Instant gait classification for hip osteoarthritis patients: a non-wearable sensor approach utilizing Pearson correlation, SMAPE, and GMM

Abstract

This study aims to establish a methodology for classifying gait patterns in patients with hip osteoarthritis without the use of wearable sensors. Although patients with the same pathological condition may exhibit significantly different gait patterns, an accurate and efficient classification system is needed: one that reduces the effort and preparation time for both patients and clinicians, allowing gait analysis and classification without the need for cumbersome sensors like EMG or camera-based systems. The proposed methodology follows three key steps. First, ground reaction forces are measured in three directions-anterior–posterior, medial–lateral, and vertical-using a force plate during gait analysis. These force data are then evaluated through two approaches: trend similarity is assessed using the Pearson correlation coefficient, while scale similarity is measured with the Symmetric Mean Absolute Percentage Error (SMAPE), comparing results with healthy controls. Finally, Gaussian Mixture Models (GMM) are applied to cluster both healthy controls and patients, grouping the patients into distinct categories based on six quantified metrics derived from the correlation and SMAPE. Using the proposed methodology, 16 patients with hip osteoarthritis were successfully categorized into two distinct gait groups (Group 1 and Group 2). The gait patterns of these groups were further analyzed by comparing joint moments and angles in the lower limbs among healthy individuals and the classified patient groups. This study demonstrates that gait pattern classification can be reliably achieved using only force-plate data, offering a practical tool for personalized rehabilitation in hip osteoarthritis patients. By incorporating quantitative variables that capture both gait trends and scale, the methodology efficiently classifies patients with just 2–3 ms of natural walking. This minimizes the burden on patients while delivering a more accurate and realistic assessment. The proposed approach maintains a level of accuracy comparable to more complex methods, while being easier to implement and more accessible in clinical settings. © The Author(s) 2025.