The London Spine Unit : innovative treatment clinic on Harley Street UK
Published article
The ankle-worn accelerometer provided the most accurate step count, but wrongly registered steps during non-walking activities. The developed step detection method shows potential as a measure of walking activity why further development and testing under free-living conditions should be performed.
Lumbar Disc Replacement Expert. Best Spinal Surgeon UK
Abstract
Study design: A method development and validation study.
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to develop and test a method for step detection using accelerometer data in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. There are two objectives: (1) to describe a method for step detection from accelerations measured at the wrist, hip, lower back, thigh and ankle. (2) to assess the accuracy of the method during walking with and without walking aids and during non-walking activities.
Summary of background data: Loss of walking ability is one of the main symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis, and there is no validated measure to assess walking activity in daily living in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.
Methods: Thirty patients with lumbar spinal stenosis performed a standardized movement protocol that included walking with and without walking aids and performing non-walking activities while wearing accelerometers on five different wear-sites. After the walking tests, a method was designed for optimal step detection and compared to a gold standard of observed step count.
Results: The method for step detection applied to accelerations from the lower back, hip, thigh, and ankle provided an accurate step counts during continuous walking without walking-aids. Accuracy diminished at all wear-sites when walking with walking aids, except the ankle. The wrist provided the most inaccurate step count, and the accelerometers on the thigh and ankle were prone to falsely detecting steps during bicycling.
The ankle-worn accelerometer provided the most accurate step count, but wrongly registered steps during non-walking activities. The developed step detection method shows potential as a measure of walking activity why further development and testing under free-living conditions should be performed.
The London Spine Unit : innovative treatment clinic on Harley Street UK
Read more from the original source:
Step Count in Patients with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis- accuracy During Walking and Non-walking Activities