Aging is one of the greatest challenges in modern society. The development of wearable solutions for telemonitoring biological signals has been viewed as a strategy to enhance older adults’ healthcare sustainability. This study aims to review the biological signals remotely monitored by technologies in older adults. PubMed, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the Web of Science, and the Joanna Briggs Institute Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports were systematically searched in December 2021. Only systematic reviews and meta-analyses of remote health-related biological and environmental monitoring signals in older adults were considered, with publication dates between 2016 and 2022, written in English, Portuguese, or Spanish. Studies referring to conference proceedings or articles with abstract access only were excluded. The data were extracted independently by two reviewers, using a predefined table form, consulting a third reviewer in case of doubts or concerns. Eighteen studies were included, fourteen systematic reviews and four meta-analyses. Nine of the reviews included older adults from the community, whereas the others also included institutionalized participants. Heart and respiratory rate, physical activity, electrocardiography, body temperature, blood pressure, glucose, and heart rate were the most frequently measured biological variables, with physical activity and heart rate foremost. These were obtained through wearables, with the waist, wrist, and ankle being the most mentioned body regions for the device’s placement. Six of the reviews presented the psychometric properties of the systems, most of which were valid and accurate. In relation to environmental signals, only two articles presented data on this topic. Luminosity, temperature, and movement were the most mentioned variables. The need for large-scale long-term health-related telemonitoring implementation of studies with larger sample sizes was pointed out by several reviews in order to define the feasibility levels of wearable devices.

The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test is used to assess mobility in older adults, but its reliance on completion time limits its insight into detailed movement patterns that could serve as early indicators of functional decline. This study aimed to identify lower limb and trunk kinematic biomarkers during the TUG test that distinguish between older adults with and without functional disability, emphasizing the potential for wearable sensor applications. Sixty adults aged 60+ participated in this cross-sectional study. Three-dimensional lower limb and trunk range of motion (ROM), velocity, center of mass (CoM) displacement, and velocity were analyzed using an optoelectronic system across TUG subphases: sit-to-walk, walk-forward, turn, walk-back, and turn-to-sit. Principal component analysis identified eleven principal components (PCs), explaining 84.33% of the total variance. PCs included sagittal hip and knee motion and CoM velocity during turn-to-sit and walking (PC1); tri-dimensional trunk velocity during turning, walk-back, and sit-to-walk transitions (PC2, PC4, PC6); sagittal knee and hip velocity in sit-to-walk (PC3); and frontal and transverse plane knee ROM and velocity during turning (PC5). Significant differences between functional disability groups were found for PC1 and PC4. These findings provide benchmark data for developing and validating wearable biosensors aimed at monitoring kinematic biomarkers.

Objectives: Gait kinematic and kinetic changes have been identified in older adults, highlighting the need to explore the principal age-related components and how these are associated with functional disability. This study aims to perform a factor analysis, including gait kinematic and kinetic parameters in older adults to establish determinant gait domains. Additionally, this study aims to identify which domains differentiate those without and with functional disability. Methods: Through a cross-sectional design, older adults aged 60 and over (n = 35 without and n = 25 with functional disability) were analyzed during overground gait. A principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine principal components from gait parameters previously demonstrated to express age-related effects (spatiotemporal parameters, sagittal ankle moment and power, ground reaction forces peak, and tridimensional lower limb joints range of motion and positions at heel strike and toe-off). Results: Pace, variability, propulsion, hip and knee control, transverse ankle control, asymmetry, sagittal ankle control, frontal ankle control, frontal hip control, and pre-swing control domains explained 83.90% of the total gait variance in older adults. pace and frontal hip control distinguished individuals with disabilities. Conclusions: PCA identified ten gait domains in older adults. Pace and frontal hip control distinguished disabilities, revealing cautious walking patterns and weaker hip abductor strength.

