Our objective was to conduct a scoping review which summarizes the growing body of literature using wearable inertial sensors for gait analysis in lower limb osteoarthritis. We searched six databases using predetermined search terms which highlighted the broad areas of inertial sensors, gait, and osteoarthritis. Two authors independently conducted title and abstract reviews, followed by two authors independently completing full-text screenings. Study quality was also assessed by two independent raters and data were extracted by one reviewer in areas such as study design, osteoarthritis sample, protocols, and inertial sensor outcomes. A total of 72 articles were included, which studied the gait of 2159 adults with osteoarthritis (OA) using inertial sensors. The most common location of OA studied was the knee (n = 46), followed by the hip (n = 22), and the ankle (n = 7). The back (n = 41) and the shank (n = 40) were the most common placements for inertial sensors. The three most prevalent biomechanical outcomes studied were: mean spatiotemporal parameters (n = 45), segment or joint angles (n = 33), and linear acceleration magnitudes (n = 22). Our findings demonstrate exceptional growth in this field in the last 5 years. Nevertheless, there remains a need for more longitudinal study designs, patient-specific models, free-living assessments, and a push for “Code Reuse” to maximize the unique capabilities of these devices and ultimately improve how we diagnose and treat this debilitating disease.

Wrestling is a popular high school sport despite high injury and concussion rates. Instrumented mouthguards can reliably measure head acceleration events (HAEs) accrued by wrestlers and may highlight potential sex differences; important considering the higher concussion rates among female athletes. The purpose of this study was to measure HAEs accrued in high school wrestling matches and compare frequency, magnitude, and head impact location between female and male wrestlers. Forty-five (16.5 [0.8] y) wrestlers (20 females; 25 males) wore instrumented mouthguards during high school matches. A total of 2843 (857 females; 1986 males) HAEs above an 8 g trigger threshold from 452 player-matches were video verified. Results indicate that males accrue 30% higher HAE count per match (mean frequency = 6.9 HAEs/match) compared to females (mean frequency = 5.3 HAEs/match) (IRR = 1.297; 95% confidence interval, 1.051–1.594). Results also show females and males have similar HAE biomechanics including peak linear acceleration, angular velocity and acceleration, change in angular velocity in all planes, and impulse duration. Finally, females accrue 50% more head impacts high and to the right side of the head than males (IRR = 1.499; 95% confidence interval, 1.053–2.137). Higher HAE match counts for male wrestlers and varied impact locations highlight varied wrestling HAE mechanisms for female and male adolescent wrestlers and potential sex-specific HAE and concussion prevention strategies.

This scoping review investigated the definitions, assessment methods, and current applications of varus thrust (VT) in knee osteoarthritis (OA). Five databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science Core Collection) were searched in this scoping review for studies assessing VT during walking in adults with knee OA using the terms “varus” and “lateral” in proximity to thrust. Data were extracted and categorized by study characteristics (OA sample, publication year, design, and aim) and VT assessment protocol (method and definition). A total of 63 studies were included, examining 12,569 individuals with knee OA using visual (n ​= ​24), optical motion capture (n ​= ​27), or inertial/wearable sensor (n ​= ​19) methods. Designs included prospective, experimental, cross-sectional, and case series. VT was most often assessed to examine disease severity, progression, surgical outcomes, and symptom associations. Visual VT was commonly defined as dynamic worsening or abrupt onset of varus alignment during weight acceptance. Optical motion capture commonly measured VT as frontal plane knee excursion from foot contact to mid-stance, while inertial methods typically used peak lateral tibial acceleration or angular velocity. Despite growing research interest in VT, inconsistent definitions and measurement protocols limit comparability across studies and hinder broader adoption. Greater standardization and validation are needed to clarify its potential clinical utility in knee OA.