Accuracy of Commercially Available Heart Rate Monitors in Athletes

NCT ID: NCT03612063

Last Updated: 2019-04-10

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 50 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2018-07-24
• Study Completion Date: 2018-12-13

Brief Summary

The purpose of this research is to compare four different heart rate monitors (Apple Watch Nike III,Fitbit Iconic, Garmin Vivosmart HR, Tom Tom Spark 3) to an Electrocardiograph (ECG) machine to determine the accuracy of the devices. Over the last two decades, there has been a proliferation of commercially available heart rate monitors. Elite athletes often use heart rate measurements to monitor training and fitness levels. In response, fitness companies have offered a variety of heart rate monitors to the general public. Previously, chest strap monitors that measured electrical activity were mainly used to track heart rates. More recently, wrist-worn monitors that use an optical sensor (light) to measure heart rate have gained in popularity. While the accuracy of chest strap monitors has been studied, there is currently no data concerning the accuracy of wrist-worn heart rate monitors. Assessment of the monitors' accuracy is important for subjects who rely upon the heart rate measurements to guide their athletic activity.

Detailed Description

In 2018, worldwide sales of wearable fitness monitors are anticipated to exceed 110 million. Millions of consumers purchase fitness trackers that include heart rate monitors in order to help them to maintain their health and wellness. As popularity of these fitness devices grows, assessment and awareness of the accuracy of heart rate measurements becomes increasingly important.

In previous trials, the investigators assessed the accuracy of 4 wrist-worn HR monitors (Apple Watch, Fitbit Blaze, Garmin Forerunner 235, TomTom Spark Cardio) in healthy adult volunteers during various types of exercise. The investigators discovered that the accuracy varied with exercise type. With the treadmill, all devices were acceptable (rc =.88-.93) except the Fitbit Blaze (rc=.76). While biking, the Garmin and Apple Watch were acceptable (rc >.8). On the elliptical trainer without arm levers, only the Apple Watch provided accurate readings (rc=.94). None of the devices gave accurate readings for the elliptical trainer with arm levers (rc <.8). That study is now published.

Reviewers of the investigator's previous work raised an important question: how do commercial optical heart rate monitors perform when measuring heart rate in athletes performing at a high level of exertion? This study addresses that question.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of four heart rate monitors in accomplished athletes (i.e. runners) performing at various levels of exertion, including a high level of exertion.

Conditions

Heart Rate Monitors; Athletes Heart

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: OTHER
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Fitbit Iconic HR and Garmin Vivosmart HR

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Fitbit Iconic HR and Garmin Vivosmart HR

Intervention Type: DEVICE

During testing, participants will wear two different wrist-worn heart rate monitors, the Polar H7 heart rate sensor, and will be connected to an ECG machine. Participants will be asked to perform a series of movements on a treadmill. Heart rate will be assessed under the following conditions:

1. At rest

2. 4 mph

3. 5 mph

4. 6 mph

5. 7 mph

6. 8 mph

7. 9 mph

8. Post-exercise 1 minute

9. Post exercise 2 minutes

Fitbit Iconic HR and TomTom Spark 3

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Fitbit Iconic HR and TomTom Spark 3

Intervention Type: DEVICE

During testing, participants will wear two different wrist-worn heart rate monitors, the Polar H7 heart rate sensor, and will be connected to an ECG machine. Participants will be asked to perform a series of movements on a treadmill. Heart rate will be assessed under the following conditions:

1. At rest

2. 4 mph

3. 5 mph

4. 6 mph

5. 7 mph

6. 8 mph

7. 9 mph

8. Post-exercise 1 minute

9. Post exercise 2 minutes

Garmin Vivosmart HR and TomTom Spark 3

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Garmin Vivosmart HR and TomTom Spark 3

Intervention Type: DEVICE

During testing, participants will wear two different wrist-worn heart rate monitors, the Polar H7 heart rate sensor, and will be connected to an ECG machine. Participants will be asked to perform a series of movements on a treadmill. Heart rate will be assessed under the following conditions:

1. At rest

2. 4 mph

3. 5 mph

4. 6 mph

5. 7 mph

6. 8 mph

7. 9 mph

8. Post-exercise 1 minute

9. Post exercise 2 minutes

Fitbit Iconic HR and Apple Watch III

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Fitbit Iconic HR and Apple Watch III

Intervention Type: DEVICE

During testing, participants will wear two different wrist-worn heart rate monitors, the Polar H7 heart rate sensor, and will be connected to an ECG machine. Participants will be asked to perform a series of movements on a treadmill. Heart rate will be assessed under the following conditions:

