Question about wearing the fitbit

[LizJ]

I have trouble walking thanks to an injury in 2012.  I can walk, but barely and when I do I have to use a walker (If I go long distance I have to use a wheelchair) - Now when I use my walker, how would I track my steps.  Should I just attach the fitbit to my shoe?   Please no bashing about the fact I can't walk, I get enough of it when I am out (I am told if I was not so fat I could walk which is garbage)

[Nicou]

I read  that you have to look at all these band as activity trackers not steps. It was  written  by someone who is in a wheelchair . It's worth to check it out!  store.apple.com/ca/question/...wheelchair.

 His name is Daniel P. Charlotte august 10 2014.

Hope it help!

[WendyB]

That link does not work. @Nicou 

@LizJ I had to use a walker a year ago. You can try it on your shoe. But it might not work.

But when I was using a walker  it did not pick up steps as I was not lifting my feet enough. I was more like shuffling.

But try it and let us know if it works.

It also might depend on the Unit you are using. Which Fitbit do you have?

[Nicou]

You're right my apologies! I I thought this man answer was brilliant. I'll share with you how he calculate his steps.. 

He used the number of steps counted on what he consider to be a good active day for him and that became his goal.

When he exceed the number he was more active than his target, if he didn't reach them, he was less active.

He says that you can't used the  calorie calculations because it is based on energy spent walking. Most programs take your height and calculate your stride distance based on that. Once the #of steps is know it compute how far you travelled and when it factors in your weight and time it took you to cover that distance it can calculate energy (calories) burned. Wheelchair are more efficient than walking, one level ground we can push once (one step)and travel much further than a person taking a step. So we are able to cover more distance with one step. His guess is that they can travel 4-5x further than walker on flat ground. So he assumed that dividing the calories reported by fitbit or other device like it by  4 or 5 to get what you actually burn in a wheelchair. But going up a hill  is the opposite.  We burn more calories than someone walking up, we  lose all momentum and have to take many more steps t to go up the same hill.

  ( as a wheelchair user can I used this monitor) answered by Daniele P Charlotte. august 10 /2014

I am not computer savvy so I couldn't get the link right

[Heybales]

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@LizJ wrote:

I have trouble walking thanks to an injury in 2012.  I can walk, but barely and when I do I have to use a walker (If I go long distance I have to use a wheelchair) - Now when I use my walker, how would I track my steps.  Should I just attach the fitbit to my shoe?   Please no bashing about the fact I can't walk, I get enough of it when I am out (I am told if I was not so fat I could walk which is garbage)

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Step goals are not appropriate for everyone - either not possible, or not a good goal.

Just try to get up and move more, who cares the steps.

Every hour, shuffle around for 5 minutes.

And putting it on one foot really won't work, as it'll maybe only see 1 foot landing then, for sure not the other foot landing. That will throw off several things.

So your walking calorie burn is likely to be low for the effort you are actually putting forth.

But it'll still be good for you.

[SunsetRunner]

Hi @LizJ I use a walker too - and just started with my fitbit. I changed the daily goal - geez 10K would about kill me. I lowered to 500 and that's a stretch. But I found it worked fine on my arm. For other uses I use a scooter. I think it doesn't matter how many steps, only that we keep trying. Best of luck.