Modern recovery isn’t just about rest and rehab; it’s about real-time insight! Thanks to wearable technology, orthopedic patients can now track their progress with precision and share valuable recovery data directly with their surgical team.
Whether it’s a smart brace, fitness tracker, or motion-sensing earbud, these tools are transforming how patients and surgeons work together after surgery. Today’s rehabilitation tools can do much more than count steps. Smart braces measure range of motion and stability; wrist devices and ear-based sensors monitor heart rate, sleep, and movement patterns. These metrics are securely transmitted to your orthopedic team through an app or patient portal. Surgeons can review how much you’re moving, whether you’re meeting exercise goals, or if your activity levels suggest discomfort or fatigue. It’s a 24/7 check-in, without the need for constant office visits.
This technology provides early warning signs that might otherwise go unnoticed. Some examples of flags for slow progress or risk of complications are listed below:
- Limited mobility: If a knee replacement patient isn’t bending the joint as expected, the data highlights the need for therapy adjustments.
- Abnormal heart rate or sleep disruption: These patterns can point to unmanaged pain or infection risk.
- Low activity levels: The system flags patients who may need motivational support or additional follow-up.
By catching these trends early, your surgeon can step in quickly to modify your care plan helping you to avoid setbacks.
Seeing your progress in real time can be incredibly motivating. Patients often find it easier to stick with therapy when they can visualize improvement, whether it’s a steady increase in range of motion, daily activity time, or pain reduction trends. Your data becomes your encouragement. With the surgeon reviewing your numbers at each follow-up, you gain accountability and reassurance that your recovery is on track.
To illustrate the technology’s capabilities, consider a patient who underwent knee replacement surgery. After a knee replacement, recovery depends on how well and how consistently you move. Today’s wearable technology gives both the patient and the surgeon a clear picture of how the knee is healing every step of the way. Some of the technology the surgical team may opt to use could include:
1. Smart Knee Braces: These look like lightweight, adjustable supports worn around the knee but inside, they’re packed with sensors.
- What they track: Range of motion, flexion/extension angles, step counts, and even how evenly you bear weight.
- How they help: Data uploads to your surgeon’s dashboard or physical therapy app, allowing the team to see if you’re hitting your movement milestones. If stiffness or limited motion appears, adjustments can be made early before scar tissue forms.
- Patient benefit: Less guessing. You’ll know exactly how far you’re bending and straightening — and can watch your progress increase each week.
2. Motion-Sensing Straps and Stickers: Small, wireless sensors (often the size of a coin) can be placed on your thigh and lower leg.
- What they track: Real-time joint motion and gait symmetry.
- How they help: The sensors capture how your knee moves while walking, climbing stairs, or performing home exercises. This helps therapists tailor your program and detect imbalances before they cause pain or strain on the new joint.
3. Smartwatches and Fitness Trackers: While not knee-specific, smartwatches add valuable context.
- What they track: Steps, heart rate, sleep quality, and overall activity levels.
- How they help: These readings can show whether you’re safely increasing mobility and maintaining cardiovascular health during recovery. Many surgeons and physical therapists now review this data to ensure patients are neither overdoing nor underdoing activity.
4. Connected Apps and Dashboards: These devices typically sync to an app where you can:
- View your progress charts (range of motion, step counts, pain levels).
- Receive reminders for exercises or icing.
- Communicate securely with your care team between visits.
Surgeons can monitor trends remotely and flag any concerns such as declining activity or limited knee flexion before they become complications.
As with any new technology, it’s natural to ask who can see your information. Reputable recovery platforms use HIPAA-compliant encryption to ensure that only you, your care team, and authorized providers have access. Data isn’t shared with third parties or insurers without consent. Most systems allow you to control what you share, from daily step counts to full motion data, giving you peace of mind while staying connected to your care team.
In the past, post-op progress relied mostly on how a patient felt or what could be observed during a check-up. Now, with wearable technology, your surgeon sees exactly how your new knee is performing day by day. That means more precise rehab plans, fewer setbacks, and often, faster recovery with better long-term results. To find out if wearable technology is appropriate for your active lifestyle or recovery, please consult with your treating physician.
Written by Kelly Reising who is passionate about nutrition, fitness and health.
Dr. Mc Millan is a Board-Certified orthopedic sports medicine surgeon practicing in the Virtua Health System of south Jersey. For more information please visit www.drseanmcmillan.com or follow us on twitter @sportsdrsean.
