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What is a Pedometer?
A pedometer is a small device you wear on your waist that counts the number of steps you take.
How do pedometers work?
Aussie Fit Sport pedometers are pendulum or spring levered (AFstep, AFSDTC, Nano-sm, ET-dsm, Slimline).Pendulum/spring-levered pedometers use a spring-suspended horizontal lever arm that moves up and down in response to the movement of your hips as you walk or run. The movement opens and closes an electrical circuit, and as the lever arm makes contact, a step is registered. Pendulum/spring-levered pedometers must be placed in a vertical plane, perpendicular to the ground, in order for them to work. They don’t work if they tip forward or tilt back. Pedometers work when you walk, run, dance or climb stairs, but they don’t work if you’re biking, skiing, rowing, or swimming.
What are the benefits of a pedometer and how many steps should I take?
Pedometers provide objective measurement of physical activity and are a great tool to motivate you to be more active.
10,000 steps per day is the popular recommendation, and there is accumulating evidence that this number of steps is associated with health benefits, but it may not be appropriate for everyone (children, older adults, and individuals with chronic diseases).The benefits of exercise are well known. Decreased risk of and management of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease, improvements in bone density, decreases in blood pressure, reduction in certain types of cancer, increases in muscle strength and endurance, alleviation of symptoms of depression and elevation of mood are just some. Source: Medicinenet http://www.medicinenet.com/pedometers/article.htm
Are pedometers accurate?
Accurate pedometers are those with step-count errors less than 10%, high or low. That is, your pedometer should not count more than 110 steps, or fewer than 90 steps, if you walk 100 steps.
Research shows that pedometers tend to count steps more accurately at speeds greater than 4.5 kms per hour (kmph) than at slower speeds. Inaccuracy can occur due to the insensitivity of pedometers to detect steps when people shuffle or drag their feet at slow speeds. Detectable vertical movement of the hips is necessary for pedometers to work well.
Source: MedicineNet http://www.medicinenet.com/pedometers/page2.htm
Where do I position my pedometer?
Your Aussie Fit Sport pedometers – AFstep, AFSDTC, Nano-sm, ET-dsm, Slimline – are designed to be worn on the waistband – in a line straight up from the middle of your knee, which is half way between your centre and your side. It is very important that the pedometer be worn as straight as possible so it is in the vertical position – not leaning forward back or side to side. If it is tilted it will affect the accuracy of the mechanism that counts your steps. Remember that it’s accurate if the error is within 10% of your count (90-110 steps if you walk 100 steps). Move the pedometer forward or backward on your waist or even switch sides and walk another 100 steps if the error is more than 10%. Repeat these trials until you find the right position. Call Aussie Fit Sport or return the pedometer if you can’t get accurate readings after repeated attempts.
[youtube width=”340″ height=”275″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idYxq4tqXlM[/youtube]
What is the ‘five step filter’ feature on the New Gen 3 pedometers – Nano, Et-dsm and Slimline?
This feature eliminates incidental movements from being registered on the pedometer. For example most spring levered pedometers will record a step with movements such as bending down, sitting down, sneezing, crossing legs and even driving over bumps in your car. This can be frustrating when you are trying to identify exercise movements through your day. The ‘five step filter’ feature in the Gen 3 pedometers (Nano, Et-dsm and Slimline) is a 5 step delay in display and adding in of steps. This means the Gen 3 pedometers do not start registering steps until the 5th continuous step has been taken and then it starts counting from 5 onwards which provides better accuracy for exercise movement.
What is stride length?
Stride length is the distance covered in an average step which is measured from heel to heel or from toe to toe.
Some pedometers (AFSDTC, Et-dsm and Slimeline) require you to enter your stride length so they can calculate the distance you walk in Kilometers or miles. They do this by multiplying the number of steps by your stride length.
For example:- 0.8(80cms) x 10000 steps = 8000meters/1000(meters per KM) = 8kms
This is a calculation and not an exact measurement. Stride length is dependent on your leg length and how fast you’re moving. It’s longer when you jog or run, compared with walking, which means your step count will be different for the same distance depending on your mode of activity.
