Publicação
Effectiveness of Wearable Devices for Posture Correction: A Systematic Review of Evidence from Randomized and Quasi-Experimental Studies
| Resumo: | Introduction: The increasing development of wearable devices for postural monitoring (provide feedback on posture) or correction (mechanical or biofeedback to promote change) is partly driven by the rising prevalence of poor posture in the general population and its impact on pain perception and functional capacity. Objective: Examine the effects of wearable devices on posture correction or prevention and on related outcomes, including postural alignment, muscle activity, pain and functional performance. Methods: The review followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PEDro for studies published between 2012 and 2025. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental designs involving participants with postural deviations or at risk of developing them, who underwent interventions using wearable devices that provided vibratory, auditory, visual, or tactile biofeedback. Results: Eight studies reported immediate improvements in postural alignment, body awareness, and self-reported pain, particularly with devices providing vibratory or visual biofeedback. Functional task stability improved, and muscle activity during risky postures decreased. However, the strong heterogeneity across devices and protocols, small sample sizes, short intervention durations, and, in some cases, the lack of independent control groups limit the strength and generalizability of these findings. Conclusions: Wearable devices have potential as complementary tools in physiotherapy due to their autonomous and potentially effective nature. Nevertheless, current evidence remains insufficient to support definitive clinical recommendations. |
|---|---|
| Autores principais: | Caixeiro, Diogo |
| Outros Autores: | Cordeiro, Tomás; Constantino, Leandro; Carreira, João; Mendes, Rui; Silva, Cândida G.; Castro, Maria António |
| Assunto: | wearable devices postural alignment postural control biofeedback physiotherapy |
| Ano: | 2025 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | artigo |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra |
| _version_ | 1866409981684744192 |
|---|---|
| author | Caixeiro, Diogo |
| author2 | Cordeiro, Tomás Constantino, Leandro Carreira, João Mendes, Rui Silva, Cândida G. Castro, Maria António |
| author2_role | author author author author author author |
| author_facet | Caixeiro, Diogo Cordeiro, Tomás Constantino, Leandro Carreira, João Mendes, Rui Silva, Cândida G. Castro, Maria António |
| author_role | author |
| contributor_name_str_mv | Repositório Comum |
| country_str | PT |
| creators_json_txt | [{\"Person.name\":\"Caixeiro, Diogo\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Cordeiro, Tomás\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Constantino, Leandro\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Carreira, João\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Mendes, Rui\",\"Person.identifier.orcid\":\"0000-0002-2433-5193\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Silva, Cândida G.\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Castro, Maria António\"}] |
| datacite.contributors.contributor.contributorName.fl_str_mv | Repositório Comum |
| datacite.creators.creator.creatorName.fl_str_mv | Caixeiro, Diogo Cordeiro, Tomás Constantino, Leandro Carreira, João Mendes, Rui Silva, Cândida G. Castro, Maria António |
| datacite.date.Accepted.fl_str_mv | 2025-12-01T00:00:00Z |
| datacite.date.available.fl_str_mv | 2026-05-21T13:37:58Z |
| datacite.date.embargoed.fl_str_mv | 2026-05-21T13:37:58Z |
| datacite.rights.fl_str_mv | http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 |
| datacite.subjects.subject.fl_str_mv | wearable devices postural alignment postural control biofeedback physiotherapy |
| datacite.titles.title.fl_str_mv | Effectiveness of Wearable Devices for Posture Correction: A Systematic Review of Evidence from Randomized and Quasi-Experimental Studies |
| dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv | Repositório Comum |
| dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv | Caixeiro, Diogo Cordeiro, Tomás Constantino, Leandro Carreira, João Mendes, Rui Silva, Cândida G. Castro, Maria António |
| dc.date.Accepted.fl_str_mv | 2025-12-01T00:00:00Z |
| dc.date.available.fl_str_mv | 2026-05-21T13:37:58Z |
| dc.date.embargoed.fl_str_mv | 2026-05-21T13:37:58Z |
| dc.format.none.fl_str_mv | application/pdf |
| dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv | http://hdl.handle.net/10400.26/63248 |
| dc.language.none.fl_str_mv | eng |
| dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv | MDPI AG |
| dc.rights.cclincense.fl_str_mv | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
| dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv | http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 |
| dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv | wearable devices postural alignment postural control biofeedback physiotherapy |
| dc.title.fl_str_mv | Effectiveness of Wearable Devices for Posture Correction: A Systematic Review of Evidence from Randomized and Quasi-Experimental Studies |
| dc.type.none.fl_str_mv | http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501 |
| description | Introduction: The increasing development of wearable devices for postural monitoring (provide feedback on posture) or correction (mechanical or biofeedback to promote change) is partly driven by the rising prevalence of poor posture in the general population and its impact on pain perception and functional capacity. Objective: Examine the effects of wearable devices on posture correction or prevention and on related outcomes, including postural alignment, muscle activity, pain and functional performance. Methods: The review followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PEDro for studies published between 2012 and 2025. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental designs involving participants with postural deviations or at risk of developing them, who underwent interventions using wearable devices that provided vibratory, auditory, visual, or tactile biofeedback. Results: Eight studies reported immediate improvements in postural alignment, body awareness, and self-reported pain, particularly with devices providing vibratory or visual biofeedback. Functional task stability improved, and muscle activity during risky postures decreased. However, the strong heterogeneity across devices and protocols, small sample sizes, short intervention durations, and, in some cases, the lack of independent control groups limit the strength and generalizability of these findings. Conclusions: Wearable devices have potential as complementary tools in physiotherapy due to their autonomous and potentially effective nature. Nevertheless, current evidence remains insufficient to support definitive clinical recommendations. |
