Accuracy of Apple Watch fitness tracker for wheelchair use varies according to movement frequency and task - 20/02/21
, Antoinette Domingo b, 1, Jochen Kressler a
Bienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.
Article gratuit.
Connectez-vous pour en bénéficier!
Highlights |
• | Validity of the Apple Watch activity tracker was task- and frequency-dependent. |
• | The device accurately measured arm cycling and high-frequency wheelchair pushing. |
• | The device poorly measured low frequency and overground wheelchair pushing. |
Abstract |
Objectives |
Individuals with disabilities have high prevalence of sedentary lifestyle, obesity, and cardiometabolic disease. Physical activity monitors (i.e., step counters) are ill-suited for tracking wheelchair pushes. The study purpose was to investigate the validity of a consumer-level fitness tracker (Apple Watch) designed for wheelchair users.
Methods |
Validation study. A total of 15 wheelchair users with disabilities and 15 able-bodied individuals completed 3-min bouts of wheelchair propulsion on a treadmill and arm ergometry at pre-determined cadences as well as overground obstacle and Figure 8 courses. Tracker stroke counts were compared against direct observation.
Results |
We found no interaction of tracker counts and ability status across all tasks (P≥0.550), so results are presented for the combined sample. For treadmill tasks, Bland–Altman analysis (bias±limits of agreement) showed good agreement for only higher-rate fixed-frequency tasks (−15±48, −1±14, 0±5, and 0±27 for low, moderate, high, and variable cadence, respectively). Mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) was 22%, 3%, 1%, and 6%, respectively. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) (95% confidence intervals) were −0.18 (−0.51–0.20), 0.47 (0.13–0.71), 0.98 (0.96–0.99), and 0.22 (−0.16–0.54). We found significant overestimation by the tracker at low frequency (P<0.01). Arm ergometry showed good agreement across all cadences (0±5, −1±3, 0±8, 6±6). MAPE was 1%, 1%, 1%, and 4%. ICCs were 0.88 (0.77–0.94), 0.95 (0.89–0.97), 0.88 (0.76–0.94), and 0.97 (0.87–0.97). We found minimal (2rpm) but significant differences at variable cadence (P<0.01). Overground tasks showed poor agreement for casual-pace and fast-pace obstacle course and Figure 8 task (−5±18, 0±23, and −18±32, respectively). MAPE was 15%, 18%, 21% and ICCs were 0.90 (0.79–0.95), 0.79 (0.59–0.90), and 0.82 (0.64–0.91). Significant differences were found for propulsion at casual pace (P<0.01) and the Figure 8 task (P<0.01).
Conclusions |
Apple Watch is suitable for tracking high-frequency standardized (i.e., treadmill) pushing and arm ergometry but not low-frequency pushing or overground tasks.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Keywords : Wheelchairs, Disabled persons, Activity trackers, Physical activity
Plan
Vol 64 - N° 1
Article 101382- janvier 2021 Retour au numéro
Article précédent
- Can high-functioning amputees with state-of-the-art prosthetics walk normally? A kinematic and dynamic study of 40 individuals
- Hannah L. Jarvis, Neil D. Reeves, Martin Twiste, Rhodri D. Phillip, John Etherington, Alexander N. Bennett
- The direct health care cost to Medicare of Down syndrome dementia as compared with Alzheimer's disease among 2015 Californian beneficiaries
- Eleonore Bayen, Kristine Yaffe, Laurent Cleret de Langavant, Yingjia Chen, Katherine L. Possin
Bienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.