Using Accelerometers to Count Steps After Surgery
Author Information
Author(s): Spiros Tsamassiotis, Michael Schwarze, Philipp Gehring, Roman F. Karkosch, Lars‐René Tücking, Ann‐Kathrin Einfeldt, Eike Jakubowitz
Primary Institution: Hannover Medical School
Hypothesis
Only accelerometers can accurately determine the number of steps taken by orthopaedic patients in the early post-operative phase.
Conclusion
Commercial wearables can only accurately count steps under specific conditions and should be used cautiously for monitoring steps in the early post-operative phase.
Supporting Evidence
- Accelerometers showed lower relative error compared to other wearables.
- Accuracy improved with increased walking speed.
- The best sensor position for accuracy was found to be the ankle.
Takeaway
This study found that special devices called accelerometers can count steps better than regular fitness trackers for patients recovering from surgery.
Methodology
The study involved 20 healthy subjects walking with different aids and wearables, comparing their step counts to a manual count.
Potential Biases
The study may not fully represent the accuracy of devices in real post-operative conditions due to the healthy participant sample.
Limitations
The study had a small number of participants and involved healthy subjects rather than actual post-operative patients.
Participant Demographics
20 medical students, 7 females and 13 males, average age 25.1 years.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website