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Article
Effect of monitor placement on the daily step counts of wrist and hip activity monitors
Journal for the Measurement of Physical Behaviour
  • Lindsay Toth, University of North Florida
  • S. Park
  • S. E. Crouter
  • C. M. Springer
  • R. T. Marcotte
  • D. R. Bassett
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2020
Abstract

Purpose: To examine the effect of activity monitor placement on daily step counts when monitors are worn at different positions on the wrist/forearm and the hip. Methods: Participants (N = 18) wore eight different models (four wrist and four hip models) across four days. Each day, one hip and one wrist model were selected, and four identical monitors of each model were worn on the right hip and the non-dominant wrist/forearm, respectively, during all waking hours. Step counts of each monitor were compared to the same model worn in the referent position (wrist: proximal to ulnar styloid process; hip: midline of thigh). Percent of referent steps and mean difference between observed and referent positions were computed. Significant differences in steps between positions for each method were determined using one-way repeated measures ANOVAs. For significant main effects, pairwise comparisons with Bonferroni corrections were used to determine which positions were significantly different. Results: All wrist methods showed a significant main effect for placement (p < .05) and alternate positions were 1–16% lower than the referent position. For hip methods, only the Omron HJ-325 differed across positions (p < .05), but differences were among non-referent positions and all were within ±2% of steps recorded by the referent position. Conclusions: Researchers should be aware that positions that deviate from the manufacturer’s recommended position at the wrist could influence step counts. Of all hip methods examined, the Omron had a significant placement effect which did not constitute a practical difference.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1123/jmpb.2019-0065
Citation Information
Lindsay Toth, S. Park, S. E. Crouter, C. M. Springer, et al.. "Effect of monitor placement on the daily step counts of wrist and hip activity monitors" Journal for the Measurement of Physical Behaviour Vol. 3 Iss. 2 (2020) p. 164 - 169
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/lindsay-toth/5/