Study: Patient Movement an Accurate Indicator of Pain

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland announced researchers have developed a new way to measure pain based on a patient's movement.

The study revealed patients in chronic pain move differently than patients not in pain. For the study, researchers monitored the physical activity of 15 pain-free subjects and 60 chronic pain patients using sensors equipped with gyroscopes and accelerometers. They found the active periods of chronic pain patients included numerous brief rest intervals. Researchers were also able to take data before, during and after treatment to gain a precise assessment of the treatment's effect.

Researchers defined 18 different states of activity based on activity combinations, intensity, duration and distribution. Using this information, they developed a "barcode" system that indicates how much pain a patient is in.

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