Wearable Sensors and Smart Devices to Monitor Rehabilitation Parameters and Sports Performance: An Overview

Abstract

A quantitative evaluation of kinetic parameters, the joint’s range of motion, heart rate, and breathing rate, can be employed in sports performance tracking and rehabilitation monitoring following injuries or surgical operations. However, many of the current detection systems are expensive and designed for clinical use, requiring the presence of a physician and medical staff to assist users in the device’s positioning and measurements. The goal of wearable sensors is to overcome the limitations of current devices, enabling the acquisition of a user’s vital signs directly from the body in an accurate and non–invasive way. In sports activities, wearable sensors allow athletes to monitor performance and body movements objectively, going beyond the coach’s subjective evaluation limits. The main goal of this review paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of wearable technologies and sensing systems to detect and monitor the physiological parameters of patients during post–operative rehabilitation and athletes’ training, and to present evidence that supports the efficacy of this technology for healthcare applications. First, a classification of the human physiological parameters acquired from the human body by sensors attached to sensitive skin locations or worn as a part of garments is introduced, carrying important feedback on the user’s health status. Then, a detailed description of the electromechanical transduction mechanisms allows a comparison of the technologies used in wearable applications to monitor sports and rehabilitation activities. This paves the way for an analysis of wearable technologies, providing a comprehensive comparison of the current state of the art of available sensors and systems. Comparative and statistical analyses are provided to point out useful insights for defining the best technologies and solutions for monitoring body movements. Lastly, the presented review is compared with similar ones reported in the literature to highlight its strengths and novelties.

Ultra‐Tough Waterborne Polyurethane‐Based Graft‐Copolymerized Piezoresistive Composite Designed for Rehabilitation Training Monitoring Pressure Sensors

“…Besides, five levels of thresholds were set as "training standards" between the highest limit (the largest load when the muscle was tensed to the highest degree) and the lowest limit (the smallest load when the muscle was relaxed to the smallest degree). Then, the value of thresholds was input into the Bluetooth module, displayed by the number of flowers (1)(2)(3)(4)(5). Thus, the intensity of the sensor signal could be compared with these thresholds, and the number of flowers could assist patients in knowing the status of their rehabilitation training in real-time.…”

“…[1][2][3] For instance, a standard procedure of rehabilitation training for bone tumor recovery includes knee-flexion exercises, leg extensions, and arm extensions, where the injured muscles require a sufficient stretch to regain their normal function. [4,5] Therefore, the effectiveness of rehabilitation is critical for patients due to the profound impact on their future life. However, the standardization of patient rehabilitation strategies has not been established due to the heterogeneity of individual patients.…”

Enhancing Piezoelectricity of Silk Fibroin Through In Situ Growth of Metal‐Free Perovskite for Organic and Eco‐friendly Wearable Bioelectronics

“…Non‐invasive measurements employing wearable piezoelectric sensors are becoming increasingly vital for quantifying joint and muscle movement for rehabilitation monitoring and sports performance tracking. [ 3 ] A series of experiments was performed to demonstrate the capability of the SF‐MFP wearable sensor for human‐motion detection. The real‐time sensing of the bending characteristics of different joints such as the wrist, elbow, and finger is one of the essential parameters for physical rehabilitation.…”

Estimation of Respiratory Rate during Biking with a Single Sensor Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) System

“…The advent of wearable systems for the measuring of vital signs has started a revolution in non-laborious healthcare and sports science practices [ 1 ]. Unarguably, such systems have provided the possibility of customized continuous monitoring of physiological parameters, such as heart rate (HR), blood pressure, and respiratory rate (RR), which are of great value for both clinical and research purposes [ 2 , 3 ].…”