Commercial and Research-Based Wearable Devices in Spinal Postural Analysis: A Systematic Review

The widespread use of ubiquitous computing has led to people spending more time in front of screens, causing poor posture. The COVID-19 pandemic and the shift towards remote work have only worsened the situation, as many people are now working from home with inadequate ergonomics. Maintaining a healthy posture is crucial for both physical and mental health, and poor posture can result in spinal problems. Wearable systems have been developed to monitor posture and provide instant feedback. Their goal is to improve posture over time by using these devices. This article will review commercially available, and research-based wearable devices used to analyse posture. The potential of these devices in the healthcare industry, particularly in preventing, monitoring, and treating spinal and musculoskeletal conditions, will also be discussed. The findings indicate that current devices can accurately assess posture in clinical settings, but further research is needed to validate the long-term effectiveness of these technologies and to improve their practicality for commercial use.