With the growing number of people affected by osteoarthritis, wearable technology may enable the provision of care outside a traditional clinical setting and thus transform how healthcare is delivered for this patient group. Here, we mapped the available empirical evidence on the utilization of wearable technology in a real-world setting in people with knee osteoarthritis. From an analysis of 68 studies, we found that the use of accelerometers for physical activity assessment is the most prevalent mode of use of wearable technology in this population. We identify low technical complexity and cost, ability to connect with a healthcare professional, and consistency in the analysis of the data as the most critical facilitators for the feasibility of using wearable technology in a real-world setting. To fully realize the clinical potential of wearable technology for people with knee osteoarthritis, this review highlights the need for more research employing wearables for information sharing and treatment, increased inter-study consistency through standardization and improved reporting, and increased representation of vulnerable populations.
Image processing methods have been used to visualize the articular surfaces of an intact foot from an MR scan and to allow the relationship between the joint surfaces to be studied. The MR protocol employed would be applicable in the living foot. Several standard image-processing methods have been used to develop protocols for manual and automated editing of a volumetric MR scan. The result is a volume-rendered foot, displaying the articular surfaces of the tarsal and metatarsal joints. The methods employed are discussed and reconstructions of the subtalar and talonavicular joints presented, thereby enabling a qualitative analysis of the facets on the talus, calcaneus and navicular.
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