Validity and Reliability of Remote, Smartphone-Based Assessment of Dual-Task Standing and Walking in Older Adults

Abstract

Dual task walking assessments provide valuable insights into cognitive-motor function in aging. To date, such assessments have been limited primarily to laboratory-based settings. We thus created a smartphone App utilizing multi-media instructions and the phone’s motion sensors to record movements during normal and dual task walking, with the phone placed in the user’s pants pocket. Thirty younger and older adults completed two lab visits, during which walking data were simultaneously acquired by the App and the GAITRite mat. Participants also completed App-based assessments in their homes on three separate days. Across all detected strides in laboratory trials, gait metrics derived from the App correlated closely with those derived from the GAITRite mat (r2>0.96). Across trials, gait metrics demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability, both within and between laboratory visits and home-based assessments (ICC: 0.79–0.90). Remote, smartphone-based dual task walking assessments may therefore be feasible for relatively healthy younger and older adults.

The reliability and validity of the OneStep smartphone application for gait analysis among patients with gait asymmetry undergoing rehabilitation for lower limb chronic pain or functional disability

“…In light of the above, the ndings of the current analysis suggest that the examined smartphone application is both reliable and valid for assessing spatial-temporal gait parameters in people with gait asymmetry who undergo rehabilitation for mild to moderate lower limb disability or chronic pain. These ndings are consistent with previous studies that demonstrated the reliability and validity of the smartphone-based assessment to perform gait analysis in other populations [18,19,[22][23][24][25][26][27][28]37].…”

“…Our ndings have important clinical implications. First, this study, together with the previous ones [22,23,31] demonstrate that among the examined population, slower gait speeds, shorter strides, and gait asymmetry do not jeopardize the app's accuracy in the assessment of spatiotemporal gait parameters.…”

“…Today, smartphones are widespread and are standardly embodied with IMUs that enable attaining spatial-temporal gait information. Smartphone-based assessment has demonstrated reliability and validity in performing spatiotemporal gait analysis among healthy young adults [18][19][20][21][22] and older adults [23], and among populations with various gait pathologies. These include, but are not limited to Parkinson's disease [24][25][26], rheumatoid arthritis [27], stroke [28], and musculoskeletal disorders [29,30].…”

Validity and Reliability of a Smartphone Application for Home Measurement of Four-Meter Gait Speed in Older Adults

“…Our validation process also factored in statistical adjustments for different types of pants (tight, medium, or loose) and settings (laboratory or home), ensuring the App’s gait measurements remained accurate despite pocket tightness variations and environmental differences [ 14 ]. The smartphone App has also been tested on various older adults to ensure its usability across a wide range of technological proficiencies [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ]. Moreover, previous studies suggest that older adults are interested in and willing to use smartphones to assist in the management of health [ 23 , 24 , 25 ].…”

The Reliability and Validity of the OneStep Smartphone Application for Gait Analysis among Patients Undergoing Rehabilitation for Unilateral Lower Limb Disability

“…This technology has several potential applications including gait monitoring in different health and therapy settings [28], fall risk assessment [29], and sports and fitness tracking [30]. Smartphone-based assessment has demonstrated reliability and validity in performing spatiotemporal gait analysis among healthy young adults [31][32][33][34][35] and older adults [36], and among populations with various gait pathologies. These include, but are not limited to, Parkinson's disease [37][38][39], rheumatoid arthritis [40], stroke [41], and musculoskeletal disorders [42,43].…”