Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 3, 2026
08:45
Assessment of Physical Activity Intensity with Accelerometers and Oxygen Consumption
Published on: June 20, 2025
772
Relationship Between the MTI Accelerometer (Actigraph) Counts and Running Speed During Continuous and Intermittent
Comlavi B Guinhouya1, Hervé Hubert2, Grégory Dupont3
1Medical Decision Support, Institute of Engineering in Health of Lille, University of Lille 2 , France ; Laboratory of Human Movement Studies, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, University of Lille 2 , France.
Journal of Sports Science & Medicine
|February 7, 2014
Summary
Actigraph accelerometers reliably estimate activity intensity, with ankle placement showing better correlation with running speed than hip placement. Activity type does not influence counts, only device location.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Biomechanical Engineering
- Wearable Technology
Background:
- Objective measurement of physical activity intensity is crucial for health and performance monitoring.
- Actigraph devices are widely used for activity assessment, but their accuracy can be influenced by placement and activity type.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between Actigraph counts and running speed.
- To determine the influence of accelerometer placement (hip vs. ankle) on activity count data.
- To examine differences in Actigraph output between continuous and intermittent exercise modalities.
Main Methods:
- Eleven participants completed incremental running tests until exhaustion.
- MTI accelerometers were worn simultaneously at the hip and ankle.
- Data were collected during continuous and intermittent exercise protocols.
Main Results:
- A strong linear relationship was observed between Actigraph counts at the hip and running speed (r² = 0.94-0.95).
- Actigraph counts at the ankle showed an even stronger correlation with speed across various activities (r² = 0.97).
- Accelerometer placement significantly affected counts, but exercise modality did not.
Conclusions:
- The ActiGraph is a reliable tool for estimating a broad spectrum of physical activity intensities.
- Ankle placement of the Actigraph may provide a more accurate reflection of human movement dynamics.
- Actigraph output is primarily dependent on sensor location, not the specific activity performed.
