Concurrent Heart Rate Validity of Wearable Technology Devices During Trail Running

Authors

James W. Navalta, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Jeffrey Montes, Monmouth College
Nathaniel G. Bodell, California State University, San Bernadino
Robert W. Salatto, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Jacob W. Manning, Southern Utah University
Mark DeBeliso, Southern Utah University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-31-2020

Publication Title

PLOS ONE

First page number:

1

Last page number:

11

Abstract

Validation of heart rate responses in wearable technology devices is generally composed of laboratory-based protocols that are steady state in nature and as a result, high accuracy measures are returned. However, there is a need to understand device validity in applied settings that include varied intensities of exercise. The purpose was to determine concurrent heart rate validity during trail running. Twenty-one healthy participants volunteered (female n = 10, [mean (SD)]: age = 31 [11] years, height = 173.0 [7] cm, mass = 75.6 [13] kg). Participants were outfitted with wearable technology devices (Garmin Fenix 5 wristwatch, Jabra Elite Sport earbuds, Motiv ring, Scosche Rhythm+ forearm band, Suunto Spartan Sport watch with accompanying chest strap) and completed a self-paced 3.22 km trail run while concurrently wearing a criterion heart rate strap (Polar H7 heart rate monitor). The trail runs were out-and-back with the first 1.61 km in an uphill direction, and the 1.61 return being downhill in nature. Validity was determined through three methods: Mean Absolute Percent Error (MAPE), Bland-Altman Limits of Agreement (LOA), and Lin’s Concordance Coefficient (rC). Validity measures overall are as follows: Garmin Fenix 5 (MAPE = 13%, LOA = -32 to 162, rC = 0.32), Jabra Elite Sport (MAPE = 23%, LOA = -464 to 503, rC = 0.38), Motiv ring (MAPE = 16%, LOA = -52 to 96, rC = 0.29), Scosche Rhythm+ (MAPE = 6%, LOA = -114 to 120, rC = 0.79), Suunto Spartan Sport (MAPE = 2%, LOA = -62 to 61, rC = 0.96). All photoplethysmography-based (PPG) devices displayed poor heart rate agreement during variable intensity trail running. Until technological advances occur in PPG-based devices allowing for acceptable agreement, heart rate in outdoor environments should be obtained using an ECG-based chest strap that can be connected to a wristwatch or other comparable receiver.

Disciplines

Exercise Science

File Format

pdf

File Size

864 KB

Language

English

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Repository Citation

Navalta, J. W., Montes, J., Bodell, N. G., Salatto, R. W., Manning, J. W., DeBeliso, M. (2020). Concurrent Heart Rate Validity of Wearable Technology Devices During Trail Running. PLOS ONE 1-11.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238569