Validity and reliability of measurements obtained with an "activity monitor" in people with and without a transtibial amputation.
OBJECTIVE
In this study, the validity and reliability of measurements obtained with an "Activity Monitor" (AM) were examined. The instrument is designed to monitor ambulatory activity by use of accelerometer signals, and it detects several activities associated with mobility (standing, sitting, lying, transitions, movement-related activities).


METHODS
Four men with a transtibial amputation and 4 men without a transtibial amputation participated.


METHODS
The subjects performed normal daily activities, during which accelerations were measured and videotape recording were made (reference method). Validity was assessed by calculating agreement scores between the AM output and the videotape recordings and by comparing the number of transitions and the duration of activities determined by both methods.


RESULTS
The overall agreement between the AM output and the videotape recordings was 90%. Other agreement scores, in addition to the determination of the number of transitions and the duration of activities, were generally within a range of error of 0% to 10%.


CONCLUSIONS
The reliability and validity of the AM measurements appeared to be good, which supports its potential use in rehabilitation and physical therapy. [Bussmann HBJ, Reuvekamp PJ, Veltink PH, et al. Validity and reliability of measurements obtained with an "Activity Monitor" in people with and without a transtibial amputation.
Bussmann
H B
HB
Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Reuvekamp
P J
PJ
Veltink
P H
PH
Martens
W L
WL
Stam
H J
HJ
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000674:Amputees; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D009043:Motor Activity; D009426:Netherlands; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013977:Tibia; D014743:Videotape Recording