Computerized activity monitoring preoperatively and postoperatively.

One of the central goals of reconstructive foot and ankle surgery is restoration of or improvement in the quality of physical activity. Until recently, objective assessment of how well this goal has been attained has been elusive at best. Recent advances in activity monitoring have advanced sufficiently to help many clinicians and researchers objectively measure and potentially modulate activity. In this brief article, we describe our current experience with computerized activity monitoring. Use of modalities such as these may ultimately be able to monitor and dose levels of activity just as we do with a drug.