Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026

Visualization of Intensity Levels to Reduce the Gap Between Self-Reported and Directly Measured Physical Activity
Published on: March 7, 2019
Physical activity at work contributes little to patient care workers' weekly totals
Peter E Umukoro1, Oscar E Arias, Sonja D Stoffel
1From the Department of Environmental Health (Drs Umukoro, Arias, and Dennerlein), Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Mass; Centre for Sport and Exercise Education (Dr Stoffel), Camosun College, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Drs Stoffel and Sorensen), Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Mass; Department of Occupational Health (Dr Hopcia), Partners HealthCare, Inc, Boston, Mass; Department of Health Systems Science (Dr Hopcia), University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Ill; Center for Community-Based Research (Dr Sorensen), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Mass; and Department of Physical Therapy (Dr Dennerlein), Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Mass.
Objective:
To determine the number of minutes of moderate and vigorous physical activity at work in comparison to weekly total minutes in a pilot study of 50 hospital patient care workers.
Methods:
Workers wore accelerometers during work and nonwork hours for 7 days, and completed surveys at the end of the seventh day.
Results:
Although the participants reported on average 206 minutes of moderate activity at work, the accelerometers recorded on average 30 minutes of moderate activity at work. For the 7 days the accelerometers measured a total of 165 minutes of moderate activity. Self-reported fatigue and functional limitations were negatively correlated albeit weakly with measured minutes of vigorous activity outside of work.
Conclusions:
Physical activity at work on patient care units contributes a small fraction to these workers' weekly totals, and in turn meeting guidelines.
Related Concept Videos
Exercise and Cardiac Output
Sustained exercise increases the muscles' oxygen demand, which can be...
Methods of Documentation II: POMR
Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
Data Collection III
The principles to begin the physical assessment include conducting a comprehensive or problem-related history in a quiet, well-lit room, emphasizing privacy and comfort for the...
PPE Use in Healthcare Settings I: Donning
Peripheral Artery Disease III: Interprofessional Care

