Comparison of pedometer and accelerometer derived steps in older individuals with Parkinson's disease or osteoporosis under free-living conditions

• Published in: Journal of aging and physical activity 2014-10, Vol.22 (4), p.550-556
• Main Authors: Wallén, Martin Benka, Dohrn, Ing-Mari, Ståhle, Agneta, Franzén, Erika, Hagströmer, Maria
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accelerometers; Accelerometry - instrumentation; Accelerometry - methods; Aged; Clinical assessment; Clinical research; Densitometry - methods; Diagnostic Equipment; Exercise; Female; Gait; Humans; Independent Living; Living conditions; Male; Motor Activity - physiology; Movement - physiology; Older people; Osteoporosis; Osteoporosis - diagnosis; Osteoporosis - physiopathology; Parkinson Disease - diagnosis; Parkinson Disease - physiopathology; Parkinson's disease; Postural Balance - physiology; Reproducibility of Results
• ISSN: 1063-8652; 1543-267X
• DOI: 10.1123/japa.2013-0052

To compare self-reported pedometer steps with accelerometer steps under free-living conditions in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) or osteoporosis (OP). Seventy-three individuals with PD and 71 individuals with OP wore a pedometer (Yamax LS2000) and an accelerometer (ActiGraph GT1M/GT3X+) simultaneously for one week. Fifty-one individuals with PD (72.6 ± 5.3 years) and 61 with OP (75.6 ± 5.3 years) provided simultaneously recorded data for 3-7 consecutive days. Pedometer steps were significantly lower than accelerometer steps in the PD group (p = .002) but not in the OP group (p = .956). Bland-Altman plots demonstrated wide limits of agreement between the instruments in both PD (range = 6,911 steps) and OP (range = 6,794 steps). These results suggest that the ActiGraph GT1M/GT3X+ should be preferred over the Yamax LS2000 for the assessment of steps in both research and clinical evaluations, particularly in individuals with PD or altered gait.