Self tracking

Original Editor - Tony Lowe

Top Contributors - Tony Lowe, Lucinda hampton, WikiSysop, 127.0.0.1 and Kim Jackson

Definition

There are an increasing array of small, relatively inexpensive devices and mobile apps available which allow an individual to track many measures of their daily life. This field is often refered to as Quantified Self and many of these measures have potential implications for healthcare management and influencing behaviour to promote a healthier life style.

Types of device and app

Nike Fuelband activity monitor

Activity trackers - generally the record number of steps taken but also can record elevation gained (number of stairs and floors). Often also estimate a measure of calories burned. Examples include the Fitbit, Nike Fuelband, Jawbone Up,Striiv and Withings Pulse. Mike Reinold provides a PT's review of these devices.

Meal logging - record daily food intakes through the use of photos odf meals, databases of food types and quantities to estimate calories and nutrients (e.g. the Fitbit food database) and even food scanners to automatically estimate meal make up (e.g. the TellSpec scanner).

Symptom logging - record symptoms such as pain and send reports to healthcare professionals (e.g. Manage my pain app).

Sleep tracking - measures activity levels and sometimes body temperature and heart rate at night to identify sleep good and bad patterns.

Body health measures - heart rate, skin temperature, perspiration (e.g. the Basis watch), blood pressure (e.g. the iHealth blood pressure monitor), blood oxygen saturation (e.g. the iHealth Pulse Oximeter), heart ECG trace (e.g. Alivecor)

Examples of medical use

A story by CNBC describes how in the Basque region of Spain hospital visists by patients suffering from chronic conditions are substantially reduced though the patients home use of medical tracking devices such as spirometers and pulse oximeters in conjunction with a home exercise programme delivered and monitored using Xbox Kinect. Data from the patients exercise and health measures are sent to health professionals who support the patient at a distance and only call the patient into the hosiptal when necessary.

Using a self tracking exercise device with predefined goals has been found to increase exercise levels in sedentary adults.

There is great interest in the use of these technologies for the treatment of chronic conditions such as COPD and studies are being undertaken to test the effectiveness of these approaches.

Implications for physical therapy / physiotherapy management

The Fitbit has been validated as a relaible tool for measuring energy expendiure during exercise and step counts but not distance covered.

There are many ways the physical therapist could utilise the data recorded by self tracking patients and also work with patients to maximise the benefits they gain from self tracking. For example:

• Setting appropriate goals for patient daily exercise levels (e.g. setting an appropriate daily goal for number of steps taken).
• Patient logging of subjective measures for review during consultations e.g. pain, energy levels, feeling of wellness etc.
• Logging daily prescribed exercise completion.
• Setting goals and warning levels for measures with prompts for patients to seek medical attention or return for a follow-up appointment when these are met.

Recent Related Research (from Pubmed)

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