Validity of Caloric Expenditure Measured from a Wheelchair User Smartwatch

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the validity of measured caloric expenditure from a fitness smartwatch designed to measured values in wheelchair users against criterion values from a portable metabolic system. 15 wheelchair users and 15 able-bodied participants completed multiple tasks; wheelchair treadmill routine at 30, 45, and 60 strokes per minute, arm cycle ergometry at 45, 60, and 80 revolutions per minute, and arm cycle ergometry VO₂Peak test. There were no interactions for device or task and group (wheelchair users vs. able bodied, p=0.375-0.944) therefore results were pooled across groups for all measures. The smartwatch exhibited poor to moderate caloric expenditure association during wheelchair treadmill routine (ICC<0.39) and arm cycle ergometry (ICC<0.541). Smartwatch underestimated caloric expenditure during the wheelchair treadmill task (Mean differences (Limits of Agreement)) (−2.11 (−8.19–3.96), −3.68 (−12.64–5.28), and −4.51 (−15.05–6.02)) and overestimated during the arm cycle ergometry task (0.89 (−3.10–4.88), 3.40 (−0.31–7.12), and 2.81 (−1.71–7.32)). The smartwatch is currently not well suited to calculate caloric expenditure when performing exercise tasks on a wheelchair treadmill and arm cycle ergometry.

Key word

wheelchair user - smartwatch - physcial activity monitor - caloric expenditure

Publication History

Received: 00 00 2019

Accepted: 23 December 2019

Article published online:
16 March 2020

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