title: Mobile inertial sensor based gait analysis: Validity and reliability of spatiotemporal gait characteristics in healthy seniors.
abstract: Gait analysis is commonly used to identify gait changes and fall risk in clinical populations and seniors. Body-worn inertial sensor based gait analyses provide a feasible alternative to optometric and pressure based measurements of spatiotemporal gait characteristics. We assessed validity and relative and absolute reliability of a body-worn inertial sensor system (RehaGait(®)) for measuring spatiotemporal gait characteristics compared to a standard stationary treadmill (Zebris(®)). Spatiotemporal gait parameters (walking speed, stride length, cadence and stride time) were collected for 24 healthy seniors (age: 75.3±6.7 years) tested on 2 days (1 week apart) simultaneously using the sensor based system and instrumented treadmill. Each participant completed walking tests (200 strides) at different walking speeds and slopes. The difference between the RehaGait(®) system and the treadmill was trivial (Cohen's d<0.2) except for speed and stride length at slow speed (Cohen's d, 0.35 and 0.49, respectively). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were excellent for temporal gait characteristics (cadence and stride time; ICC: 0.99-1.00) and moderate for stride length (ICC: 0.73-0.89). Both devices had excellent day-to-day reliability for all gait parameters (ICC: 0.82-0.99) except for stride length at slow speed (ICC: 0.74). The RehaGait(®) is a valid and reliable tool for assessing spatiotemporal gait parameters for treadmill walking at different speeds and slopes.
authors: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Basel, Birsstrasse 320 B, 4052 Basel, Switzerland.
authors: Lars
authors: L
authors: Donath
authors: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Basel, Birsstrasse 320 B, 4052 Basel, Switzerland.
authors: Oliver
authors: O
authors: Faude
authors: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Basel, Birsstrasse 320 B, 4052 Basel, Switzerland.
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Lichtenstein
authors: Clinic for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Hospital Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031 Basel, Switzerland; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, Gewerbestrasse 14, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland.
authors: Geert
authors: G
authors: Pagenstert
authors: Clinic for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Hospital Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031 Basel, Switzerland; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, Gewerbestrasse 14, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland.
authors: Corina
authors: C
authors: Nüesch
authors: Clinic for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Hospital Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031 Basel, Switzerland; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, Gewerbestrasse 14, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland. Electronic address: annegret.muendermann@unibas.ch.
authors: Annegret
authors: A
authors: Mündermann
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D000368:Aged / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D060306:Magnetometry / Q000295:instrumentation; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D000072797:Walking Speed / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Accelerometers; Body worn sensors; Gyroscope; Reproducibility; Spatiotemporal gait parameters; Validation