Selecting Accurate
Pedometers Will
Benefit All Walking
Programs
Walking is one of the most popular and healthy forms of exercise. Many experts recommend using pedometers,
or step counters, to measure your progress and motivate you. Most experts, however, do not expand on that
recommendation and assume you will find something that works for you. Finding the perfect pedometer is easy if
you know how to evaluate the reliability, accuracy and convenience of the many pedometers available. These
guidelines
will
help
you
make
that
decision.
Reliability. Historically, step counters have been available
for several hundred years. Thomas Jefferson introduced a
mechanical model to America after his trip to France in the
late eighteenth century. These early devices were noisy,
error prone, spring activated or gravity dependent devices
with very short lives. Many inexpensive pedometers still
use these mechanisms. Fortunately, the digital age has
produced a new generation of pedometers that use silent
piezoelectric sensors. These sensors function very much
like the biologic sensors found within the bones, tendons
and collagen of your own body. They respond to movement
as well as to the speed of movement and are sometimes
called accelerometers for these reasons. These precision
sensors disregard false movements, such as shifting your
weight between your feet, from actual steps. Most
importantly, because they are activated by movement
instead of gravity, piezoelectric pedometers function
effectively for walkers of all ages, abilities and body builds.
Accuracy. By design, piezoelectric pedometers are
incredibly accurate. However, this technology is of limited
benefit if you cannot change the factory settings to your
own personal values. In other words, the use of the
manufacturer's default settings will result in estimates not
measurements. For example, you must be able to enter
your stride length and weight. Stride length is dependent
upon your height, your gait and your speed. Your stride
length multiplied by the number of steps taken equals your
distance traveled. You must also be able to input your
weight or you will not be able to measure the actual
calories you used during your walk. Better pedometers
allow you to program this personal information so you can
determine your individual distance and calorie
measurements.
Convenience. Ergonomic, durable pedometers are a pleasure to
wear and use. Screens that are easy to read in both bright and
low light conditions mean you do not need to stop walking to
check your progress. An integrated clock with a stopwatch
simplifies workouts since you have less equipment to wear.
Another useful feature is a backup function that retains
cumulative steps, distance and calories until you decide to zero
out the values. This is very helpful for recording your progress.
Research indicates that if you add many more options than these,
the pedometers become unwieldy and begin to lose accuracy.
Walking is a natural, comfortable and effective way to increase
your fitness level. Technological innovations have made accurate
and affordable pedometers a useful addition to any walking
program. Knowing how to evaluate a pedometer is the first step
on the path to a more active lifestyle. You can purchase
programmable piezoelectric pedometers for less than the cost of
a good pair of walking shoes. This investment in your health will
yield excellent returns for many years.