A team led by Drs. Elba Pascual-Goñi and Luis Querol, researchers from the Neuromuscular Diseases Group at the Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau), has published in the journal Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation the results of a study validating the use of digital biomechanical sensors to assess gait in people with peripheral neuropathies. The study was carried out in collaboration with the startup Ephion Health and showed that this technology can provide objective, sensitive, and repeatable measurements of patients’ functional status.
Gait assessment is a fundamental tool for understanding the functional impact of peripheral neuropathies, a group of diseases that affect the nerves connecting the central nervous system to the limbs. These impairments can cause muscle weakness, imbalance, instability, and difficulty walking, with a direct impact on patients’ quality of life. However, the clinical evaluation of these changes is often based on subjective scales that may not capture the most subtle or early changes.
The study included data from 79 patients with various types of peripheral neuropathies—both autoimmune and hereditary—and 50 healthy volunteers as a control group. Using a system of inertial sensors placed on different parts of the body and plantar pressure insoles, researchers collected multiple biomechanical parameters during a two-minute walking test. This system allowed for detailed analysis of spatiotemporal variables (such as walking speed, step length, or cadence), joint angles, and pressure distribution on the soles of the feet.
The results indicate that this system can detect prototypical abnormal gait patterns associated with peripheral neuropathies, such as ataxia—an uncoordinated or unstable gait—and steppage gait—an exaggerated knee lift to prevent the foot from dragging. These patterns are common in many neuropathies, and the digital system made it possible to identify them with great precision.
In addition, many of the biomechanical parameters measured correlate with conventional clinical scales, such as the MRC (Medical Research Council) score and the i-RODS scale, which are commonly used to assess strength and disability in this patient population.
One of the study’s key contributions is its longitudinal component. In a subgroup of patients who experienced clinically relevant changes over time, the system detected significant modifications in several biomechanical parameters, especially those related to knee, ankle, hip function, and plantar pressure. This demonstrates the system’s potential as a continuous monitoring tool and an objective functional biomarker for tracking the progression of peripheral neuropathies.
This study is particularly relevant in the current context, where the availability of new treatments for some peripheral neuropathies makes it more important than ever to have sensitive and objective tools to evaluate their effectiveness. Although conventional clinical scales are useful, they often have limited sensitivity and may fail to detect subtle but clinically meaningful changes. The use of biomechanical sensors helps overcome these limitations and paves the way for more accurate and personalized evaluation, both in clinical practice and in future therapeutic trials.
According to Dr. Pascual-Goñi, “The study shows that wearable technology based on inertial sensors and pressure insoles can provide an accurate and less subjective evaluation of gait, with applications in both clinical and research settings. It could facilitate early detection of changes, personalized patient monitoring, and the assessment of treatment efficacy in clinical trials.”
Reference article:
Tejada-Illa C, Pegueroles J, Claramunt-Molet M, Pi-Cervera A, Heras-Delgado A, Gascón-Fontal J, Idelsohn-Zielonka S, Rico M, Vidal N, Martín-Aguilar L, Caballero-Ávila M, Lleixà C, Collet-Vidiella R, Llansó L, Carbayo Á, Vesperinas A, Querol L, Pascual-Goñi E. Digital biomechanical assessment of gait in patients with peripheral neuropathies. J Neuroeng Rehabil 2025;22:159. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12984-025-01694-w
