Surprised at how accurate heart rate detection is

[Thomas Davie]

This is almost immediately after waking up at 4:30 am (I crashed as soon as the debates/townhall last night were finished). Garbage day and I had to gingerly walk up and down a 200+ foot driveway covered with ice to take garbage, recycling and cat litter waste out. I left some recycling bags in my garage b/c they’ll take them every week. The garbage mostly consisted of disposed dialysis supplies from when I was doing @ home dialysis (used to be deliveries of ~1000kg once a month).

Now, in dialysis heart rate as measured by the dialyzer (and watch) are back to normal. This is what 4 trips did.

Tom

 

[Bichon]

I've compared the heart rate on the watch with the one on the treadmill, the one on my fingertip pulse oximeter, the one on my blood pressure monitor, and even the one on the pulseox at the doctors office and found it to be dead-on accurate. (I'm talking about the pulse reading, not the oxygen saturation) The only issue I've had with it is that it sometimes stops reading consistently during a workout, usually when doing an outdoor walk in very cold weather.

 

[TAZ911]

Of the wrist based devices that I’ve tried the Apple algorithm seems to be the most accurate. The problem with wrist based it I would guess with light based pulse measurement is the ever changing surface conditions. Sweat, temp changes, physical stress (lifting weights) all cause consistency issues. However for a non medical device it works surprisingly well.

 

[arkitect]

I would agree.

The only time I find it lagging was during HIT exercises.

For those I tracked it with my chest strap HR monitor and that was far more responsive.

But for a good steady rate when I'm running or walking the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is perfectly adequate.

 

[mtbdudex]

I just got a power meter for my fatbike over the holidays , I’m learning it but fascinating at how accurate my heart rate lags the power output my body is doing.
Now I’m using the power meter in conjunction with HR as I ride, and then slightly tweak my ride to not “blow up” , be in zone 5 for more than say 2 minutes straight . FWIW I’m 61.