Inaccurate treadmill distance reading

[jirose]

Hi gang, just got finished running a 5k on the treadmill. I selected the exercise treadmill option before I started, and hit the stop button just after I finished. The treadmill itself recorded three miles run in 24 minutes, but the Blaze only recorded 1.7 miles. Anyone know why? This isn't a deal-breaker or anything...I really like the watch, but that's a pretty big disparity.

[Rich_Laue]

@ssepp8891 open the Fitbit app -. Account. - Advanced settings - Stride Length. 

But note that this may change the accuracy when walking outside. 

@04Dbacks it is not that easy for Fitbit to calculate the imaginary or virtual distance one walks on the treadmill. When the belt changes speed, so does the users stride. 

[04Dbacks]

Good point! I can enter info manually, which is what I started doing. Seems to work well enough...

Sent from my iPhone

[BigBrewer]

Thanks for that...

Sent from David's Ipad

[Dimey26]

This comment may be irrelevant because it is so long ago you asked this question but, l put the Fitbit on my shoelace and lose my heart rate but get accurate steps as I want those

[MissZphoto]

Thanks!  That's great to know.  I'll have to try it out. 

[Dimey26]

I too don't swing my arms on the treadmill. Too many bruises 🙂

[SherryBenMom]

I’m walking on my treadmill at 2km per hour.  I have calculated and updated my stride length for both walking and running to correspond to my slow treadmill walking speed (40cm).  I wear my Fitbit on my ankle.

For my last treadmill session, it counted 13,386 steps.  At 40cm per step (as per my stride length), that should give me 5.35km which corresponds pretty closely to the distance shown on my treadmill.

problem:  The activity calculated it as 10.85 km.  How is it calculated because it clearly isn’t    steps x stride length

[Rich_Laue]

@SherryBenMom this is what fitbit says. 

 

[SherryBenMom]

Yes, but as you can see from the information I've provided, my distance was
clearly NOT calculated as steps x stride length. I contacted technical
support and they had me update my APP, hard reset my app and watch, toggle
settings on and off and re-pair. I will see if these steps resolve the
issue when I do my next treadmill walk.

[Betsy6207]

So weird right?! Me too. I’m going to have to move my arms more and try that!!

[SherryBenMom]

In my case, the problem is not my arm movement. I am wearing my Fitbit on
my ankle and it is calculating the number of steps correctly.
I can confirm that the settings, app updates and re-starting support had me
try did NOT work. I still have the same problem.
The weird thing is that it was calculating the distance correctly a couple
of weeks ago and then suddenly stopped working.

[Dacus]

Put the fitbit on your ankle and it will record steps correctly.  On the arm is always way off.  Still don't get the mileage on the treadmill though.

[Dimey26]

Thanks. I attach it to shoelace sometimes because ankle is much bigger than
writ. Unfortunately can't track heartbeat though.

[Dacus]

I bought a larger band for the ankle and it works perfectly, heartbeat and
all.

[Rich_Laue]

I think if it was on my ankle, I'd have problems reading notifications or answering calls. 

[Islay]

Hi

iscthere a way to change the mileage on the Fitbit to reflect correct distance?

[Rich_Laue]

@Islay on a treadmill fitbit can not measure your virtual distance. Fitbit needs to calculate by using steps times stride.

To get an accurate measurement we first have to confirm: 

•  Step count accuracy - this means hands off of any support railings 
• Stride setting - for the speed the treadmill is set at. The stride is usually slightly different then on a free run. 

Once the these two have been confirmed the distance will be correct. 

[Dacus]

If you wear the fitbit on your ankle it tracks, both walking and treadmill,
pretty accurate. I have found that with the fitbit on my wrist it
undercounts 20 steps per minute consistently. I have counted the steps
many times on the treadmill and also while walking. I bought a larger band
and have worn it on my ankle for 2-3 years.
Hope this helps


--
Dacus Grant

[Islay]

Brilliant

[Islay]

Thanks. I do t usually hang in but I did catch myself doing that a couple
of times. 👍