One of the most common ataxias in Finland is the mitochondrial recessive ataxia syndrome (MIRAS). Since MIRAS cannot be yet cured, clinical manifestations are only treated symptomatically. This goes along with regular visits to the clinic which is time-consuming for both, patient and therapist. We propose a new method to assess the progression of the disease at home with wearable inertial measuring units (IMUs). In a study consisting of one MIRAS patient and five control subjects we investigated whether MIRAS can be detected with IMU sensors placed on the hand while performing movement and static tasks. We found features such as the amount of high frequency components, signal amplitudes, and signal correlation that could be useful for tracking the disease. Based on these results we further suggest investigating the use of IMU sensors in home-based assessments over a longer period of time to monitor the progression of the disease, for example, by using a glove containing an IMU sensor or wrist-worn IMU sensors.