HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Rapid Responses are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Balogun, J. A Articles by Pozyc, L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Balogun, J. A Articles by Pozyc, L. Social Bookmarking                      What's this?

Energy Cost Determination Using a Portable Accelerometer

Dr. Balogun is Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Russell Sage College, Troy, NY 12180 (USA).
Mrs. Farina is Associate Professor and Program Director, Department of Physical Therapy, Russell Sage College.
Ms. Fay, Ms. Rossmann, and Ms. Pozyc were undergraduate students, Department of Physical Therapy, Russell Sage College, at the time this study was conducted.
Ms. Fay is now physical therapist, Helen Hayes Hospital, Haverstraw, NY 10993.
Ms. Rossmann is now physical therapist, Kessler Rehabilitation Institute, West Orange, NJ 07052.
Ms. Pozyc is now physical therapist, John F. Kennedy Medical Center, Paediatric Rehabilitation Department, Edison, NJ 08820.

The purpose of this study was to determine the physical activity of physical therapists during clinical practice. Nineteen physical therapists from three clinical facilities wore portable accelerometers on their waist belts or chest pockets for the duration of their work shifts. The subjects repeated the experiment on the second day. The accelerometer readings (in arbitrary units) were converted to oxygen consumption O₂ and energy expenditure (kcal) values using previously derived regression equations. The PTs worked an average of 7.9 hours during each shift. The total energy expended during the work shift ranged from 933.6 to 1,689.6 kcal. A correlation coefficient of .91 was found between the accelerometer readings (count·hr^–1) recorded on day 1 and day 2 of the study. The analysis of variance revealed that the PTs in the three clinical facilities were not significantly different in age, height, and work-shift duration, but were significantly different (p < .05) in weight, mean accelerometer readings, and estimated O₂ (L·min^–1). When the O₂ was expressed in mL·kg^–1·min^–1, no significant difference was found between the PTs in the three clinical facilities. The implications and limitations of the findings are discussed.

Key Words: Energy expenditure • Oxygen consumption • Physical fitness • Physical therapy

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?