The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that healthy adults under age 65 perform moderately intense cardiovascular activity for a minimum of 30 minutes on five or more days per week, or vigorous activity for 20 minutes on three or more days per week. Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis and obesity are just a few of the many benefits of sustaining a regular fitness program, but sustaining a regular fitness program is easier said than done.
One simple way to meet the ACSM recommendation is to participate in the 10,000 steps program, one of the Diabetes Prevention Program's most successful campaigns. The goal is to accumulate 10,000 steps per day over a four- to six-week period (the equivalent of 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week). Using a pedometer to track daily steps and weekly mileage makes reaching that goal a little easier. The instant feedback of a pedometer can also keep you motivated.
How a Pedometer Tracks Steps
A pedometer is designed to track distance by the number of steps taken. Every time your foot strikes the ground, the pedometer senses the impact, and records the step. There are two types of sensors that can fairly accurately track steps: a pendulum, or swing-arm sensor, and an accelerometer.
Pendulum Technology
When you move, your hips move up and down. A pedometer responds to this movement via a hairspring and a tiny post that respond to the up and down motion of the hips. With every step, the pendulum or swing-arm makes contact with a post inside the pedometer and one step is registered on the pedometer. How well this design works depends on several factors, including the length and weight of the pendulum, and the type of post and proximity to the pendulum. Over time, this tiny hairspring loses strength and the post begins to droop, causing this type of pedometer to become less accurate.
Accelerator Technology
Considered the "gold standard" for pedometers, accelerator technology utilizes a strain gauge that deforms due to inertia. The extent of deformation is determined by the hardness or softness of the step.
Scott Crouter, Ph.D., assistant professor at University of Massachusetts in the Department of Exercise and Health Science, recommends a model that uses the accelerometer technology for several reasons: accuracy across a variety of body sizes and the ability to measure slower speeds than the pendulum technology. This technology also makes it possible to track daily activity separately from exercise.
Tip
To improve the accuracy of a pendulum-type pedometer, make sure that the pedometer is attached to the waistband as close as possible to the anterior pelvic bone. The pedometer should also be level and unrestricted by clothing or accessories that prohibit it from accurately responding to hip movement.
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