Reliability and Validity of Inertial Sensors for Static Balance Assessment in Healthy and Chronic Ankle Instability Individuals

Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is a common condition marked by frequent ankle sprains and a sense of instability, which negatively impacts balance during daily activities. While inertial sensors, known for being portable, cost-effective, and easy-to-use alternatives to force plates, are widely used to assess balance in neurological populations, their use in musculoskeletal conditions like CAI is limited. These sensors have been applied to conditions such as Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis, but there is little research on their reliability and validity in CAI population. This study aims to fill that gap by investigating the test-retest reliability and validity of wearable inertial sensors in CAI individuals, using sensitive kinematic parameters like Root Mean Square (RMS) acceleration, JERK, and mean velocity.

Participants will be enrolled based on the inclusion criteria and then asked to perform (Balance error scoring system) BESS test wearing the sensors on the sacrum and shank. Balance error scoring system is a static balance assessment tool consisting of 3 stance conditions (double leg standing, single leg standing and tandem standing) on 2 surface conditions each (firm and foam surface). Then the balance outcome will first be compared to force plate to validate the sensors, test will be performed again after 24 hrs. to check the reliability.

Outcome measure like Root Mean Square Acceleration, JERK (Rate of change of acceleration) and Mean velocity will be assessed 2 times within 24 hrs. interval. Also, the data will be compared to prokin 252  tecnobody with center of pressure (COP) ellipse area, path length and average velocity for validation of inertial sensors. The data collected by the inertial sensors and prokin 252 will be assessed in MATLAB and SPSS windows version will be used in the study.