Validation of IMU-based gait event detection during curved walking and turning in older adults and Parkinson’s Disease patients

Abstract Background Identification of individual gait events is essential for clinical analysis, because it can be used diagnostic purposes or tracking disease progression in neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. Previous research has shown that detected from a shank-mounted inertial measurement unit (IMU), however detection performance was often evaluated only straight-line walking. For use daily life, the needs to curved walking and turning well single-task dual-task conditions. Methods Participants (older adults, people with disease, who had suffered stroke) performed three different trials: (1) walking, (2) slalom (3) Stroop-and-walk trial. An optical motion capture system reference system. Markers were attached heel toe regions shoe, participants wore IMUs on lateral sides both shanks. The angular velocity shank detect instances initial foot contact (IC) final (FC), which compared values obtained marker trajectories. Results method showed high recall, precision F1 scores populations contacts during (IC: recall $$=$$ = 100%, score 100%; FC: 100%), $$\ge$$ ≥ 99%, 85%, 95%, 91%; 84%, 89%). Conclusions Shank-mounted turning. However, more false observed missed life we recommend identifying before extracting temporal parameters identified events.