Wearable sensors capture differences in muscle activity and gait patterns during daily activity in patients recovering from ACL reconstruction

Abstract

We examine leg motion and quadriceps muscle activation patterns during free-living activity in a cross-sectional sample of patients recovering from anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using wearable sensors. Analysis suggests that this technology is feasible, and captures expected differences in daily muscle activity between the affected and contralateral limbs within and across patients and, during gait, differences in muscle activation patterns and kinematics across patients associated with recovery progress. Results point toward the need for future studies to explore these indicators of rehabilitation progress longitudinally in patients recovering from ACL reconstruction.