| dirty | 0 |
| eu_rights_str_mv | openAccess |
| format | article |
| fulltext.url.fl_str_mv | https://comum.rcaap.pt/bitstreams/c92e4e8b-d76b-49fa-b9f0-427112fef817/download |
| id | ipc_e30c16fc3a97c2b30c2e2a8dc3ce495b |
| identifier.url.fl_str_mv | http://hdl.handle.net/10400.26/63248 |
| instacron_str | ipc |
| institution | Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra |
| instname_str | Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra |
| language | eng |
| network_acronym_str | ipc |
| network_name_str | Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra |
| oai_identifier_str | oai:comum.rcaap.pt:10400.26/63248 |
| organization_str_mv | urn:organizationAcronym:ipc |
| person_str_mv | Caixeiro, Diogo Cordeiro, Tomás Constantino, Leandro Carreira, João Mendes, Rui Mendes, Rui https://www.ciencia-id.pt/A71F-1E22-D496 A71F-1E22-D496 http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2433-5193 0000-0002-2433-5193 Silva, Cândida G. Castro, Maria António |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publisher.none.fl_str_mv | MDPI AG |
| reponame_str | Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra |
| repository_id_str | urn:repositoryAcronym:ipc |
| service_str_mv | urn:repositoryAcronym:ipc |
| spelling | engMDPI AGengIntroduction: The increasing development of wearable devices for postural monitoring (provide feedback on posture) or correction (mechanical or biofeedback to promote change) is partly driven by the rising prevalence of poor posture in the general population and its impact on pain perception and functional capacity. Objective: Examine the effects of wearable devices on posture correction or prevention and on related outcomes, including postural alignment, muscle activity, pain and functional performance. Methods: The review followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PEDro for studies published between 2012 and 2025. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental designs involving participants with postural deviations or at risk of developing them, who underwent interventions using wearable devices that provided vibratory, auditory, visual, or tactile biofeedback. Results: Eight studies reported immediate improvements in postural alignment, body awareness, and self-reported pain, particularly with devices providing vibratory or visual biofeedback. Functional task stability improved, and muscle activity during risky postures decreased. However, the strong heterogeneity across devices and protocols, small sample sizes, short intervention durations, and, in some cases, the lack of independent control groups limit the strength and generalizability of these findings. Conclusions: Wearable devices have potential as complementary tools in physiotherapy due to their autonomous and potentially effective nature. Nevertheless, current evidence remains insufficient to support definitive clinical recommendations.application/pdfengEffectiveness of Wearable Devices for Posture Correction: A Systematic Review of Evidence from Randomized and Quasi-Experimental StudiesCaixeiro, DiogoCordeiro, TomásConstantino, LeandroCarreira, JoãoPersonalMendes, RuiDSpacehttp://dspace.org/items/b75ec7e9-b217-42e1-9df0-a340e34ca0d0DSpacehttp://dspace.org/items/b75ec7e9-b217-42e1-9df0-a340e34ca0d0MendesRuiCiência IDhttps://www.ciencia-id.ptA71F-1E22-D496ORCIDhttp://orcid.org0000-0002-2433-5193Scopus Author IDhttps://www.scopus.com54881476100Silva, Cândida G.Castro, Maria AntónioHostingInstitutionOrganizationalRepositório Comume-mailmailto:comum@rcaap.ptcomum@rcaap.ptISSNIsPartOf2076-3417DOIIsPartOf10.3390/app160100812026-05-21T13:37:58Z2025-122025-12-01T00:00:00ZHandlehttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.26/63248http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2open accesswearable devicespostural alignmentpostural controlbiofeedbackphysiotherapy432077 bytesliteraturehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501journal article2025-12http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2application/pdffulltexthttps://comum.rcaap.pt/bitstreams/c92e4e8b-d76b-49fa-b9f0-427112fef817/downloadApplied Sciences161121 |
| spellingShingle | Effectiveness of Wearable Devices for Posture Correction: A Systematic Review of Evidence from Randomized and Quasi-Experimental Studies Caixeiro, Diogo wearable devices postural alignment postural control biofeedback physiotherapy |
| status | SINGLETON |
| subject.fl_str_mv | wearable devices postural alignment postural control biofeedback physiotherapy |
| title | Effectiveness of Wearable Devices for Posture Correction: A Systematic Review of Evidence from Randomized and Quasi-Experimental Studies |
| title_full | Effectiveness of Wearable Devices for Posture Correction: A Systematic Review of Evidence from Randomized and Quasi-Experimental Studies |
| title_fullStr | Effectiveness of Wearable Devices for Posture Correction: A Systematic Review of Evidence from Randomized and Quasi-Experimental Studies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effectiveness of Wearable Devices for Posture Correction: A Systematic Review of Evidence from Randomized and Quasi-Experimental Studies |
| title_short | Effectiveness of Wearable Devices for Posture Correction: A Systematic Review of Evidence from Randomized and Quasi-Experimental Studies |
| title_sort | Effectiveness of Wearable Devices for Posture Correction: A Systematic Review of Evidence from Randomized and Quasi-Experimental Studies |
| topic | wearable devices postural alignment postural control biofeedback physiotherapy |
| topic_facet | wearable devices postural alignment postural control biofeedback physiotherapy |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10400.26/63248 |
| visible | 1 |