Can your smartwatch predict a fall? New research points to early warning signs

 https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/byo5i5m4ml

Smartwatches and smartphones may help identify early changes in walking patterns linked to fall risk among older adults; Research suggests the technology can track functional decline and support earlier intervention, though it does not replace medical evaluation

Although measurements taken by a smartphone or smartwatch are not as accurate as those performed in a professional gait laboratory, studies show they are accurate enough to track changes over time, identify deterioration in walking patterns and alert users when a professional evaluation or therapeutic intervention may be needed.

In other words, instead of relying only on a one-time clinic assessment, continuous monitoring can provide a broader and more realistic picture of how a person walks during everyday life — at home, on the street, while shopping or during other routine activities. Continuous monitoring in a person’s natural environment may reveal information that is not always visible during a short clinical examination.