One of the challenges of managing multiple sclerosis (MS) is that your symptoms change over time. Tracking the progression of MS symptoms is important so that you and your doctors can adjust your treatment over time. Otherwise, some symptoms, such as balance and posture, are hard to quantify, and you may not realize that something is different until it's gotten severe.
Doctors and physical therapists have used in-office assessments to diagnose gait, posture, and balance issues for people with MS. These appointments are helpful, but they occur after long intervals and may not reveal changes in their earliest stages. The appointments also only allow doctors to examine a limited set of activities.
Monitoring Daily Activity
Recent advances in wearable technology have made it possible for doctors to prescribe activity monitoring at home. Researchers have found that people with MS can wear non-invasive devices that measure their gait, posture, and balance as they go about their daily lives. The monitoring is just as good as the kind of biosensor monitoring you would have in a doctor's office.
What's more, the at-home monitors give doctors a chance to see how you manage particular tasks of daily living. Your doctor will be able to tell how you're managing certain activities, such as driving, walking on stairs, or using the shower. This gives your doctors a snapshot of your life so they can help you address challenges and see how well new accommodations work in practice.
How the Sensors Work
The sensors are small devices that look like a smartwatch, and you wear it on your wrist. In some cases, your doctor might suggest a sensor that you wear elsewhere, such as on an ankle or around your torso. They are removable and don't cause any discomfort.
The sensors collected data about your movement, heart rate, respiration, sleep patterns, and other info. You may also keep an activity log to give your doctor more information to go with the data from the sensors. Your doctor will tell you how many days you should wear the devices.
Regular Use
The at-home use of biosensors is an emerging diagnostic tool for MS treatment. Researchers have found that the data they collect is accurate and useful. Doctors and physical therapists are working out how to use the devices and the data they collect in treating people with MS.
Over time, using wearable sensors to check posture, gait, and balance changes may become a standard part of MS care.
