POWER – Personalized Optimization of Wearables for Enhanced Rehabilitation.

This project aims to develop a personalized rehabilitation system for muscle and tendon rehabilitation. Research shows that rehabilitation from tendon and muscle injuries is often ineffective because the tissues are not optimally loaded. For example, while a tendon strain of ~5% is optimal for improving tendon strength, there is currently no practical method to determine this strain during a movement. The rehabilitation system to be developed aims to provide a personalized estimation of tendon strain and muscle loading by combining wearable sensors with physiological data that can be obtained by any health care provider. The system will be integrated into a user-friendly smartphone app, allowing patients to perform rehabilitation exercises at home, with real-time feedback and guidance. Specifically, tissue loading can be estimated from biomechanical data obtained with pressure insoles (ARION) and IMU’s (MOX) during various rehabilitation, daily living and sports movements. Muscle and tendon properties obtained with a 3D ultrasound scan at any health care clinic can then be used to translate this biomechanical load (e.g., tendon force) into a personalized tissue stress or strain (e.g., tendon strain). Ultimately, the goal of the project is to improve the effectiveness of non-invasive physical rehabilitation treatments.