My pedometer: the best place to wear it
Where is the best place to wear my pedometer? This is a question that is often asked. There has been considerable discussion on this topic, but until a study was conducted to find the answer to this question, the best place to use the pedometer was a guess.
The latest pedometers are called “pocket pedometers” and the manufacturers claim that you can put them in your pants pocket and they will work very well. They can also be worn on the hips, around the neck, and in the shirt pocket.
A group of researchers designed an experiment to determine the accuracy of these new “pocket” pedometers. The experiment article read: “The purpose of this research was to examine the validity of step counts measured with the Omron HJ-112 pedometer and to evaluate the effect of pedometer placement.”
The results of the experiment were published in Medicine and science in sports and exercise: April 2009 – Volume 41 – Number 4 – pp. 805-809. The article is titled Validity of the Omron HJ-112 pedometer during treadmill walking.
The study used ninety-two subjects (44 men and 48 women); 71 with a variable body mass index [BMI].
The location of the pedometer made a difference as follows:
- Hip mount produced the smallest random error (1.2%)
- Shirt pocket was next (1.7%)
- Hanging from the neck (2.2%)
- In the pants pocket (5.8%).
The conclusion of the study was “The Omron HJ-112 pedometer validly assesses steps in different BMI groups during constant and variable speed walking; other than that in the pants pocket, the placement of the pedometer has little effect on validity.” .
So the next time you get ready to go for a walk, remember that your pedometer will record the most accurate results if you have it strapped to your waist or belt on your hips. The study indicated that a “pocket” pedometer did not measure more accurately in your pocket.
To learn more about the best pedometers, read the resource information at the end of this article.