Validity of smartphone applications and smartwatch for heart rate measurement: A pilot study

Abstract

This pilot study attempted to determine the validity of 3 Android® applications and a smart watch in measurements of heart rate by comparing with the polar instrument. Seven university students aged between 22-23 years old with no underlying diseases participated in the study. Their heart rate was measured during rest, immediately after moderate and vigorous exercise on a treadmill. The measurements of the 3 applications were in random sequences. Subjects wore a Polar® chest belt and a Polar® watch at their left wrist while a Garmin® smartwatch was worn on the right wrist. All measurements were done in sitting position. The validity of the 3 applications at rest period were high (r = 0.873-0.973, p =0.01-0.001). After the moderate intensity of exercise, the validity of the 3 application were moderate with no statistical significances. The application no. 3 (Stress Scan: heart rate monitoring and stress) showed high validity when measured the heart rate after vigorous exercise (r=0.964 p<0.001). The Garmin® smartwatch had significantly high to moderate validity (r = 0,929, 0.926 and 0.771, p = 0.0.43-0.03) for rest, after moderate and vigorous exercise, respectively. At rest, application No. 1-3 can be practically used in settings with moderate to high validity. However, using of application No.3 after vigorous exercise needed precautions. One-minute utilization of measurement might be too long to flatten the heart rate to the resting range. The Garmin® smartwatch was recommended to determine the heart rate at rest, after moderate and vigorous exercises.