CHUV inaugurates Swiss BioMotion Lab for advanced osteoarthritis research and treatment

The CHUV has inaugurated the state-of-the-art Swiss BioMotion Lab in Lausanne, which offers innovative solutions for the study and treatment of osteoarthritis through cutting-edge motion analysis.

The Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) inaugurated the Swiss BioMotion Lab, a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to the analysis and rehabilitation of osteoarthritis. Equipped with advanced motion capture systems, including a tilting treadmill and a large curved screen, the lab simulates real-world walking conditions to study patients’ biomechanics in detail. This allows clinicians to analyze patients’ gait patterns and suggest personalized treatments.

Osteoarthritis, affecting 90% of people over 65, is the most common joint disease, characterized by the deterioration of cartilage. With no cure currently available, treatments focus on managing pain, improving joint function, and slowing the disease’s progression. The Swiss BioMotion Lab, operational since 2014, has already made strides in linking walking characteristics to osteoarthritis severity. With the new facilities, the lab can expand research to larger populations and offer more personalized rehabilitation plans.

“These new capabilities allow us to study real-life walking conditions,” explained Professors Brigitte Jolles-Haeberli and Dr. Julien Favre, co-directors of the lab. Patients walk on a treadmill while watching changing landscapes on a large screen, simulating terrains such as the shores of Lake Geneva or the hills of Lavaux. The treadmill can be tilted and provides detailed feedback to help patients adjust their movements.

The lab’s advanced algorithms, powered by artificial intelligence, analyze data for both clinical and research purposes. This could revolutionize the treatment of osteoarthritis, from surgical planning to prosthesis design. Future research aims to expand the lab’s scope to other conditions, such as low back pain and upper limb osteoarthritis.