Quantifying steps during a timed up and go test using a wearable sensor system: a laboratory-based validation study in healthy young and older volunteers

Mobility is an important factor in maintaining health and independence in an aging population. Facilitating community-dwelling older adults to independently identify signs of functional decline could help reduce disability and frailty development. Step-count from a body-worn sensor system was compared with a criterion measure in healthy young (n = 10) and healthy older adults (n = 10) during a Timed Up and Go test under different conditions. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient indicated strong agreement between the sensor obtained step-count and that of the criterion measure in both age groups, in all mobility tests. A body-worn sensor system can provide objective, quantitative measures of step-count over short distances in older adults. Future research will examine if step-count alone can be used to identify functional decline and risk of frailty.