For example, it could take 2,000 steps to walk a kilometer and 1,800 steps to jog it. Fast walkers take smaller, more rapid steps to go faster, and so they will take more steps in a kilometer than when walking slower. Likewise, you will take more steps walking uphill than when walking on the flat and so you need to consider that when assessing your activity level with a pedometer.
How do I calculate my stride length?
This involves measuring the distance of 10 of your exercise steps and then dividing the total distance by 10 to get your average step length. So you will need:- 2 x pens or rulers, a tape measure and a calculator.
Put one pen or ruler on the floor as the starting line. With the other pen or ruler in your hand place both of your heels so they are touching the pen/ruler. Walk 10 steps that you would take during your average walk. Bring your feet together on the 10th step and place the pen/ruler you are h0lding behind your heels. Measure the distance between the two pens/rulers and divide by 10. The number you get is your stride/step length.
For example: – Distance between the two pens/rulers is 860cms. Divide this number by 10 = 86cms=your average step is 86cms or .86m.
It is advisable to repeat this a few times to give you a more accurate average.
[youtube width=”340″ height=”275″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GRy8EgflZg[/youtube]
How do I change my pedometer from miles to Kms?
Model AFSDTC – you can choose to use km or miles by pressing the mode key for 5 seconds until the screen blinks.
Model Et-dsm – In the distance mode hold the green reset button down for 5 secs until the curser changes from miles to km or km to miles.
Model Slimline – In the distance mode hold the green reset button down for 5 secs until the screen changes from ‘ML’ to ‘KM’.
Why is my pedometers screen blank?
The answer to this question depends on the model you have purchased. If you have a Aussie Fit Step or a AFSDTC (Aussie Fit Step Distance Time Calorie) check that the battery is in place. You may need a new battery. If you have one of the NEW GEN-3 models ( Nano, ET-dsm or Slimline) the screen goes to sleep when it is not being used – a battery saving feature. The screen should turn on with the press of any button or when you take 5 continuous steps. If it doesn’t then you may need a new battery.
I broke the clip – can I get a replacement clip?
Yes we will gladly send you a replacement clip depending on the model of pedometer. Just email or phone us with your name and address and model of pedometer and we will send one to you.
How long should the battery last?
The battery should last from 1 – 2 years depending on how frequently the pedometer is used. Replacement batteries are easily sourced from retail stores that carry watches/cameras/electronics. Remember to re-enter stride length and weight after replacing the battery.
How does the pedometer calculate calories and is it accurate?
The Aussie Fit Sport pedometer models that calculate calories burned include the AFSDTC and the Slimline. You must enter your weight into the pedometer for it to make a calculation. It does this by using a formula based on your weight and the amount of steps taken. It is a calculation and not an exact measurement as a pedometer cannot detect and factor in all the variables that determine how many calories you burn when you exercise.
How does the triaxial sensor in the Pulse QT Pedometer Watch work?
A mechanical pedometer has one sensing axis. So it only works at a particular orientation. This watch uses a triaxial g-sensor. Individual sensors are configured in the x-yxz plane respectively. It senses acceleration experienced by the watch in all 3 axis continuously and looks for continuous and repetitive STEP patterns. The software will try to figure STEPS from the complex patterns created by the dynamic hand movement. So it does not have to be mounted in a specific orientation.
How do you determine which sensitivity level to set the Pulse QT Pedometer Watch to?
It is based on the step counting of the person. If the watch always counts more steps, reduce the sensitivity level. If the watch counts less than actual, increase the sensitivity level.
Can the sensor of the Pulse QT Pedometer Watch pick up the steps if the arms are not swinging freely? E.g. walking while pushing a trolly/pram?
The watch counts periodical repetitive patterns. So it has to have some kind of motion to trigger the counting. It may be the swinging of an arm, it may be the vertical (up/down) body movement during walking or running. When we are pushing a trolly in a natural way, there is a force coming from the stepping forward movement and the sensor is able to recognize such movements as steps even you do not swing the arm.
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