Markerless vision-based knee osteoarthritis classification using machine learning and gait videos

Introduction Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a major health issue affecting millions worldwide. This study employs machine learning algorithms to analyze human gait using kinematic data, aiming to enhance the diagnosis and detection of KOA. By adopting this approach, we contribute to the development of an effective diagnostic methods for KOA, a prevalent joint condition. Methods The methodology is structured around several critical steps to optimize the model’s performance. These steps include extracting kinematic features from video data to capture essential gait dynamics, applying data filtering and reduction techniques to remove noise and enhance data quality, and calculating key gait parameters to boost the model’s predictive power. The machine learning model trains on these refined features, validates through cross-validation for robust performance assessment, and tests on unseen data to ensure generalizability. Results Our approach demonstrates significant improvements in classification accuracy, highlighting its potential for early and precise KOA detection. The model achieves a high classification accuracy, indicating its effectiveness in distinguishing KOA-related gait patterns. Discussion Furthermore, a comparative analysis with another model trained on the same dataset demonstrates the superiority of our method, suggesting that the proposed approach serves as a reliable tool for early KOA detection and potentially improves clinical diagnostic workflows.