Enhancing Joint Tolerance and Functional Mobility in Osteoarthritis with MAI Motion Technology

Osteoarthritis is a widespread and often painful condition that can make even simple, everyday movements feel like a challenge. Stiffness, pain, and reduced mobility are common, affecting millions of people worldwide. Managing osteoarthritis effectively depends on understanding how your joints move and finding ways to improve their function. That's where new advances like MAI Motion —a state-of-the-art, markerless motion analysis system—are changing the game. In this article, we'll explore how MAI Motion is helping people with osteoarthritis achieve better joint flexibility and movement, making daily life easier and more comfortable.

The Importance of Movement Analysis in Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis primarily affects the cartilage, the smooth tissue that cushions and protects the ends of your bones. As cartilage wears down, joints get sore and stiff, limiting how easily you can move. Staying active is one of the best ways to keep joints healthy, but the activity needs to be gentle—think walking, cycling, or regular stretching. These kinds of exercises help protect your cartilage without placing extra stress on already-sensitive joints.

To design the right treatment for each patient, healthcare professionals need accurate, detailed information about joint movement and how well joints handle daily activities. Traditional methods for measuring movement can be uncomfortable, time-intensive, or simply incomplete. That's why innovative, markerless technologies like MAI Motion are so valuable in osteoarthritis care. According to Armstrong et al. (2024), this new approach provides a sensitive, cost-effective alternative to traditional motion capture techniques, allowing clinicians to gather deeper insights with less hassle.

How MAI Motion Works

MAI Motion uses advanced cameras and intelligent software to analyze movement—no sensors or markers required. Its process is simple: participants perform a sit-to-stand test (standing up from a chair), repeating the movement three times. This test captures how the joints move in a natural, everyday action.

Recent research by Wen and colleagues (2025) found that three repetitions of this test provide results that are just as accurate as more time-consuming protocols with five repetitions. In their study, participants also preferred the shorter version since it required less effort, making the assessment both effective and patient-friendly. The MAI Motion system tracks joint angles and the smoothness of each movement, giving clinicians clear, objective data that reveal a person’s level of mobility and how well their joints tolerate activity.

The technology achieves this by generating 3D information about the body from regular video, using advanced neural networks that interpret both spatial and temporal aspects of movement (Armstrong et al., 2024).

The Benefits of MAI Motion for Osteoarthritis Care

MAI Motion offers several key benefits for people with osteoarthritis. By accurately tracking how joints cope with repeated movement, clinicians can pinpoint areas where joint stability can be improved. Enhanced joint tolerance means that everyday activities—and recommended exercises—can be done more safely, helping protect cartilage and reduce pain.

The system’s detailed feedback allows healthcare providers to design personalized exercise and rehab programs tailored to each person’s needs and physical limits. Because the three-repetition protocol is more comfortable and quicker for patients, it’s easy to integrate into regular check-ups or therapy sessions without causing fatigue or discomfort. In addition, the markerless approach captures more natural movement, since there are no sensors or bulky markers interfering with how the body moves.

What’s more, standard video equipment (like RGB cameras) can be used in clinic settings—making the technology accessible and practical for a wider range of healthcare providers (Armstrong et al., 2024).

The Future of Osteoarthritis Assessment and Treatment

MAI Motion brings new precision and convenience to assessing joint health in osteoarthritis. Its markerless technology and validated three-repetition protocol strike the ideal balance between accurate data collection and patient comfort. This empowers clinicians to customize treatment and rehabilitation plans, potentially improving mobility, reducing discomfort, and protecting joint health for the long term.

As technology advances, tools like MAI Motion promise to transform osteoarthritis care. By offering clear, actionable insights into joint function and tolerance, they pave the way for more personalized and effective treatments—helping people stay active and comfortable. These new biomarkers can also help track progress over time, measure the effectiveness of interventions, and spot early signs of change in joint health (Armstrong et al., 2024).