Mobile Applications for Assessing Human Posture: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Smartphones are increasingly incorporated with features such as sensors and high resolution cameras that empower their capabilities, enabling their use for varied activities including human posture assessments. Previous reviews have discussed methods used in postural assessment but none of them focused exclusively on mobile applications. This paper systematically reviews mobile applications proposed for analyzing human posture based on alignment of the body in the sagittal and coronal plane. The main digital libraries were searched, 26 articles published between 2010 and 2020 were selected, and 13 mobile applications were identified, classified and discussed. Results showed that the use of mobile applications to assist with posture assessment have been demonstrated to be reliable, and this can contribute to clinical practice of health professionals, especially the assessment and reassessment phases of treatments, despite some variations when compared to traditional methods. Moreover, in the case of image-based applications, we highlight the advantage that measurements can be taken with the assessor at a certain distance with respect to the patient’s position, which is an important function for assessments performed in pandemic times such as the outbreak of COVID-19.

A mobile application tool for standing posture analysis: development, validity, and reliability

“…Limited numbers of mobile apps for posture assessment have demonstrated reliability and validity. The mobile apps use different methodologies such as using markers, sensors, and photographs, and have some advantages and disadvantages when compared to each other [ 12 ]. For example, some apps are sensor based (accelerometer or gyroscope), and they were mostly developed to assess spinal orientation such as lordosis and kyphosis [ 30 – 32 ].…”

“…The angles and translations such as tilted positions of the body segments are assessed by image-based solutions such the app in the present study. The PostureScreen Mobile (PSM) is the most cited posture assessment app based on image obtained from photos in the related literature among these apps [ 12 ]. As Fizyoprint has the similar technological platform with PSM, we discuss our results mostly with the literature investigating the reliability and validity of PSM.…”

“…Furthermore, 11 of 13 apps were classified as sensor-based (accelerometer or gyroscope) apps that have diverse approaches such as using assessment of radiographs [ 21 ] or direct contact with the body of patients [ 12 , 22 ]. Actually, most of the image-based solutions not only provide posture assessment for spinal orientation but also include other regions of the body by avoiding physically contact with patient and minimizing patients’ exposure to radiation [ 12 ]. However, up to our knowledge, there are still limited numbers of mobile apps for posture assessment of full body segments.…”

“…Visual inspection is a commonly used assessment method in the clinical settings, but visual inspection is lacking of scientific validation; it is highly prone to bias [10]. The literature reports a range of quantitative postural assessment techniques from the use of simple goniometerbased measurements to three-dimensional imaging technologies which are more objective measurements than visual inspection [11,12]. However, they have some advantages and disadvantages when compared with each other.…”

Real-Time Back Surface Landmark Determination Using a Time-of-Flight Camera

“…These include attempts to augment or replace existing tools with modern technologies. The most recent trend in diagnosis support is to use sensors and cameras built into smartphones [ 17 ]. Modern posture measurement tools are sophisticated systems that use a variety of measurement techniques.…”