Pedometers
On this page we will review how to use pedometers in clinical practice, look at writing exercise prescriptions, and then review other methods of encouraging patients to exercise.
Now that you have learned some about enhancing your patients ability to exercise, continue to the next section to read about nutrition's role in treating depression.
Using a pedometer effectively requires more than just a recommendation or even handing one out in the office. One strategy that has been shown to be effective is detailed in Appendix I. The process starts with making a recommendation to a patient to try a pedometer, and patients often have many questions. Some answers to those questions are:
Pedometers cost around $25.
They should be warn all day and are small enough to fit on a belt or in a pocket.
They are less accurate at measuring bicycling pedals than walking steps.
Omron brand digital pedometers are widely known to be accurate and easy to use (this link goes to a website outside of the U-M curriculum).
