Fitbit for a disabled person?

[kuklared]

Is there any way to adjust the settings on the Fitbit for someone who is disabled?  I'm not going to be going on any runs or doing any major workouts because I am unable to do this anymore.  But my Fitbit keeps yelling at me to get up and run.  I still want to track my steps and have it monitor my sleep patterns, but I can't make it happy by going on a jog.

[JohnnyRow · Accepted solution]

If the messages you are getting are the reminders to move at ten till the hour, you can turn these off. From your phone dashboard, click Account icon - top right, Charge 2, Reminders to Move.  There is a slider there to turn these reminders completely off.

[WavyDavey]

@kuklared, in addition to what @JohnnyRow posted, you can adjust the goals for steps. The default goal is 10,000 per day, but it can be set to whichever number works for you. You can look at how many steps you've taken in the last day or two to use as a guide for the step goal.

[kuklared]

Thank you.  I guess that is the simplest solution.  As a pipe dream, I wish there was a Fitbit with a handicapped setting that would allow for physical limitations.  Perhaps someday.

Yes, thanks.  I did manage to find that setting.  (I've only had my Fitbit for a few days.)  I've set it to 1500 steps, which is about all I can manage these days.  You'd never know I used to bike 40 miles a day.  Sigh.

Moderator edit: merged reply

[Elcar]

Hi, I too wish there was a setting for those less able. I used to go hill walking and dancing and can now average around only 3000 steps daily on the flat! I have only been using my fit bit for a few days (an upgrade from my pedometer lol) and I just do what I can and try when I can to increase my steps from the day before. Lets hope that when the technology experts realise when someone has a disability they don't automatically give up being active, they just adapt and find alternatives, maybe then we can have something that suits 😀

[kuklared]

Well, maybe if we keep posting questions about it and asking for new settings to accommodate our needs, the manufacturers will listen.  I'm hoping that things will improve after I have back surgery, but who knows?

Good luck to you! 

[JohnnyRow]

@kuklared @Elcar

I'm just curious, what differences or adjustments would you like to see for those with physical limitations?

[kuklared]

I'd love to see a general "Handicapped" or "Limited Physical Ability" setting I could choose so the Fitbit would know that my abilities were different without me having to change a multitude of settings.  Admittedly, I have only had it for 5 days, so I am sure there is a lot I don't know.  But it would have been nice to choose a setting like this when I was doing the initial setup.  

[Elcar]

I'm new to fitbit (and relatively new to my disability) so it's difficult to say what would be useful. I'm sure as I become more accustomed to the fitbit I'll discover more settings I can change but at the moment it feels more like reminder of all the things I can no longer do rather than a celebration of my achievements. General exercise, running, walking 10,000 steps and climbing stairs are no longer possible for me and all the initial setting of goals was a bit more difficult/uncomfortable than it needed to be. Having said all that I already love my fitbit and I can definitely see how useful it is going to be as I go forward. 

[msrx2]

Loved your comment:  it feels more like reminder of all the things I can no longer do rather than a celebration of my achievements.

Some of your achievements will include adjusting the settings so your Fitbit will be a positive rather than negative motivator!

[kuklared]

Exactly why I haven't finished doing all of my setup stuff yet.  It makes me depressed.

[WavyDavey]

I would pay attention to the 250 hourly step goal. If you can get 250 steps in an hour or two, that's 500-1000 steps in 4 hours! Not bad. The goals are interactive, in that it will pay attention to your progress and allow updates to the goals.

Having a mode for disability (or rehab) would be helpful, with a big slider that adjusts multiple goals at once.

[kuklared]

I've been averaging 2500+ steps a day, which is more than I thought I was doing.  Given my medical issues, that's pretty good, I think.  I keep working on doing more and doing more stairs.  But since I can't be vertical for more than about 10 minutes at a time, there is a limit to what I can do.  At the moment.

[Klw3148]

I'm also disabled and use a walker.  When I walk with my walker it doesn't count my steps.  I wish it did because it's not safe for me to walk without it.

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wrote:

Thank you.  I guess that is the simplest solution.  As a pipe dream, I wish there was a Fitbit with a handicapped setting that would allow for physical limitations.  Perhaps someday.

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I'm also disabled and use a walker.  When I walk with my walker it doesn't count my steps.  I wish it did because it's not safe for me to walk without it

Allow it to count steps when using a walker or help devise

Moderator edit: merged replies

[SunsetRunner]

I'd love to monitor my oxygen level. The heart rate is the same on my oxymeter. For me having disabilities.. Maybe arm movements could count as opposed to running?

[SunsetRunner]

As do I. After a hip surgery 7 years ago, and a sufferer of Osteoarthritis ( hands, feet, knees, spine) and peripheral Polyneuropathy...hard core exercise is impossible. You'd think fitbit could incorporate some very low impact or modified exercise routines for older folks with joint/nerve pain who really want to exercise and remain active as best we can and be able to take advantage of the fitbit tracker. Perhaps with enough requests for it, FitBit technology and marketing could get together and get some coaches that could come up with some low impact programs for the older, less abled persons...of which we are MANY! 

[SunsetRunner]

Low impact or modified routines. Most exercise programs offer them. For example chair bound routines. So you are not injuring joints further. When you have routines where you have fit persons jumping, you modifiy with low impact steps rather then jumps, holding onto a counter or table for balance. They have loads of examples on youtube...just search lowimpact aerobics or lowimpact exercise. It wouldn't/shouldn't take a rocket scientist at Fitbit to get this implemented quickly. The entire Baby Boomer generation would be marketable for the Fitbit and get FAR more use from it than is currently available to us. 80% or more of the Fitbit test I attempted this morning was to difficult for me du

[SunsetRunner]

Low impact or modified routines. Most exercise programs offer them. For example chair bound routines. So you are not injuring joints further. When you have routines where you have fit persons jumping, you modifiy with low impact steps rather then jumps, holding onto a counter or table for balance. They have loads of examples on youtube...just search lowimpact aerobics or lowimpact exercise. It wouldn't/shouldn't take a rocket scientist at Fitbit to get this implemented quickly. The entire Baby Boomer generation would be marketable for the Fitbit and get FAR more use from it than is currently available to us. 80% or more of the Fitbit test I attempted this morning was to difficult for me due to joint pain, lack of strength, and balance issues...but I am completely able to do easy versions of low impact exercise routines on YouTube. I was disappointed to see a company as health conscious as Fitbit wasn't addressing this large group of consumers. 

[SunsetRunner]

Exactly! I felt completely discouraged rather thsn empowered as I had hoped I'd feel.

[Bradycat3]

If you carry it in your pocket instead of on your wrist,  it will count your steps.  I do that when I go grocery shopping, it won't count my steps when I'm pushing the cart with it on my wrist.