Reliable biomechanical methods to assess interlimb coordination during the double-support phase in post-stroke subjects are needed for assessing movement dysfunction and related variability. The data obtained could provide a significant contribution for designing rehabilitation programs and for their monitorisation. The present study aimed to determine the minimum number of gait cycles needed to obtain adequate values of repeatability and temporal consistency of lower limb kinematic, kinetic, and electromyographic parameters during the double support of walking in people with and without stroke sequelae. Eleven post-stroke and thirteen healthy participants performed 20 gait trials at self-selected speed in two separate moments with an interval between 72 h and 7 days. The joint position, the external mechanical work on the centre of mass, and the surface electromyographic activity of the tibialis anterior, soleus, gastrocnemius medialis, rectus femoris, vastus medialis, biceps femoris, and gluteus maximus muscles were extracted for analysis. Both the contralesional and ipsilesional and dominant and non-dominant limbs of participants with and without stroke sequelae, respectively, were evaluated either in trailing or leading positions. The intraclass correlation coefficient was used for assessing intra-session and inter-session consistency analysis. For most of the kinematic and the kinetic variables studied in each session, two to three trials were required for both groups, limbs, and positions. The electromyographic variables presented higher variability, requiring, therefore, a number of trials ranging from 2 to >10. Globally, the number of trials required inter-session ranged from 1 to >10 for kinematic, from 1 to 9 for kinetic, and 1 to >10 for electromyographic variables. Thus, for the double support analysis, three gait trials were required in order to assess the kinematic and kinetic variables in cross-sectional studies, while for longitudinal studies, a higher number of trials (>10) were required for kinematic, kinetic, and electromyographic variables.

Objective: To identify and summarize biomechanical assessment approaches in interlimb coordination on poststroke gait. Introduction: Interlimb coordination involves complex neurophysiological mechanisms that can be expressed through the biomechanical output. The deepening of this concept would have a significant contribution in gait rehabilitation in patients with an asymmetric neurological impairment as poststroke adults. Inclusion criteria: Poststroke adults (>19 years old), with assessment of interlimb coordination during gait, in an open context, according to the Population, Concept, Context framework. Methods: A literature search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science™, Scopus, and gray literature in Google Scholar™, according to the PRISMA-ScR recommendations. Studies written in Portuguese or English language and published between database inception and 14 November 2021 were included. Qualitative studies, conference proceedings, letters, and editorials were excluded. The main conceptual categories were “author/year”, “study design”, “participant’s characteristics”, “walking conditions”, “instruments” and “outcomes”. Results: The search identified 827 potentially relevant studies, with a remaining seven fulfilling the established criteria. Interlimb coordination was assessed during walking in treadmill (n = 3), overground (n = 3) and both (n = 1). The instruments used monitored electromyography (n = 2), kinetics (n = 2), and kinematics (n = 4) to assess spatiotemporal parameters (n = 4), joint kinematics (n = 2), anteroposterior ground reaction forces (n = 2), and electromyography root mean square (n = 2) outcomes. These outcomes were mostly used to analyze symmetry indices or ratios, to calculate propulsive impulse and external mechanical power produced on the CoM, as well as antagonist coactivation. Conclusions: Assessment of interlimb coordination during gait is important for consideration of natural auto-selected overground walking, using kinematic, kinetic, and EMG instruments. These allow for the collection of the main biomechanical outcomes that could contribute to improve better knowledge of interlimb coordination assessment in poststroke patients.

The aim of the study is to characterize physical activity (PA) levels and PA readiness as well as stratify cardiovascular risk among the population of polytechnics community members in the north region of Portugal, including students, academic teachers, and non-teacher staff. An online questionnaire about general sample characterization, PA level, and readiness was applied. Of the 717 respondents, 237 were academic teachers, 143 were non-teacher staff, and 337 were students. Most of the participants had a level of moderate PA, including students, academic teachers, and non-teacher staff (82%). The sedentary behavior was higher in the academic teachers and non-teacher staff groups. A total of 56% of the participants had low cardiovascular risk; the group of students were the population with higher risk. Approximately half of the participants need to consult a qualified professional before increasing their PA. Overall, the participants presented moderate levels of PA, although there is still a considerable number of sedentary people that must be considered.