An apparatus, which can feel the body motion and can measure footsteps, is called a Pedometer. More recent pedometers can also calculate the distance traveled, speed, time, steps per minute, amount of calories burned and pulse rate of the body. Some also have characteristics like alarm, stopwatch and music of FM Radio. Some can have a memory of a week.
Use and Types
The user has to feed the average length of the stride in a pedometer. This length is multiplied by the number of steps to display the distance traveled. A Pedometer is generally placed on the hip but may be placed in the pocket, worn with the belt or hooked to the bra. For normal health 6000 steps are recommended while for weight loss 10000 (having about 4000-6000 continuous ones) are suggested. It can be worn all throughout the day. It is a necessity as many adults do not carry out the advocated physical movement and some are leading a sedentary routine. For every activity, the number of Pedometer steps to be walked is standardized. These steps are walked in the standardized time interval. It means that the body is given the same amount of exercise, as obtained through the activity.There are several types of Pedometers. Spring Levered Pedometers with Coiled Spring has more accuracy than the Hairspring type and has a better life. The disadvantage is that it clicks and obese people do not get an accurate value. Spring Levered Pedometers with a Hairspring over counts steps after a million are counted. Peizo Electric Pedometers are very accurate at slow walking speeds and for obese people and are quiet in operation. The disadvantage is that the battery must be replaced frequently.
Advantages
It proves to be a great encouraging instrument. When we are watching television our mind is involved in the entertainment it provides. So, we can walk to and fro the room. Being engaged with the content of television, the walker does not realize how much he has walked. By keeping a pedometer with him, he can further calculate how much distance he has traversed in a particular period of time. Once this procedure is standardized, the user can decide the amount of time he should watch television and simultaneously walk daily. Psychologically, what happens is that as the mind is filled with thoughts regarding the television he does not realized how much distance is traveled.