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Best AnswerI recently noticed HR issues while I am walking on my treadmill. Yesterday, I noticed odd HRs during a 30 minute session. The HR value dropped to my resting HR early in the walk. The HR dropped low during the middle of the walk when I was a fixed treadmill conditions. See the plot:
Today, I decided to record the HR via a chest strap for comparison to the Versa 2 readings. Again, the Versa 2 had odd readings. This time, the odd readings are high.
The chest strap readings were very stable. The treadmill settings were constant during the session.
I looked back on Versa 2 treadmill data from the past and the plots look good.
Did something change in the Versa 2 software? I'm at version 3.30 (20243526) for the app and firmware 35.71.6.19 for the Versa 2. I did install the new SpO2 watch face and started using it.
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@LeeGG -
If you are not aware, I've been a pretty vocal cheerleader for the FitBit Device / App combination over the years and still am when they work right. One device and one app doing their best to give me everything I need, unlike the Big A with a great device but many apps to merge with their app to attempt to give me the same that the FitBit app gives me. And 1/8 the battery life - 18 hours compared 6 days (average of 16 percent usage in 24 hours).
Maybe @RicardoFitbit can ask the Development and QA teams to explain your numbers above and mine here. That should be an interesting conversation.
Both are Treadmill sessions using the Versa 2 imbedded exercise app for treadmill. I am 68 years old with a viral damaged heart. The reason for the somewhat low resting heart rates below are the pharmaceuticals I am taking.
September 4th - resting heart rate of 65 bpm. As shown, speed was a little over 3 mph.
Twenty minutes into the three mph walk and my heart rate drops to 9 bpm below resting? And 13 bpm below resting at 4 minutes in? Give me a break.
July 17th - resting heart rate of 63 bpm. Again, 3 mph.
151 bpm? My heart is incapable of reaching that number. Yes 220 - my age of 68 equals 152 but I take beta blockers and they throttle my heart rate down to the effect of making my Max HR 120 bpm. And that throttling extends into exercising. Search for the Harvard Medical School Harvard Health Letter from November of last year. My cardiologist even told me not to try and go over 110 for any sustained period of time.
And when that spike hit I stepped to the rails and manually took my pulse rate - 26 beats in 15 seconds = 104 bpm. The device was still reporting over 145 bpm when I completed my manual check and stepped back on the treadmill. At 8:47 into the exercise session the device was still reporting 140 bpm. Nearly four minutes of unbelievable heart rate readings over 115, from 5:31 to 9:14
And how about the low points at the beginning? Started at 68 bpm - that's good. Then 55 bpm (8 below RHR), 57 bpm (6 under) and 53 bpm (10 under). Didn't get back to over RHR until 64 bpm at 1:56 into the session.
Some people say to move the device higher up on the arm even when on the treadmill - I could see that helping if I was lifting weights, kettle balling, hitting a punching bag or on an elliptical or any other activity where I would be flexing my wrists.
I am not flexing my wrist during treadmill exercises. I allow my arm to loosely hang by my leg and barely traveling a foot back and forth. Picture a Marine marching in formation - even after all these years I still have a tendency to slightly cup my hand and place my thumb at the last knuckle of my index finger and let the arm travel naturally. The same way I walk around the neighborhood or at the grocery store - and those activities don't generate wild heart rate swings.
This same issue effected the Treadmill exercise app on the Charge 3 as I reported in 2019.
Best Answer@LeeGG -
Still getting "quirky" dips and highs. Just today during a 1:30 "Move" and 0:30 "Rest" interval workout on the rowing machine for five reps, I actually dipped 11 beats below Resting Heart Rate at the end of the first rest period.
Not much else to say, other than Treadmill app readings continue to, being nice here, to be a bit off as well. 53:30 into a one-hour 2.79 treadmill session I dropped below RHR. Same thing during this afternoon's shorter 40:00 treadmill session at 37:30 where I dropped from 106 to 76 in :030 and went right back up to 105 0:15 later. A similar drop that lasted 30 seconds in the middle of the session.
Yesterday I had this:
Valid numbers? I really don't think so!
Can't point to @RicardoFitbit , but we can sure hope he points to someone else. I've said it before and I'll say it again - as an Enterprise Computing Professional for 40 years, I am sure glad I was never a part of the FitBit team; I'd be too embarrassed to own up to it. And this is coming from someone who is still a bit of a FitBit cheerleader. But the inconsistencies in the User Interface and the bad data sure is getting tiring.
I am going to try and get together with my Cardiac Surgeon and see if I can get a timestamped download of my heart rate from my pacemaker for a two hour period and compare the tracks. It's my understanding that the device reports to Abbot Labs via cellular modem each night. I have to drop off new insurance information soon and will take the opportunity to ask about it.
Wish me luck.
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