Systems and methods to assess balance

A method, comprising:

• attaching a portable computing device to a patient's back proximal to a center of mass (COM) of the patient, wherein the portable computing device comprises an accelerometer and a gyrometer;
• executing, by a processor of the portable computing device, a balance test module, wherein the balance test module comprises a balance test, the executing comprises:
• acquiring test data for the patient from the accelerometer and gyrometer indicating movement of the portable computing device during performance of the balance test, wherein the test data represents motion of the portable computing device affixed to the patient during the balance test, wherein the accelerometer and the gyrometer are configured to sense the test data;
• processing the test data to provide processed data that includes at least one of acceleration data, rotational rate data and rotational position data corresponding to movement of the portable computing device during the balance test;
• applying a biomechanical model to the processed data to provide COM motion data representing movement of the COM in multiple dimensions for the patient during the at least one test;
• providing, by a processor of the portable computing device, feedback about the patient, the providing comprises:
• generating, by the processor of the portable computing device, an output related to motion of the COM of the patient based on the COM motion data;
• and
• displaying, by a display device, a visualization of the output on a display, wherein the visualization comprises an animated graphic that demonstrates the patient's movement along at least one axis based on the COM motion data and superimposed over a line based on the COM motion data and a baseline line that is based on reference COM motion data representing a hypothetical statistical normal patient.