Accuracy of Pedometer in Walking and Running

Two experiments were conducted to examine the accuracy of mechanical pedometers in walking and running. Groups of 20 volunteer subjects were used in each experiment. In experiment 1, subjects wore 4 identical pedometers on the waist during six 1-mile walks on a motor driven treadmill, two at each of 3 speeds: 2, 3, and 4 mph. Experiment 2 required subjects wearing 5 pedometers to perform two 1-mile walks at their own pace under each of two different conditions: (1) on a 400 meter track and (2) along a jogging path over a measured mile. These subjects also completed two 1-mile runs at their own pace over the same measured mile course. In both experiments, a two-way ANOVA with replicates showed significant effects of subjects, condition (speed), and subjects-condition interaction. Test-retest reliability coefficients ranged from −0.13 to 0.81. Results of these studies indicate that the ability of the mechanical pedometer to measure distance is inconsistent. The findings indicate that pedometers are more accurate for some individuals than others. Also their accuracy varies with the speed of walking and is different for walking compared to running.