detection has been developed rapidly in recent years, and emerging technology like machine learning can balance accuracy and immediacy,” wrote a research team from South China Normal University and Guangzhou Medical University in China.

The review included 75 articles on wearable technology, of which 72 focused on freezing of gait detection and 3 on fall detection in people with Parkinson disease.

Most studies used multiple sensors and inertial measurement units for detection, according to the review. Popular locations for a wearable device were the thigh and ankle, and the most commonly used inertial measurement unit was a combination of an accelerometer and gyroscope. 

Increasingly complex machine learning algorithms have become the trend in detection, the authors reported. Limitations in current research include a low number of participants in some studies and little consensus on algorithm analysis.

“Future work should give careful consideration to address these limitations,” the authors advised. “First, an adequately studied population should be provided to support their study. Second, a consensus on provoking freezing of gait/fall, [and] methods of assessing validity and algorithms are necessary. Lastly, studies should carry out in a free-living environment with low-cost and low-energy consumption apparatus.”

Reference:
Huang T, Li M, Huang J. Recent trends in wearable device used to detect freezing of gait and falls in people with Parkinson’s disease: a systematic review. Front Aging Neurosci. Published online February 15, 2023. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2023.1119956