Daily step count as an objective measure of function and pain relief after epidural steroid injections: a pilot smartwatch study

Friday, November 14, 2025

10:01 AM - 10:09 AM CT

Location: Griffin Hall

Introduction: Chronic low back pain remains a leading cause of disability and healthcare cost in the U.S. While managed non-surgically through interventions such as epidural steroid injections (ESIs), most outcome assessments rely on subjective patient-reported tools like the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) and SF-36 physical functioning scores. However, these tools are vulnerable to bias and poor validity. With the increasing adoption of wearable technology, step counts offer a promising avenue for objective assessment of treatment efficacy.

Co-Author(s)

Kanishka Rajput, n/a (she/her/hers)

Physician
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut, United States
HL

Hung-Mo Lin, n/a

Physician
Yale University, United States
XZ

Xiwen Zhao, n/a

Physician
Yale University, United States
RC

Robert Chow, MD

Pain Medicine Physician
Yale New Haven Hospital/Yale Medical School, United States

Submitting Author(s)

aB

adebayo C. Bello, n/a

Resident Physician
Yale University
New haven, Connecticut, United States

Co-Author(s)

NP

Nathan Pham, n/a

Physician
Yale University, United States
PW

Patricia Wang, n/a

Physician
Yale University, United States