Steps Tracking Idiosyncrasies

[JMaldaner]

This thread is just a curiosity. I am not criticizing Fitbit or any Fitbit user. 

Please chime in with what what you have found Fitbit to be tracking as steps that are not you actually walking or running. Here are a couple that have surprised me. 

Horseback riding. I really don’t know how these steps are calculated, but if I wear my Fitbit while riding my horse, I will get enormous steps and the mileage that we have ridden. 

Riding on my tractor! I always wear my Fitbit and I have noticed, quite by accident, that my step total increased one afternoon while I had not walked much and spent most of the afternoon on the tractor mowing in our pastures. Later I tested this again by looking at my steps, getting on the tractor, driving around a bit and looking at my steps again. Yep. I have no clue what triggered those steps. 

So, what oddities have you discovered in step tracking?

[WendyB]

It will track steps when its bumpy which both of those are

[WendyB]

It does not track steps when holding on to something. Like a grocery cart, treadmill bars etc.

[JMaldaner]

For that matter, I have a rebounder (mini-trampoline) and it does not track steps when I use it.

Great replies!

[tony999]

Thanks for the info. That explains a Lot. I'm disabled, so when I grocery shop, I hang onto the cart for dear life (as well as support).

[JCY]

I am having a hard time hitting 2000 steps in 15 minutes, well, at least recorded by my Fitbit.  I get about 1800 per my Fitbit Flex 2, but I know I am walking 2000 steps. It seems when I walk fast or run my Fitbit doesn't keep up. Are their settings adjustments to be made?  any other thoughts?    

[Paulanl]

When I woke up on the 12of March at 5 o’clock my steps were not reset

[creativePowered]

I noticed the same thing on my Charge 2

R

[Torth1]

Same thing. Says I took 10000 steps on my sleep. 

[rocky17]

Mine mine did the same thing. I had all my steps from yesterday

[Jillzdiva · Accepted solution]

My husband jackhammered on all afternoon last Sunday ... tore up our old bathroom tile... he recorded 22,000 steps... 

[JMaldaner]

That is hilarious!  Thanks. Exactly what I’m looking for!

[vq2bizz]

The reason that it tracks steps while you are horseback riding is that it uses an accelerometer to actually count the changes in acceleration as steps. If you really pay attention, you will notice that it tracks more steps during a trot than during a full gallop, that’s because during a trot there are more changes in acceleration (each step taking place individually). During a gallop a horse’s gate is more fluid, with the front legs and back legs working together with much less change of acceleration, hence less steps. The post about the jackhammer sums this up perfectly each change of direction of the jackhammer up and down is recorded as a step, hence 22,000 steps recorded while using the jackhammer, frankly I’m surprised it wasn’t more. The opposite is also true as illustrated by holding the handle on a shopping cart or treadmill, your arm and wrist are held fairly steady hence very few changes in acceleration are recorded, so very few steps are logged.

[LanuzaFitbit]

Hello everyone! 

I find this thread to be very interesting. Even like a fun, entertaining discussion about weird activities that caused steps to be counted.

I have moved it to the Get Moving discussion board as I feel it is much better suited for the type of discussion you are all having. 

Thanks for keeping it civil and fun!

[JMaldaner]

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@LanuzaFitbitwrote:

Hello everyone! 

I find this thread to be very interesting. Even like a fun, entertaining discussion about weird activities that caused steps to be counted.

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Thank you! That is exactly what I had in mind!

[Ashaman113]

Drove 7.5 hours today had very little activity walking or otherwise. Charge 3 recorded 16k steps today. I’ll be running later but wonder how much the highway steps will throw off my calories and fitness #’s. Not really a problem, probably says more about our highway conditions than anything else 

[Dominique]

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@Ashaman113 wrote:

Drove 7.5 hours today had very little activity walking or otherwise. Charge 3 recorded 16k steps today. 

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This is really strange. Can you post the 24-hour graph for steps on that day?

I had a 5 hour drive on June 24, from 3pm to 8.30pm (stopped for 20 minutes on my way to buy grocery and refill). Here is what the graph looked for that day:

The only noticeable steps between 3pm and 8.30pm are during the 20-minute stop near the end. The bulk of the steps I got on that day were from actual walking (taller green bars) or moving around (I was packing my car and doing household tasks in the morning). I was wearing an Ionic.

[nasacpa]

I've been in the shower, when my step count is close to my daily goal.  Apparently, running my hands over my scalp as I'm shampooing counts as steps, too.  

[Ashaman113]

Here you go. Went for 45 min run at 9:30ish 4.36 miles. Would be cool if they had a settings you could activate for sedentary activities like driving that would turn off the accelerometer so steps are not counted during such times