Pedometer use benefits patients with musculoskeletal diseases, too
A systematic review and meta-analysis examined the use of pedometers in patients with musculoskeletal diseases.3 It included 7 RCTs lasting 4 weeks to one year with 484 adults, 40 to 82 years of age, with musculoskeletal disorders (eg, back pain, knee pain, hip pain). (One RCT was also included in the diabetes meta-analysis.) Pedometer use resulted in a mean increase in physical activity of 1950 steps per day above baseline (range=818-2829 steps/day; P<.05). The authors noted that 4 of the 7 studies also demonstrated significant improvement in pain scores and physical function. BMI data were not tracked in this review.
Pedometers increase walking in older patients
A RCT compared the effects of pedometer-based activity prescriptions with standard time-based activity prescriptions in 330 patients ≥65 years of age with baseline low activity levels.4 All patients received an initial physician visit followed by 3 telephone counseling sessions encouraging increased activity. The pedometer group was counseled on increasing steps (without specific targets), while the standard activity prescription group received time-related activity goals.
At one year, “leisure walking” had increased more for the pedometer group than for the standard group (mean 50 minutes/week vs 28 minutes/week; P=.03), although both groups equally increased their amount of “total activity.” Blood pressure decreased equally in both groups, while BMI was unchanged in either.