Initial assessment of the StepWatch Activity Monitor (TM) to measure walking activity in Rett syndrome
tone and motor problems; Rett syndrome; tool development; scale development; StepWatch
Purpose: In girls and women with Rett syndrome, we assessed the accuracy of the StepWatch Activity Monitor (TM) and investigated relationships between daily step counts, gross motor skills and age. Method: Twelve subjects (age 12.9 +/- 8.0 years) participating in the Australian Rett Syndrome Database wore a StepWatch during a videoed session of activities to assess agreement with the criterion method of observation. Physical activity data were also collected over the course of 6 +/- 1 whole days. Relationships between agreement, gross motor skills, average daily step count and age were analyzed. Results: The number of steps obtained using the StepWatch was similar to that viewed on video (mean difference = 0 steps per minute) and agreement did not differ with the level of general (p = 0.389) or complex gross motor skills (p = 0.221). Subjects were less active than their healthy peers (difference 6086 steps per day; p = 0.001), and physical activity was significantly greater in those who were younger and with greater levels of motor skill. Conclusions: The StepWatch provided accurate information on the physical activity of girls and women with Rett syndrome regardless of their level of gross motor function. Physical activity reduced with age despite the ability to walk. Advocacy for pro-active lifestyles is justified.
Hill K; Leonard H; Downs J
Disability and Rehabilitation
2012
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.3109/09638288.2011.630773" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.3109/09638288.2011.630773</a>
Initial assessment of the StepWatch Activity Monitor™ to measure walking activity in Rett syndrome
tone and motor problems; Rett syndrome; tool development; scale development; StepWatch
PURPOSE: In girls and women with Rett syndrome, we assessed the accuracy of the StepWatch Activity Monitor™ and investigated relationships between daily step counts, gross motor skills and age. METHOD: Twelve subjects (age 12.9 ± 8.0 years) participating in the Australian Rett Syndrome Database wore a StepWatch during a videoed session of activities to assess agreement with the criterion method of observation. Physical activity data were also collected over the course of 6 ± 1 whole days. Relationships between agreement, gross motor skills, average daily step count and age were analyzed. RESULTS: The number of steps obtained using the StepWatch was similar to that viewed on video (mean difference = 0 steps per minute) and agreement did not differ with the level of general (p = 0.389) or complex gross motor skills (p = 0.221). Subjects were less active than their healthy peers (difference 6086 steps per day; p = 0.001), and physical activity was significantly greater in those who were younger and with greater levels of motor skill. CONCLUSIONS: The StepWatch provided accurate information on the physical activity of girls and women with Rett syndrome regardless of their level of gross motor function. Physical activity reduced with age despite the ability to walk. Advocacy for pro-active lifestyles is justified.
Downs J; Leonard H; Hill K
Disability and Rehabilitation
2012
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.3109/09638288.2011.630773" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.3109/09638288.2011.630773</a>
Rett syndrome: establishing a novel outcome measure for walking activity in an era of clinical trials for rare disorders
Rehabilitation; validity; injury; Rett syndrome; walking; disease; sample; accelerometry; accuracy; activity monitors; Outcome measure; physical activity; physical-activity; step; test-retest reliability; tone and motor problems; tool development; scale development; StepWatch
Background: Rett syndrome is a pervasive neurological disorder with impaired gait as one criterion. This study investigated the capacity of three accelerometer-type devices to measure walking activity in Rett syndrome. Methods: Twenty-six participants (mean 18 years, SD 8) wore an Actigraph, ActivPAL and StepWatch Activity Monitor (SAM) during a video-taped session of activities. Agreement was determined between step-counts derived from each accelerometer and observation. Repeatability of SAM-derived step counts was determined using pairs of one-minute epochs during which the same participant was observed to walk with the same cadence. Results: The mean difference (limit of agreement) for the Actigraph, ActivPAL and SAM were -41 (SD 33), -16 (SD 21) and -1 (SD 16) steps/min, respectively. Agreement was influenced by a device/cadence interaction (p < 0.001) with greater under-recording at higher cadences. For SAM data, repeatability of step-count pairs was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.91, 95% CI 0.79-0.96). The standard error of measurement was 6 steps/min and we would be 95% confident that a change >= 17 steps/min would be greater than within-subject measurement error. Conclusions: The capacity of the SAM to measure physical activity in Rett syndrome allows focus on participation-based activities in clinical practice and clinical trials.
Downs J; Leonard H; Jacoby P; Brisco L; Baikie G; Hill K
Disability and Rehabilitation
2015
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.3109/09638288.2014.993436" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.3109/09638288.2014.993436</a>