Cell phone-based physical activity monitoring

Cell phone-based physical activity monitoring

Low level of physical activity are particularly detrimental for certain category of clients who are affected by cardiopulmonary disease.

The cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation represents an essential component for the management of such disease.

Technological developments have included mobile phones as an emerging tool for encouraging subjects to exercise and for monitoring at distance the participants of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation programmes.

Several studies have demonstrated that accelerometers are valid tools for cardiorespiratory clients monitoring.

Since that the majority of cellular phones of the new generation contain an accelerometer. This motion sensor can been used by a specific mobile phone application for monitoring objectively the physical activity levels.

Within the research project led at the University College of London, we have compared the accelerometer integrated in two mobile phones to a widely used accelerometer, demonstrating that it is a reliable and valid tool for detecting the physical activity in healthy people.

Next step will include the development and the implementation of a user friendly application to test on clients with chronic pulmonary disease involved within pulmonary rehabilitation programmes.

Monitoring the physical activity levels, clients will be encouraged to maintain regular daily level of physical activity and to practice their exercise in order to maintain their adherence to the Pulmonary rehabilitation programmes at home.

Filippo Gravante

Clinical and research physiotherapist, specialised in rehabilitation science and cardiorespiratory physiotherapy

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Telemedicine
• Mobile phone
• Physical exercise
• Rehabilitation