Could it be possible to predict the evolution of degenerative spine disease and the result of treatments applied to patients through the analysis of gait? This is the starting point of a research being undertaken by the Neurosurgery Service of Hospital da Luz Setúbal, which counts with the collaboration of the digital health company Kinetikos. In degenerative diseases of the spine, processes of wear in the spinal joints and intervertebral discs occur, that may compress the nerve roots. “The purpose of this study is to characterize the biomechanical variables of gait in individuals with degenerative spine disease and develop a predictive model for the evolution of the disease and the efficacy of the treatments applied, be it conservative or surgical”, explains the neurosurgeon Nuno Cristino , the coordinator of the Neurosurgery Service at Hospital da Luz Setúbal. In the context of this project, the patients’ gait is characterized using innovative technologies, supported by a web clinical platform (KinetikOS) and a mobile application (mKinetikos). The gait pattern of the patients is collected during a medical consultation, in a supervised environment and resorting to inertial sensors that are commonly used to characterize the motion of high-performance athletes. Through a mobile app installed in the patient’s smartphone, data is also collected concerning the mobility and functioning during daily activities in a non-supervised environment. “The study views to contribute for an individualized medicine, through the creation of a digital tool supporting the clinical decision”, further stresses Nuno Cristino.
