Psychometric properties of portable devices used in kinematic gait assessment after stroke: a systematic review protocol

Background Portable devices comprising inertial sensors are an alternative for kinematic gait assessment in people after stroke. Nevertheless, there is limited knowledge regarding the psychometric properties of these devices, specifically their reliability and measurement error, in the context of post-stroke gait assessment. Our objective is to investigate the psychometric properties of these devices in evaluating kinematic gait parameters in people after stroke. We will also analyze the reliability and measurement error of these devices and identify portable devices that can assess changes in lower limb angular movements during gait in this population. Methods We will search for studies in English, without publication date restriction, that have evaluated psychometric properties of portable devices utilizing inertial sensors to assess kinematic gait parameters in people after stroke. Searches will be performed in the following electronic databases: Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Medline/PubMed, EMBASE Ovid, CINAHL EBSCO, PsycINFO Ovid, IEEE Xplore Digital Library (IEEE), and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro). Gray literature will also be searched, including published and unpublished studies (dissertations and theses). The Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) risk of bias tool will be used to assess the quality of studies that analyzed reliability and measurement error of devices. Expected results This will be the first review to analyze reliability and measurement error of portable devices utilizing inertial sensors to evaluate kinematic gait parameters in people after stroke, using the COSMIN tool. Then, we hope to elucidate this topic and help the decision-making of clinicians regarding the use of these devices. Finally, we also hope to list the portable devices that assessed changes in angular lower limb movements during gait in this population. Registration The protocol was registered in Open Science Framework on May 11th 2023 (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/7M6DA).