Using a walker

[JP51]

Is there an exercise that you can choose that would be the rough equivalent of calories expended when walking with a walker, that would calculate that you were exercising? 

[DramaQueenDiva]

Hey @JP51,

I'm going to move this to the "Get Moving" boards since this has more to do with exercise than a tracker.

[m-umar]

I'm not sure what type of walker @JP51 you're using. In general all smart watches combine your (BMR), the rate at which you burn calories at rest to maintain vital body functions (including breathing, blood circulation, and heartbeat) and your activity data to estimate overall your calories burned. If your device tracks higher heart rate (zones), your heart-rate data is also included into the final output.

You could try selecting "Walk" and see if it satisfied with the outcome/output.

[DavideFitbit]

Welcome to the Community forums, @JP51.

Thank you for your inquiry about using a walker with Fitbit. 

Fitbit devices have a finely-tuned algorithm for step counting. The algorithm is designed to look for intensity and motion patterns that are most indicative of people walking and running. As @DramaQueenDiva mentioned earlier, while using a walker, your device would still be counting your heart rate and calories for better accuracy of data. 

However, if you'd like to see a specific Walker mode or exercise, I recommend that you post this idea in the Feature Suggestion board of the Community, since this section is regularly monitored by the team of developers. Make sure to post your idea including as many details as possible. 

Have a great day. 

[Heybales]

I don't believe you are really going to be burning more with a walker than just plain walking. Less actually since getting support, this has been tested on treadmills when people do or don't hold on to the side supports.

I would NOT suggest starting a workout merely to track that in daily activity though - as that enables the HR-based calorie burn, and for an activity like walking - it'll be badly inflated calorie burn.

The real issue here is Fitbit not being able to see steps taken (wrist worn devices when hand is gripping say shopping cart or stroller or walker) won't see all the steps truly being taken, and won't get a good estimate of the distance traveled, therefore calories burned is off in that formula.

Because that's where the extra daily activity calorie burn above BMR comes from - distance moved.

If you really are going out for a walk for exercise (good for you) - can you pick a route of known distance, or work it out afterwards?

If you can - then use the Fitbit workout for walking.

The steps and distance and calorie burn are all bogus though - but the start/duration time is what you want. The HR may be interesting to review and compare down the road to see your fitness level improving.

Then manually create a Workout Record for walking, very important to use the same start/duration time so no doubling up (Fitbit is replace-only system, last entry will overwrite prior ones), and use the accurate distance you know.

Let Fitbit calculate the calorie burn which will be very good estimate.

If this is walking outside there are several sites that offer ability to trace a route and get a distance.

https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

Sadly this doesn't help your daily activity distance say around the house doing things.

Though if you can count how accurate your steps are going around the house or store, say count 100 right foot landings and then see how close Fitbit is to 200 total steps.

There may be some tweaking available - like wearing the device as a loop on-body instead of on-wrist.

[JP51]

Thank you very much!

[shipo]

I'm thinking it might also depend upon the walker itself.  During my recent stay in our friendly neighborhood ICU I had to do a bunch of rehab; I started with a walker which had wheels on all four legs; basically allowing me to push it with no reciprocal motion of my arms.  I then graduated from the wheeled walker to one which I needed to lift, swing forward, and then plant on the ground before moving my legs; this second type of walker definitely registered on my tracker.

[m-umar]

Hi All, Just thinking outside the square. How about strapping the sense on the leg just couple of inches above the ankle on the left or right side of the leg with plenty of flesh there to register blood circulation.

Leg has to moves with the walker.

[JP51]

Thank you for the info!

[m-umar]

@JP51 please let us know if it works for you or find any other way to get walking registered with the device. Hope you feel better soon.