title: Validity of the SC-StepMX pedometer during treadmill walking and running.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of the SC-StepMX pedometer for measuring step counts. A convenience sample of 40 participants wore 4 SC-StepMX pedometers, 2 Yamax DigiWalker pedometers, and 2 Actical accelerometers around their waist on a treadmill at 4 speeds based on each participant's self-paced walking speed (50%, 100%, 180%, and 250%; range: 1.4-14.1 km·h(-1)). The SC-StepMX demonstrated lower mean absolute percent error (-0.2%) compared with the Yamax DigiWalker (-20.5%) and the Actical (-26.1%). Mean measurement bias was lower for the SC-StepMX (0.1 ± 9.1; 95% confidence interval = -17.8 to 18.0 steps·min(-1)) when compared with both the Yamax DigiWalker (-15.9 ± 23.3; 95% confidence interval = -61.6 to 29.7 steps·min(-1)) and the Actical (-22.0 ± 36.3; 95% CI = -93.1 to 49.1 steps·min(-1)). This study demonstrates that the SC-StepMX pedometer is a valid tool for the measurement of step counts. The SC-StepMX accurately measures step counts at slower walking speeds when compared with 2 other commercially available activity monitors. This makes the SC-StepMX useful in measuring step counts in populations that are active at lower intensities (e.g., sedentary individuals, the elderly).
authors.affiliation: Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada.
authors.forename: Rachel C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Colley
authors.forename: Joel D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.forename: Allana G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Leblanc
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borghese
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boyer
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Tremblay
mesh_terms: D056044:Actigraphy; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D012420:Running; D016138:Walking