Validity of a wireless instrumented insole (WalkinSense system) for measuring gait metrics

Melanie Eckelt; Jennifer Fayad; Anne Backes; Gaëlle Schurmans; Frederic Garcia; Bernd Grimm; Valeria Serchi; Tobias Meyer; Thomas Solignac; Caroline Mouton; Romain Seil; Laurent Malisoux

doi:10.1002/jeo2.70438

Validity of a wireless instrumented insole (WalkinSense system) for measuring gait metrics

Melanie Eckelt^*, Jennifer Fayad, Anne Backes, Gaëlle Schurmans, Frederic Garcia, Bernd Grimm, Valeria Serchi, Tobias Meyer, Thomas Solignac, Caroline Mouton, Romain Seil, Laurent Malisoux

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

PURPOSE: Gait analysis has become a valuable tool in assessing abnormal gait patterns and quantifying improvements resulting from interventions, particularly in the rehabilitation of orthopaedic patients. Wearables can measure gait metrics in daily life settings, but they must first be validated before being applied in such contexts. This study aims to assess the validity of a wireless instrumented insole (WalkinSense).

METHODS: Recordings of 104 healthy participants were obtained at various speed and slope conditions (3 km/h, 4.5 km/h [-3°, -6°, +3° and +6°], 6 km/h and 9 km/h). Spatiotemporal and kinematic variables were collected simultaneously with an instrumented treadmill, a three-dimensional motion capture system and with the WalkinSense system. Mean bias between the systems was assessed using separate Bland-Altman analyses for each metric and condition. Mean error and limits of agreement (absolute and percentage) were calculated and the agreement was statistically quantified using a priori set thresholds (excellent <5%, good <10%, acceptable <15% and poor >15%). MAPE scores and a two-way mixed model intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for consistency were also calculated.

RESULTS: All spatiotemporal variables (except double support time) showed good or excellent agreement, MAPE scores lower than 5% and ICC values > 0.88 in the walking speeds. Data collected with the WalkinSense system showed acceptable or good agreement for the spatiotemporal variables in running. Kinematic variables showed only poor agreements across all speeds and slopes.

CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the WalkinSense system may be useful to quantify spatiotemporal variables with good to excellent accuracy across various walking speeds. However, based on the results of this study indicate that the WalkinSense system is not suitable for measuring kinematic variables without substantial improvements.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, diagnostic studies.

Original language	English
Article number	e70438
Number of pages	11
Journal	Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics
Volume	12
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/jeo2.70438 https://doi.org/10.1002/jeo2.70438
Publication status	Published - 27 Sept 2025

Keywords

gait analysis
instrumented insoles
rehabilitation
validation
wearables

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10.1002/jeo2.70438

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Eckelt, M., Fayad, J., Backes, A., Schurmans, G., Garcia, F., Grimm, B., Serchi, V., Meyer, T., Solignac, T., Mouton, C., Seil, R., & Malisoux, L. (2025). Validity of a wireless instrumented insole (WalkinSense system) for measuring gait metrics. Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics, 12(4), Article e70438. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeo2.70438, https://doi.org/10.1002/jeo2.70438

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title = "Validity of a wireless instrumented insole (WalkinSense system) for measuring gait metrics",

abstract = "PURPOSE: Gait analysis has become a valuable tool in assessing abnormal gait patterns and quantifying improvements resulting from interventions, particularly in the rehabilitation of orthopaedic patients. Wearables can measure gait metrics in daily life settings, but they must first be validated before being applied in such contexts. This study aims to assess the validity of a wireless instrumented insole (WalkinSense).METHODS: Recordings of 104 healthy participants were obtained at various speed and slope conditions (3 km/h, 4.5 km/h [-3°, -6°, +3° and +6°], 6 km/h and 9 km/h). Spatiotemporal and kinematic variables were collected simultaneously with an instrumented treadmill, a three-dimensional motion capture system and with the WalkinSense system. Mean bias between the systems was assessed using separate Bland-Altman analyses for each metric and condition. Mean error and limits of agreement (absolute and percentage) were calculated and the agreement was statistically quantified using a priori set thresholds (excellent <5\%, good <10\%, acceptable <15\% and poor >15\%). MAPE scores and a two-way mixed model intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for consistency were also calculated.RESULTS: All spatiotemporal variables (except double support time) showed good or excellent agreement, MAPE scores lower than 5\% and ICC values > 0.88 in the walking speeds. Data collected with the WalkinSense system showed acceptable or good agreement for the spatiotemporal variables in running. Kinematic variables showed only poor agreements across all speeds and slopes.CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the WalkinSense system may be useful to quantify spatiotemporal variables with good to excellent accuracy across various walking speeds. However, based on the results of this study indicate that the WalkinSense system is not suitable for measuring kinematic variables without substantial improvements.LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, diagnostic studies.",

keywords = "gait analysis, instrumented insoles, rehabilitation, validation, wearables",

author = "Melanie Eckelt and Jennifer Fayad and Anne Backes and Ga{\"e}lle Schurmans and Frederic Garcia and Bernd Grimm and Valeria Serchi and Tobias Meyer and Thomas Solignac and Caroline Mouton and Romain Seil and Laurent Malisoux",

note = "Funding: Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR); Ministry of the Economy {\textcopyright} 2025 The Author(s). Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics published by John Wiley \& Sons Ltd on behalf of European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy.",

