title: Monitoring Location-Specific Physical Activity via Integration of Accelerometry and Geotechnology Within Patients With or At Risk of Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Technological Report.
abstract: Physical activity variability is a risk factor for diabetic foot ulcers (DFU). Geographic context may influence variability. This study developed initial methods for monitoring location-specific physical activity in this population. Secondarily, preliminary comparisons in location-specific physical activity were made between patients at risk versus patients with active DFU.
  
  
  
  Five at-risk and 5 actively ulcerated patients were monitored continuously for 72 hours with physical activity and GPS monitors. A custom algorithm time synchronized the 2 devices' data.
  
  
  
  On average for all 10 subjects, 1.5 ± 2.1% of activity lacked a corresponding GPS location. 80 ± 11% of self-reported activity events per subject had a GPS identified location. The GPS identified locations were in agreement with the self-reported locations 98 ± 6% of the time. DFU participants' weight-bearing activity was 188% higher at home than away from home. At-risk participants showed similar weight-bearing activity at home as active DFU participants, however, at-risk participants had 132% more weight-bearing activity away-from-home.
  
  
  
  Objectively monitoring location-specific physical activity proved feasible. Future studies using such methodology may enhance understanding of pathomechanics and treatment of DFU.
authors.affiliation: 1 Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research (CLEAR) at the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Ryan T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Crews
authors.affiliation: 1 Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research (CLEAR) at the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Sai V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Yalla
authors.affiliation: 1 Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research (CLEAR) at the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Navdeep
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dhatt
authors.affiliation: 1 Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research (CLEAR) at the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Drew
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Burdi
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Geography at DePaul University, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Sungsoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry / Q000379:methods*; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D040362:Geographic Information Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: GPS; diabetic foot ulcer; monitor; physical activity