How humans walk: Bout duration, steps per bout, and rest duration
Abstract
Much is known about human walking, but it is not known how walking is used during typical activities. Since improving walking ability is a key goal in many surgical, pharmacological, and physiotherapeutic interventions, understanding typical community mobility demands regarding the length of walking bouts, the number of sequential steps frequently performed, and the duration of common nonwalking (rest) behavior seems prudent. This study documents the gait of daily living in 10 nondisabled employed adults to define walking bout duration, sequential step counts, and length of rest periods over a 2-week period. Subjects wore a StepWatch Activity Monitor (OrthoCare Innovations; Mountlake Terrace, Washington) that counted steps in each 10-second time window. Custom code summed sequential steps, periods of walking behavior (bouts), and periods without steps (rest). Sixty percent of all walking bouts lasted just 30 seconds or less; a 2-minute walking bout was just 1 percent of total walking bouts. Forty percent of all walking bouts were less than 12 steps in a row, and 75 percent of all walking bouts were less than 40 steps in a row. Rest periods were predominantly very short, with half of all rests periods lasting 20 seconds or less. The community mobility demand for nondisabled employed adults appears to involve frequent short-duration walking behavior with low numbers of sequential steps strung together and many short-duration nonwalking (rest) behaviors.
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The Omron HJ720 gives lower step counts than other pedometers because its 4-s filter results in failure to record steps during intermittent, lifestyle activities.
“This is one reason why the Omron HJ720 gives lower step counts than other pedometers, because it has a 4-s filter that results in failure to record steps during intermittent, lifestyle activities.”
From Step Counting: A Review of Measurement Considerations and Health-Related Applications (2017) · cites this paper as [37]
Orendurff showed that the most common walking bouts last only four steps, and the next most common bouts last six, eight, ten, 12 steps, etc.
“Orendurff [37] showed that the most common walking bouts last only four steps, and the next most common bouts last six, eight, ten, 12 steps, etc.”
From Step Counting: A Review of Measurement Considerations and Health-Related Applications (2017) · cites this paper as [37]
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- Authors
- Orendurff, M. S.
- Affiliations
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System (US)
- Corresponding author
- Orendurff, Michael S.
- Venue
- The Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development
- Published
- 2008-12-01
- Volume
- 45
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 1077-1090
- ISSN
- 0742-3241 (ISSN-L)
- 0748-7711
- OpenAlex
- W2152074827
- Cited by
- 306
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 28 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 22.32
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Balance, Gait, and Falls Prevention
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Lower Extremity Biomechanics and Pathologies
- Keywords
- walking bouts, walking behavior, rest periods, step count, everyday life, gait, activity monitoring
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Gait, Humans, Middle Aged, Reference Values, Cohort Studies, Walking, Monitoring, Ambulatory, Young Adult
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