IoTToe: Monitoring Foot Angle Variability for Health Management and Safety

Toe-in (inward) and toe-out (outward) foot alignments significantly affect gait, posture, and joint stress, causing issues like abnormal gait, joint strain, and foot conditions such as plantar fasciitis and high arches. Addressing these alignments is crucial for improving mobility and comfort. This study introduces IoTToe, a wearable IoT device designed to detect and monitor gait patterns by using six ADXL345 sensors positioned on the foot, allowing healthcare providers to remotely monitor alignment via a webpage, reducing the need for physical tests. Tested on 45 participants aged 20–25 years with diverse BMIs, IoTToe proved suitable for both children and adults, supporting therapy and diagnostics. Statistical tests, including ICC, DFA, and ANOVA, confirmed the device’s effectiveness in detecting gait and postural control differences between legs. Gait variability results indicated that left leg showed more adaptability (DFA close to 0.5), compared to the right leg which was found more consistent (DFA close to 1). Postural control showed stable and agile standing with values between 0.5 and 1. Sensor combinations revealed that removing sensor B (on the gastrocnemius muscle) did not affect data quality. Moreover, taller individuals displayed smaller ankle angle changes, highlighting challenges in balance and upper body stability. IoTToe offers accurate data collection, reliability, portability, and significant potential for gait monitoring and injury prevention. Future studies would expand participation, especially among women and those with alignment issues, to enhance the system’s applicability for foot health management, safety and rehabilitation, further supporting telemetric applications in healthcare.