Wearable Sensor Devices in Orthopedic Rehabilitation

Background: Wearable sensor technologies are emerging as promising tools to monitor orthopedic rehabilitation. This narrative review synthesizes recent evidence on wearable sensor applications across major orthopedic conditions. Materials and Methods: Relevant studies were identified through a literature search of PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar. Search terms included combinations of “wearable sensors,” “orthopedic rehabilitation,” “inertial measurement units,” “tele-rehabilitation,” “remote monitoring,” and “postoperative recovery.” Results: Studies demonstrate these technologies can accurately quantify kinematics, such as joint angles and gait metrics, and detect functional deficits that inform rehabilitation progress. Sensor-assisted rehabilitation has shown potential to improve mobility, strength, and patient adherence in selected studies and may achieve outcomes comparable to traditional therapy in certain contexts. Additionally, wearable technologies may improve exercise compliance and provide real-time feedback that could support rehabilitation performance and help clinicians monitoring factors associated with rein-jury risk. Conclusion: Although early evidence supports the feasibility and potential benefits of wearable technologies in orthopedic rehabilitation, further large-scale studies are needed to determine their long-term clinical impact and cost effectiveness.