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 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 gold standard visual count.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the small sample size and the use of healthy subjects instead of actual post-operative patients.
Limitations
The study had a small number of participants and only included healthy subjects, which may not represent all orthopaedic patients.
Participant Demographics
20 medical students, 7 females and 13 males, average age 25.1 years.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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