Garmin on ankle or shoe??

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victoria_1024
victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have the Garmin vivofit and I've discovered that it is very inaccurate when I'm pushing a stroller or shopping cart. We went to the zoo and it only counted just under 6000 steps for me while my husband got well over 8000 and I was definitely running around more than him. I also was the one pushing the stroller. I realize that there will be times that it's not perfectly accurate but on days that I am super active I want it to be more accurate than that. So I'm just curious if it can be worn on your ankle or shoe somehow. I tried pushing the stroller one handed at times but it's a double stroller so not easy!
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Replies

  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    If you put it on your ankle the measurement will be similarly inaccurate as you've got a device designed for measuring arm movements and using it for something else.
  • Jeff_01022014
    Jeff_01022014 Posts: 17 Member
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    Put it in your pants pocket.
  • tfisher678
    tfisher678 Posts: 81 Member
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    Jeff_01022014 wrote: »
    Put it in your pants pocket.

    I tried in my pocket with mine....hardly anything registered....

    Interested to hear your result from trying on your foot.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    If you put it on your ankle the measurement will be similarly inaccurate as you've got a device designed for measuring arm movements and using it for something else.

    Agreed.

    Also, start coming to terms with the idea that being accurate is pretty much impossible. Also, comparing your data to someone else's will probably only cause you stress and confusion.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    If you put it on your ankle the measurement will be similarly inaccurate as you've got a device designed for measuring arm movements and using it for something else.

    Agreed.

    Also, start coming to terms with the idea that being accurate is pretty much impossible. Also, comparing your data to someone else's will probably only cause you stress and confusion.
  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
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    Like I already said, I don't expect perfection. The shopping cart thing isn't such a big deal because it's not like I'm burning all sorts of calories. But I do feel like pushing a double stroller all over the zoo for hours and then having it not track nearly enough calories is a big flaw. And I knew it wasn't tracking them right long before comparing it to my husband because I kept watching it while walking and the numbers wouldn't go up.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    victoria_1024 wrote: »
    But I do feel like pushing a double stroller all over the zoo for hours and then having it not track nearly enough calories is a big flaw.

    The wristband, regardless of brand, contains 2 or 3 accelerometers that between them detect motion. The sensitivity depends on where o the body they're worn. They're all going to have strengths and weaknesses.

    They'll make assumptions about step length, including an assumption that your steps that are longer or shorter will net off over a protracted period. So that means that steps and step length together allow an assessment of distance, which is coupled with your bodymass to assess calorie expenditure.

    So essentially the assumptions around error mean that there is a combinational effect. When you add the weigt of a stroller plus two children all those assumptions are out the window anyway.

    I'd observe that there's a difference between not expecting perfection and seeing an exception case as a flaw.
  • rosecropper
    rosecropper Posts: 340 Member
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    I experience the same with my vivoactive at work if I'm pushing a wheelchair or cart down a hall, or carrying items like a tray, or taking smaller steps in a confined area like a patient room, or if performing tasks with my hands such as writing while moving.
    My level of activity is equivalent to continuous walking, but fails to register as such.
    Basically, the accelerometers do not measure activity accurately if the arms are not moving contra-laterally to steps being taken.
    This is especially evident when I'm ballroom dancing as my arms are held in place with my partner. The vivoactive will actually prompt me to "move" if I dance for too long without breaking frame.
    I've worn the band on my ankle once before, which is surprisingly comfortable. Seems to overestimate though.
    Want to take a walk soon doing this while also wearing a Fitbit zip and my iPhone in GPS mode to compare accuracy.
    For now I just try to be conscious of leaving my tracking arm free to swing with each step and use my other arm for carrying, pushing, etc.
  • LessToLoveTexas
    LessToLoveTexas Posts: 35 Member
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    My sister in law has the same problem with her Fitbit. I have a VivoFit as well but, my kids are older so I no longer use a stroller, and I've never paid attention to it when shopping. I think it's just only going to be accurate to a certain point unfortunately. I've noticed that sometimes while riding in a car that I get steps...
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
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    rosecropper wrote: »
    Basically, the accelerometers do not measure activity accurately if the arms are not moving contra-laterally to steps being taken.

