TY - JOUR
T1 - Validation of Gait Characteristics Extracted from Raw Accelerometry during Walking Against Measures of Physical Function, Mobility, Fatigability, and Fitness
AU - Urbanek, Jacek K.
AU - Zipunnikov, Vadim
AU - Harris, Tamara
AU - Crainiceanu, Ciprian
AU - Harezlak, Jaroslaw
AU - Glynn, Nancy W.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
PY - 2018/4/17
Y1 - 2018/4/17
N2 - Background: Data collected by wearable accelerometry devices can be used to identify periods of sustained harmonic walking. This report aims to establish whether the features of walking identified in the laboratory and free-living environments are associated with each other as well as measures of physical function, mobility, fatigability, and fitness. Methods: Fifty-one older adults (mean age 78.31) enrolled in the Developmental Epidemiologic Cohort Study were included in the analyses. The study included an "in-the-lab" component as well as 7 days of monitoring "in-the-wild" (free living). Participants were equipped with hipworn Actigraph GT3X+ activity monitors, which collect raw accelerometry data. We applied a walking identification algorithm and defined features of walking, including participant-specific walking acceleration and cadence. The association between these walking features and physical function, mobility, fatigability, and fitness was quantified using linear regression analysis. Results: Acceleration and cadence estimated from "in-the-lab" and "in-the-wild" data were significantly associated with each other (p < .05). However, walking acceleration "in-the-lab" was on average 96% higher than "in-the-wild," whereas cadence "in-the-lab" was on average 20% higher than "in-the-wild." Acceleration and cadence were associated with measures of physical function, mobility, fatigability, and fitness (p < .05) in both "in-the-lab" and "in-the-wild" settings. In addition, "in-the-wild" daily walking time was associated with fitness (p < .05). Conclusions: The quantitative difference in proposed walking features indicates that participants may overperform when observed "in-thelab." Also, proposed features of walking were significantly associated with measures of physical function, mobility, fatigability, and fitness, which provides evidence of convergent validity.
AB - Background: Data collected by wearable accelerometry devices can be used to identify periods of sustained harmonic walking. This report aims to establish whether the features of walking identified in the laboratory and free-living environments are associated with each other as well as measures of physical function, mobility, fatigability, and fitness. Methods: Fifty-one older adults (mean age 78.31) enrolled in the Developmental Epidemiologic Cohort Study were included in the analyses. The study included an "in-the-lab" component as well as 7 days of monitoring "in-the-wild" (free living). Participants were equipped with hipworn Actigraph GT3X+ activity monitors, which collect raw accelerometry data. We applied a walking identification algorithm and defined features of walking, including participant-specific walking acceleration and cadence. The association between these walking features and physical function, mobility, fatigability, and fitness was quantified using linear regression analysis. Results: Acceleration and cadence estimated from "in-the-lab" and "in-the-wild" data were significantly associated with each other (p < .05). However, walking acceleration "in-the-lab" was on average 96% higher than "in-the-wild," whereas cadence "in-the-lab" was on average 20% higher than "in-the-wild." Acceleration and cadence were associated with measures of physical function, mobility, fatigability, and fitness (p < .05) in both "in-the-lab" and "in-the-wild" settings. In addition, "in-the-wild" daily walking time was associated with fitness (p < .05). Conclusions: The quantitative difference in proposed walking features indicates that participants may overperform when observed "in-thelab." Also, proposed features of walking were significantly associated with measures of physical function, mobility, fatigability, and fitness, which provides evidence of convergent validity.
KW - Actigraphy
KW - Gait
KW - Observational studies
KW - Physical performance
KW - Walking
KW - Wearable accelerometers
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U2 - 10.1093/gerona/glx174
DO - 10.1093/gerona/glx174
M3 - Article
C2 - 28958000
AN - SCOPUS:85046254582
SN - 1079-5006
VL - 73
SP - 676
EP - 681
JO - Journals of Gerontology - Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
JF - Journals of Gerontology - Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
IS - 5
ER -