LoadGuard – A breakthrough in musculoskeletal health

This project aims to create a wearable tool, like a smart insole from Ato-Gear, that can use statistical models (machine learning) to estimate how much strain our tissues experience during daily movements, exercise, or recovery. By using an app on a smartphone or smartwatch, it could give users instant feedback on their tissue stress levels. This would help people recovering from injuries understand their limits and reduce the risk of worsening their condition. Right now, no product on the market can measure tissue stress like this, so this project combines advanced insoles, data analysis, and body movement models to make it possible in a public-private partnership between Ato-Gear and Maastricht University.

Traumatic musculoskeletal injuries such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are among the most common injuries with an annual incidence in the general population of 68.6 per 100,000 people for ACL injuries alone. Up to 90% of the individuals with traumatic knee injuries also develop post-traumatic musculoskeletal injuries such as knee osteoarthritis (OA), which severely limits their mobility, quality of life and incurs major health care costs. While the aetiology of traumatic and post-traumatic musculoskeletal injuries is multifactorial, biomechanical loading has been identified as a key contributor. A wearable sensor that can quantify this mechanical loading would therefore be highly relevant. As such, this project aims to develop such a sensor.