title: "Stepping Up" Activity Poststroke: Ankle-Positioned Accelerometer Can Accurately Record Steps During Slow Walking.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As physical activity in people poststroke is low, devices that monitor and provide feedback of walking activity provide motivation to engage in exercise and may assist rehabilitation professionals in auditing walking activity. However, most feedback devices are not accurate at slow walking speeds.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study assessed the accuracy of one accelerometer to measure walking steps of community-dwelling individuals poststroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two accelerometers were positioned on the nonparetic waist and ankle of participants (N=43), and walking steps from these devices were recorded at 7 speeds (0.3-0.9 m/s) and compared with video recordings (gold standard).
  
  
  RESULTS
  When positioned at the waist, the accelerometer had more than 10% error at all speeds, except 0.8 and 0.9 m/s, and numerous participants recorded zero steps at 0.3 to 0.5 m/s. The device had 10% or less error when positioned at the ankle for all speeds between 0.4 and 0.9 m/s.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some participants were unable to complete the faster walking speeds due to their walking impairments and inability to maintain the requested walking speed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although not recommended by the manufacturer, positioning the accelerometer at the ankle (compared with the waist) may fill a long-standing need for a readily available device that provides accurate feedback for the altered and slow walking patterns that occur with stroke.
authors.affiliation: T.D. Klassen, PT, MSc, Department of Physical Therapy and Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Rehabilitation Research Program, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: Tara D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Klassen
authors.affiliation: L.A. Simpson, OT, MSc, Rehabilitation Research Program, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, and Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, University of British Columbia.
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.affiliation: S.B. Lim, MSc, Rehabilitation Research Program, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, and Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, University of British Columbia.
authors.forename: Shannon B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: D.R. Louie, MPT, Rehabilitation Research Program, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre.
authors.forename: Dennis R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Louie
authors.affiliation: B. Parappilly, RN, MSc, Rehabilitation Research Program, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, and Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, University of British Columbia.
authors.forename: Beena
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Parappilly
authors.affiliation: B.M. Sakakibara, PhD, Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, and Rehabilitation Research Program, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre.
authors.forename: Brodie M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Sakakibara
authors.affiliation: D. Zbogar, MSc, Rehabilitation Research Program, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, and Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, University of British Columbia.
authors.forename: Dominik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zbogar
authors.affiliation: J.J. Eng, PT, PhD, Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, 212-2177 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z3. janice.eng@ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Janice J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Eng
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D000368:Aged; D000842:Ankle; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D014741:Video Recording