Comparison of the optoelectronic BTS Smart system and IMU-based MyoMotion system for the assessment of gait variables

Although inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based systems have been validated against optoelectronic systems for recording joint kinematics, the accuracy of each system must be evaluated, and measurements from different systems cannot be easily compared. Therefore, this study compared the joint angles recorded using the IMU-based MyoMotion system and the optoelectronic BTS Smart-DX 700 system during Nordic walking. Methods: The study subject, a long-time Nordic walking instructor, was assigned to walk 12 m/trial (14 trials with 5 sampled gait cycles) at a velocity preferred for Nordic walking. The trials were simultaneously recorded by both systems. The instantaneous lower (ankle, knee, hip) and upper (shoulder, elbow, wrist) limb joint angles were recorded. Results: The joint angles from MyoMotion were significantly larger or smaller (depending on the joint and plane) than those from BTS. Conclusions: Joint angles measured by MyoMotion are not interchangeable with values from BTS, and IMU-recorded values should be interpreted carefully. However, MyoMotion can still provide information about intra-individual changes based on the joint angle profiles, e.g., following Nordic walking training.