Validity of Pedometers to Measure Step Counts During Dance

Area of Science:

• Exercise Science
• Biomechanical Measurement
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Step counting is a common metric for physical activity assessment.
• Dance is a popular physical activity with varying movement intensities.
• The accuracy of pedometers during dynamic activities like dance requires validation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the validity of step count measurements from two different pedometer models during various dance styles.
• To provide evidence for the reliability of pedometers in capturing step data in a non-walking context.

Main Methods:

• Thirty-five college students performed 3- and 5-minute dance trials.
• Participants wore Walk4life MVP and Omron HJ-303 pedometers.
• Pedometer step counts were compared against visually counted steps using correlation, t-tests, and mean absolute percent error (MAPE).

Main Results:

• The Walk4life pedometer showed high correlations (.92, .77) but also high MAPE (17.7%, 19.4%) for 3- and 5-minute dances.
• The Omron pedometer demonstrated lower correlations (.44, .58) and high MAPE (19.3%, 26.6%).
• Neither pedometer showed significant differences between pedometer and visually counted steps, despite high error rates.

Conclusions:

• Pedometers can provide group-level estimates of steps during dance.
• High mean absolute percent error indicates significant individual inaccuracies.
• Researchers and individuals should exercise caution when interpreting individual step data from pedometers during dance.