Fitness Tracker

stickywicket
stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
edited 1. Jun 2017, 10:42 in Living with Arthritis archive
I know. I know :roll: Just stop sniggering at the back there. But I was so very tempted today when I saw one for merely somewhere in the £20s.

My record with pedometers is abysmal. Either I can't fix them on or they fall down the loo or – the biggest indignity of the lot – THEY REFUSE TO RECOGNISE MY STEPS AS PROPER STEPS.
Admittedly my steps are, shall we say, personalised. But I don't need them snubbed by the new, non-arthritic, electronic kid on the block.

My last pedometer, bought because – allegedly – I could wear it round my neck thus avoiding the loo hazard – was, like all the rest, a total disaster. I walked myself to a standstill only to discover the evil machine had only recognised 14 of my steps. I then sat down in exhaustion and managed to clock up another 50+ from the comfort of the recliner. Really?

But I am a hopeless optimist and today's little gizmo called out to me.

Will it work?

OK, here's the deal. My hips consist of two elderly but good THRs; my knees of one very good revision and one decrepit TKR; my ankles long since self-fused; most foot bones either the same or weirdly wobbly. I don't always put one foot in front of the other. It depends entirely on the terrain. Sometimes I merely bring one foot up as far as the other. Sometimes (eg on gravel) I almost shuffle. On tufty grass I lurch about searching for a flat bit to tread on. I take downhill slopes sideways.

As you can see, I put a lot of effort into my Ministry of Funny Walks so, to be told by bit of plastic and metal that I'm not actually walking at all is somewhat infuriating. And I certainly don't want to spend a lot of money on yet another high-handed, insolent little upstart which was hoping to be bought by a Usain Bolt rather than a U Insane Wassock. But I really would like to measure my daily output (especially as I reckon I'm doing a lot more in our new home) and try to up it.

So, please, is it worth it?
If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
Steven Wright

Comments

  • daffy2
    daffy2 Member Posts: 1,636
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Sticky I can't help with the 'is it worth it?' question, but if it's of any comfort even those of more conventional gaits may find that their activity isn't recorded. I read an amusing article by a journalist who was trying out a gadget for a company. An hour and half of dogwalking was apparently a desultory walk around the block as far as said gizmo was concerned. She conceded that in terms of aerobic exercise it probably didn't cut the mustard, being more of an amble than a power walk, but she did feel that given the length - time-wise and distance-wise - the step count at least was more than a little adrift. After a certain amount of toing and froing the company decided that perhaps it was a faulty example, but subsequent feedback and comments from readers suggested that this was not necessarily the case.
  • Rach101
    Rach101 Member Posts: 165
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Sticky, I've got a garmin vivofit watch that I wear on my wrist ( so no falling down the toilet!). I think it's pretty sensitive to pick up steps and I quite enjoy using it. It has a bar that goes red when I haven't moved for an hour which is a good reminder to move around again. The only annoying thing is that the red bar takes 100 steps to go away which seems rather a lot! I got mine off eBay, it also measures sleep but I tend to take it off at night as I'm inclined to obsess about sleep (or lack of it) if I'm not careful.
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I have a fitbit and it recognises 'active minutes' as well as steps so works ok for me pretty well.

    It's never recorded steps when I am reclining although it has alleged that I was asleep :shock:

    Cheeky thing!

    Love

    Toni xxx
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,280
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    SW I love it... :lol::lol: sorry didn't mean to laugh..I look at it this way..whatever steps it records you will know when you have upped them..the fitbit is brilliant...and sure it would pick up the movement..much better price on ebay...
    Love
    Barbara
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thank you everyone. I don't think I'm much further ahead. I'm guessing these gizmos tend to assume we all go in for power walking and wave our arms about as we move. If I did I'd fall over
    :shock:
    It does sound as if the fitbit and Rach's vivofit are the kindest of their ilk. I might brave Ebay.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,280
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    No need to wave your arms around or power walk...it track my little paces .. :lol:
    Love
    Barbara