Objective Recording of Arm and Leg Activity in Normal and Clinical Samples

¹ Psychiatrist, Östra Sjukhuset, The Mental Hospital of Malmö, Sweden
² Psychiatrist, The Second Department of Psychiatry, University of Lund, Sweden
³ Research Psychologist, Psychological Department, University of Lund, Sweden

In this study two methods for measuring physical activity in arm and leg in man are developed. The instruments used are a pedometer and a new instrument called a brachiokinesiometer (BKM). The methods are applied in group of young female adults (N=50). We have tested the reliability of the methods and found it satisfactory. The correlation between [See Fig. 4. in Source Pdf.] [See Fig. 5. in Source Pdf.] the two types of activity is fairly low. The activity measured by the pedometer seems to be more influenced by occupational behaviour than the activity measured in the arm (BKM). The possibility of measuring personal tempo by the two methods is discussed.

The methods were applied to a group of patients with mental diseases in a pilot study. The results show that the physical activity according to the two instruments was rather low, and was lowest in a sub-sample of depressed patients.