Wearable nanocomposite sensor system for diagnosing mechanical sources of low back pain and guiding rehabilitation

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PROJECT SUMMARY Back pain has gained the distinction of being the most disabling condition in the world [1-3], affecting 80-90% of the US population at some point in their lifetime, with 29% of the US population having experienced lower back pain within the last 3 months. Back and neck pain are the leading cause of missed work days and rank second only to the common cold as a reason for a visit to the doctor, accounting for approximately 30% of general practitioner visits. Of particular concern is chronic low back pain (cLBP), which is recurrent and often non-responsive to conservative treatments. It has long been recognized that spinal pathology changes the way that we move. Biomechanists, physical therapists, and surgeons each utilize a variety of tools and techniques to assess and interpret qualitative movement changes as a window to understanding potential mechanical and neurological sources of low back pain and as a critical element in their treatment paradigm. However, objectively characterizing and communicating this information is currently impossible, since clinically feasible (e.g., cost-effective, objective, and accurate) tools and quantitative benchmarks do not exist. This proposal addresses the challenge to improve cLBP outcomes through the use of unique, inexpensive, screen-printable, elastomer-based nano-composite piezoresponsive sensors which will be integrated into a SPInal Nanosensor Environment (SPINE Sense System) to measure lumbar kinematics and provide an objective, quantitative platform for diagnosis, monitoring, and follow-up assessment of cLBP.