1. At rest

2. 4 mph

3. 5 mph

4. 6 mph

5. 7 mph

6. 8 mph

7. 9 mph

8. Post-exercise 1 minute

9. Post exercise 2 minutes

Apple Watch III and Garmin Vivosmart HR

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Apple Watch III and Garmin Vivosmart HR

Intervention Type: DEVICE

During testing, participants will wear two different wrist-worn heart rate monitors, the Polar H7 heart rate sensor, and will be connected to an ECG machine. Participants will be asked to perform a series of movements on a treadmill. Heart rate will be assessed under the following conditions:

1. At rest

2. 4 mph

3. 5 mph

4. 6 mph

5. 7 mph

6. 8 mph

7. 9 mph

8. Post-exercise 1 minute

9. Post exercise 2 minutes

Apple Watch III and TomTom Spark 3

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Apple Watch III and TomTom Spark 3

Intervention Type: DEVICE

During testing, participants will wear two different wrist-worn heart rate monitors, the Polar H7 heart rate sensor, and will be connected to an ECG machine. Participants will be asked to perform a series of movements on a treadmill. Heart rate will be assessed under the following conditions:

1. At rest

2. 4 mph

3. 5 mph

4. 6 mph

5. 7 mph

6. 8 mph

7. 9 mph

8. Post-exercise 1 minute

9. Post exercise 2 minutes

Interventions

Fitbit Iconic HR and Garmin Vivosmart HR

During testing, participants will wear two different wrist-worn heart rate monitors, the Polar H7 heart rate sensor, and will be connected to an ECG machine. Participants will be asked to perform a series of movements on a treadmill. Heart rate will be assessed under the following conditions:

1. At rest

2. 4 mph

3. 5 mph

4. 6 mph

5. 7 mph

6. 8 mph

7. 9 mph

8. Post-exercise 1 minute

9. Post exercise 2 minutes

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Fitbit Iconic HR and TomTom Spark 3

During testing, participants will wear two different wrist-worn heart rate monitors, the Polar H7 heart rate sensor, and will be connected to an ECG machine. Participants will be asked to perform a series of movements on a treadmill. Heart rate will be assessed under the following conditions:

1. At rest

2. 4 mph

3. 5 mph

4. 6 mph

5. 7 mph

6. 8 mph

7. 9 mph

8. Post-exercise 1 minute

9. Post exercise 2 minutes

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Garmin Vivosmart HR and TomTom Spark 3

During testing, participants will wear two different wrist-worn heart rate monitors, the Polar H7 heart rate sensor, and will be connected to an ECG machine. Participants will be asked to perform a series of movements on a treadmill. Heart rate will be assessed under the following conditions:

1. At rest

2. 4 mph

3. 5 mph

4. 6 mph

5. 7 mph

6. 8 mph

7. 9 mph

8. Post-exercise 1 minute

9. Post exercise 2 minutes

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Fitbit Iconic HR and Apple Watch III

During testing, participants will wear two different wrist-worn heart rate monitors, the Polar H7 heart rate sensor, and will be connected to an ECG machine. Participants will be asked to perform a series of movements on a treadmill. Heart rate will be assessed under the following conditions:

1. At rest

2. 4 mph

3. 5 mph

4. 6 mph

5. 7 mph

6. 8 mph

7. 9 mph

8. Post-exercise 1 minute

9. Post exercise 2 minutes

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Apple Watch III and Garmin Vivosmart HR

During testing, participants will wear two different wrist-worn heart rate monitors, the Polar H7 heart rate sensor, and will be connected to an ECG machine. Participants will be asked to perform a series of movements on a treadmill. Heart rate will be assessed under the following conditions:

1. At rest

2. 4 mph

3. 5 mph

4. 6 mph

5. 7 mph

6. 8 mph

7. 9 mph

8. Post-exercise 1 minute

9. Post exercise 2 minutes

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Apple Watch III and TomTom Spark 3

During testing, participants will wear two different wrist-worn heart rate monitors, the Polar H7 heart rate sensor, and will be connected to an ECG machine. Participants will be asked to perform a series of movements on a treadmill. Heart rate will be assessed under the following conditions:

1. At rest

2. 4 mph

3. 5 mph

4. 6 mph

5. 7 mph

6. 8 mph

7. 9 mph

8. Post-exercise 1 minute

9. Post exercise 2 minutes

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Age > 18 years
• Patients are able to run a mile in 7 minutes or less

Exclusion Criteria

• Presence of a cardiac pacemaker
• Known chronic and persistent heart rhythm disorders
• Tattoos around the wrist or forearm area

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

The Cleveland Clinic

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Milind Desai

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Milind Desai, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

The Cleveland Clinic

Locations

Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

18-800

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id