[Improve cardiovascular health by physical activity: take the good measure]

Adherence to physical activity is low among persons with cardiac disease. To influence this behaviour positively, it is suggested clinicians adapt the recommendations to each patient. Besides estimating needs and the values and the preferences of the person, professionals need to measure the physical activity. This measure also allows clinicians to follow the evolution of the behaviour further to the interventions. Subjective methods (questionnaire, logbook) and objective methods (pedometer, accelerometer, and heart rate monitor) can be used. There are advantages and inconveniences to each of these methods. This clinical column provides a review of these various methods to choose the one that is the most suited to the clinical context.