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month = sep,

day = "27",

doi = "10.1002/jeo2.70438",

language = "English",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Validity of a wireless instrumented insole (WalkinSense system) for measuring gait metrics

AU - Eckelt, Melanie

AU - Fayad, Jennifer

AU - Backes, Anne

AU - Schurmans, Gaëlle

AU - Garcia, Frederic

AU - Grimm, Bernd

AU - Serchi, Valeria

AU - Meyer, Tobias

AU - Solignac, Thomas

AU - Mouton, Caroline

AU - Seil, Romain

AU - Malisoux, Laurent

N1 - Funding: Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR); Ministry of the Economy © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy.

PY - 2025/9/27

Y1 - 2025/9/27

N2 - PURPOSE: Gait analysis has become a valuable tool in assessing abnormal gait patterns and quantifying improvements resulting from interventions, particularly in the rehabilitation of orthopaedic patients. Wearables can measure gait metrics in daily life settings, but they must first be validated before being applied in such contexts. This study aims to assess the validity of a wireless instrumented insole (WalkinSense).METHODS: Recordings of 104 healthy participants were obtained at various speed and slope conditions (3 km/h, 4.5 km/h [-3°, -6°, +3° and +6°], 6 km/h and 9 km/h). Spatiotemporal and kinematic variables were collected simultaneously with an instrumented treadmill, a three-dimensional motion capture system and with the WalkinSense system. Mean bias between the systems was assessed using separate Bland-Altman analyses for each metric and condition. Mean error and limits of agreement (absolute and percentage) were calculated and the agreement was statistically quantified using a priori set thresholds (excellent <5%, good <10%, acceptable <15% and poor >15%). MAPE scores and a two-way mixed model intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for consistency were also calculated.RESULTS: All spatiotemporal variables (except double support time) showed good or excellent agreement, MAPE scores lower than 5% and ICC values > 0.88 in the walking speeds. Data collected with the WalkinSense system showed acceptable or good agreement for the spatiotemporal variables in running. Kinematic variables showed only poor agreements across all speeds and slopes.CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the WalkinSense system may be useful to quantify spatiotemporal variables with good to excellent accuracy across various walking speeds. However, based on the results of this study indicate that the WalkinSense system is not suitable for measuring kinematic variables without substantial improvements.LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, diagnostic studies.

AB - PURPOSE: Gait analysis has become a valuable tool in assessing abnormal gait patterns and quantifying improvements resulting from interventions, particularly in the rehabilitation of orthopaedic patients. Wearables can measure gait metrics in daily life settings, but they must first be validated before being applied in such contexts. This study aims to assess the validity of a wireless instrumented insole (WalkinSense).METHODS: Recordings of 104 healthy participants were obtained at various speed and slope conditions (3 km/h, 4.5 km/h [-3°, -6°, +3° and +6°], 6 km/h and 9 km/h). Spatiotemporal and kinematic variables were collected simultaneously with an instrumented treadmill, a three-dimensional motion capture system and with the WalkinSense system. Mean bias between the systems was assessed using separate Bland-Altman analyses for each metric and condition. Mean error and limits of agreement (absolute and percentage) were calculated and the agreement was statistically quantified using a priori set thresholds (excellent <5%, good <10%, acceptable <15% and poor >15%). MAPE scores and a two-way mixed model intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for consistency were also calculated.RESULTS: All spatiotemporal variables (except double support time) showed good or excellent agreement, MAPE scores lower than 5% and ICC values > 0.88 in the walking speeds. Data collected with the WalkinSense system showed acceptable or good agreement for the spatiotemporal variables in running. Kinematic variables showed only poor agreements across all speeds and slopes.CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the WalkinSense system may be useful to quantify spatiotemporal variables with good to excellent accuracy across various walking speeds. However, based on the results of this study indicate that the WalkinSense system is not suitable for measuring kinematic variables without substantial improvements.LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, diagnostic studies.

KW - gait analysis

KW - instrumented insoles

KW - rehabilitation

KW - validation

KW - wearables

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105017853142

U2 - 10.1002/jeo2.70438

DO - 10.1002/jeo2.70438

M3 - Article

C2 - 41018949

SN - 2197-1153

VL - 12

JO - Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics

JF - Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics

IS - 4

M1 - e70438

ER -

Validity of a wireless instrumented insole (WalkinSense system) for measuring gait metrics

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