    For what it's worth, I get credit for steps when I walk with my hands in my pockets. When I take a step, I can feel the impact reverberate through my body and sort of "bump" my watch. I think that's what the motion sensors are looking for. With your hand on a rail, it's going to be stabilized and not "bump" from the impact of your steps.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
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    accuracy is possible, but i've avoided wrist worn trackers. i have a fitbit one (not a wrist worn model) and a pedometer, and i used to wear them together just to see if they'd get the same readings. they were very close to the exact same number of steps. they do count steps riding in my son's car - although not mine - but with a fitbit you can easily log the driving "steps" out or use drivebit.

    have you tried putting your vivo on your shoe and walking say fifty steps while counting?
  • artzymummy
    artzymummy Posts: 46 Member
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    I have a Vivofit and I pop it out of the wrist band and put it on my ankle just inside my sock. It seems to register just fine. Yesterday I took the kids for a walk (double stroller, two toddlers) and put it in my pocket out of the strap and again it registered. I doubt they are 100% at any time, but these two methods do work for me and have been my go to for some time.
  • rosecropper
    rosecropper Posts: 340 Member
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    NorthCascades wrote: »
    For what it's worth, I get credit for steps when I walk with my hands in my pockets. When I take a step, I can feel the impact reverberate through my body and sort of "bump" my watch. I think that's what the motion sensors are looking for. With your hand on a rail, it's going to be stabilized and not "bump" from the impact of your steps.

    That's good to know!
    The vivoactive is tricky for me- doesn't register *any* activity when I'm gardening or cooking which involve a lot of that up & down arm motion causing impact. Must need the bump and forward motion too?
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
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    It's definitely not the forward motion because it wouldn't count any steps with your hands in your pockets if that was what it was looking for. I have a Garmin (not a Vivoactive, a Fenix 3) and for sure it records steps if I walk with my hands in my pockets. Try it yourself, see what your step count is, walk 100 steps, check again.

    One thing I notice is it counts more steps if I wear my shoes than my slippers. Makes sense because my slippers are cushioned and that absorbs some of the impact.
  • HelenWater
    HelenWater Posts: 232 Member
    edited May 2016
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    https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/business/b2b/generali/vivofit-2/shop-by-accessories/lanyards-straps-holsters-and-clips/belt-clip-vivofit-2-/prod531306.html

    I put my Vivofit in the front pocket of my jeans when mowing the lawn and it seems to register my steps just fine.
  • rachelleahsmom
    rachelleahsmom Posts: 442 Member
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    I had the same issues while riding a bike. The wrist tracker gave me nothing! I put it on my shoe and I got one step for each pedal push on the left side!
  • rosecropper
    rosecropper Posts: 340 Member
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    So yesterday my husband & I walked the same 10 miles course with our vivoactives, but mine only registered 8.5 miles. This morning after 2 miles of walking we already had a significant discrepancy. Thinking my vivoactive is defective. It used to track quite accurately.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    rachelleahsmom wrote: »
    I had the same issues while riding a bike. The wrist tracker gave me nothing! I put it on my shoe and I got one step for each pedal push on the left side!

    Which becomes utterly meaningless as you're not actually taking steps.

    It's a step counter
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
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    rosecropper wrote: »
    So yesterday my husband & I walked the same 10 miles course with our vivoactives, but mine only registered 8.5 miles. This morning after 2 miles of walking we already had a significant discrepancy. Thinking my vivoactive is defective. It used to track quite accurately.

    i don't own a vivofit, but if it requires you to input your step length like most pedometers and fitbits, is it possible that you measured your steps before you really got going? my stride length measures 2 inches smaller or more when i first start out than once i get going, and that made a difference on distance accuracy.
  • rosecropper
    rosecropper Posts: 340 Member
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    itsbasschick wrote: »
    rosecropper wrote: »
    So yesterday my husband & I walked the same 10 miles course with our vivoactives, but mine only registered 8.5 miles. This morning after 2 miles of walking we already had a significant discrepancy. Thinking my vivoactive is defective. It used to track quite accurately.

    i don't own a vivofit, but if it requires you to input your step length like most pedometers and fitbits, is it possible that you measured your steps before you really got going? my stride length measures 2 inches smaller or more when i first start out than once i get going, and that made a difference on distance accuracy.

    Thanks for the help. I'll have to check that.

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