Accuracy and Precision of Three Consumer-Grade Motion Sensors During Overground and Treadmill Walking in People With Parkinson Disease: Cross-Sectional Comparative Study

Byron Lai, Jeffer E Sasaki, Brenda Jeng, Katie L Cederberg, Marcas M Bamman, Robert W Motl, Byron Lai, Jeffer E Sasaki, Brenda Jeng, Katie L Cederberg, Marcas M Bamman, Robert W Motl

Abstract

Background: Wearable motion sensors are gaining popularity for monitoring free-living physical activity among people with Parkinson disease (PD), but more evidence supporting the accuracy and precision of motion sensors for capturing step counts is required in people with PD.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the accuracy and precision of 3 common consumer-grade motion sensors for measuring actual steps taken during prolonged periods of overground and treadmill walking in people with PD.

Methods: A total of 31 ambulatory participants with PD underwent 6-min bouts of overground and treadmill walking at a comfortable speed. Participants wore 3 devices (Garmin Vivosmart 3, Fitbit One, and Fitbit Charge 2 HR), and a single researcher manually counted the actual steps taken. Accuracy and precision were based on absolute and relative metrics, including intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Bland-Altman plots.

Results: Participants walked 628 steps over ground based on manual counting, and Garmin Vivosmart, Fitbit One, and Fitbit Charge 2 HR devices had absolute (relative) error values of 6 (6/628, 1.0%), 8 (8/628, 1.3%), and 30 (30/628, 4.8%) steps, respectively. ICC values demonstrated excellent agreement between manually counted steps and steps counted by both Garmin Vivosmart (0.97) and Fitbit One (0.98) but poor agreement for Fitbit Charge 2 HR (0.47). The absolute (relative) precision values for Garmin Vivosmart, Fitbit One, and Fitbit Charge 2 HR were 11.1 (11.1/625, 1.8%), 14.7 (14.7/620, 2.4%), and 74.4 (74.4/598, 12.4%) steps, respectively. ICC confidence intervals demonstrated low variability for Garmin Vivosmart (0.96 to 0.99) and Fitbit One (0.93 to 0.99) but high variability for Fitbit Charge 2 HR (-0.57 to 0.74). The Fitbit One device maintained high accuracy and precision values for treadmill walking, but both Garmin Vivosmart and Fitbit Charge 2 HR (the wrist-worn devices) had worse accuracy and precision for treadmill walking.

Conclusions: The waist-worn sensor (Fitbit One) was accurate and precise in measuring steps with overground and treadmill walking. The wrist-worn sensors were accurate and precise only during overground walking. Similar research should inform the application of these devices in clinical research and practice involving patients with PD.

Keywords: Parkinson disease; accelerometer; disabled persons; exercise; fitness tracker; reproducibility; wearable; wearable electronic devices.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None declared.

©Byron Lai, Jeffer E Sasaki, Brenda Jeng, Katie L Cederberg, Marcas M Bamman, Robert W Motl. Originally published in JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology (http://rehab.jmir.org), 16.01.2020.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Bland-Altman plots for each motion sensor and walking condition.

References

    1. Cai Guoen, Huang Yujie, Luo Shan, Lin Zhirong, Dai Houde, Ye Qinyong. Continuous quantitative monitoring of physical activity in Parkinson's disease patients by using wearable devices: a case-control study. Neurol Sci. 2017 Sep;38(9):1657–1663. doi: 10.1007/s10072-017-3050-2.
    1. Wendel N, Macpherson CE, Webber K, Hendron K, DeAngelis T, Colon-Semenza C, Ellis T. Accuracy of activity trackers in Parkinson disease: should we prescribe them? Phys Ther. 2018 Aug 1;98(8):705–14. doi: 10.1093/ptj/pzy054.
    1. Lamont RM, Daniel HL, Payne CL, Brauer SG. Accuracy of wearable physical activity trackers in people with Parkinson's disease. Gait Posture. 2018 Jun;63:104–8. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2018.04.034.
    1. Motl RW, Suh Y, Balantrapu S, Sandroff BM, Sosnoff JJ, Pula J, Goldman MD, Fernhall B. Evidence for the different physiological significance of the 6- and 2-minute walk tests in multiple sclerosis. BMC Neurol. 2012 Mar 1;12:6. doi: 10.1186/1471-2377-12-6.
    1. Fokkema T, Kooiman TJ, Krijnen WP, van der Schans CP, de Groot M. Reliability and validity of ten consumer activity trackers depend on walking speed. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2017 Apr;49(4):793–800. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001146.
    1. Balto JM, Kinnett-Hopkins DL, Motl RW. Accuracy and precision of smartphone applications and commercially available motion sensors in multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler J Exp Transl Clin. 2016;2:2055217316634754. doi: 10.1177/2055217316634754.
    1. Katzel LI, Ivey FM, Sorkin JD, Macko RF, Smith B, Shulman LM. Impaired economy of gait and decreased six-minute walk distance in Parkinson's disease. Parkinsons Dis. 2012;2012:241754. doi: 10.1155/2012/241754. doi: 10.1155/2012/241754.
    1. Koo TK, Li MY. A guideline of selecting and reporting intraclass correlation coefficients for reliability research. J Chiropr Med. 2016 Jun;15(2):155–63. doi: 10.1016/j.jcm.2016.02.012.
    1. Marras C, Beck JC, Bower JH, Roberts E, Ritz B, Ross GW, Abbott RD, Savica R, van den Eeden SK, Willis AW, Tanner CM, Parkinson’s Foundation P4 Group Prevalence of Parkinson's disease across North America. NPJ Parkinsons Dis. 2018;4:21. doi: 10.1038/s41531-018-0058-0.
    1. Case MA, Burwick HA, Volpp KG, Patel MS. Accuracy of smartphone applications and wearable devices for tracking physical activity data. J Am Med Assoc. 2015 Feb 10;313(6):625–6. doi: 10.1001/jama.2014.17841.
    1. Sears T, Alvalos E, Lawson S, McAlister I, Eschbach LC, Bunn J. Wrist-worn physical activity trackers tend to underestimate steps during walking. Int J Exerc Sci. 2017;10(5):764–73.

Source: PubMed

Sponsorit ja yhteistyökumppanit

Sairaudet

Huumeiden interventiot

3
Tilaa