Abstract
The present study was performed to investigate the validity of a wireless earbud-type inertial measurement unit (Ear-IMU) sensor used to estimate head angle during four workouts. In addition, relationships between head angle obtained from the Ear-IMU sensor and the angles of other joints determined with a 3D motion analysis system were investigated. The study population consisted of 20 active volunteers. The Ear-IMU sensor measured the head angle, while a 3D motion analysis system simultaneously measured the angles of the head, trunk, pelvis, hips, and knees during workouts. Comparison with the head angle measured using the 3D motion analysis system indicated that the validity of the Ear-IMU sensor was very strong or moderate in the sagittal and frontal planes. In addition, the trunk angle in the frontal plane showed a fair correlation with the head angle determined with the Ear-IMU sensor during a single-leg squat, reverse lunge, and standing hip abduction; the correlation was poor in the sagittal plane. Our results indicated that the Ear-IMU sensor can be used to directly estimate head motion and indirectly estimate trunk motion.
Highlights
Athletes and active people have continued exercising during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic quarantine period to maintain their physical fitness, decrease pain and fatigue, and prevent injury [1]
The observed concurrent validities of the head angle determined with the earbud-type Inertial measurement units (IMUs) sensor, compared with the angle determined with the 3D motion analysis system, were very strong during the squat, single-leg squat, and standing hip abduction exercises; the concurrent validity was moderate during reverse lunge in the sagittal plane
The head angle measured with the earbud-type IMU sensor showed moderate validity in the frontal plane, compared with the 3D motion analysis system, during all workout activities (Table 2)
Summary
Athletes and active people have continued exercising during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic quarantine period to maintain their physical fitness, decrease pain and fatigue, and prevent injury [1]. Wearable waist-belt and wristband sensors can be used to continuously monitor pain intensity in patients with chronic back pain and knee pain, and for investigating the relationship between wearable sensor data and pain intensity [3]. Wearable sensors can be used for managing chronic musculoskeletal pain in digital therapy programs, including sensor-guided exercise therapy and behavioural health coaching [4], such that they helped with reducing pain intensity and improving exercise adherence in a longitudinal study of 10,000 patients with lower back and knee pain [3]
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