Key result
The Polar Vantage M watch demonstrated good to excellent test-retest reliability at low and high exercise intensities (ICC 0.78-0.92) but poor to good reliability at moderate intensities.
Why the study?
Usage of wrist-worn activity monitors has rapidly increased among fitness enthusiasts and clinical populations, but the test-retest reliability of the Polar Vantage M watch during exercise needed assessment.
Does the Polar Vantage M sports watch reliably measure heart rate compared to ECG during different treadmill exercise intensities?
Observational (n=29)
Does the Polar Vantage M sports watch reliably measure heart rate compared to ECG during different treadmill exercise intensities?
The Polar Vantage M sports watch shows variable reliability for heart rate monitoring across different exercise intensities and should not be relied upon in clinical settings where accurate heart rate data is crucial for patient safety.
Consumer HR monitor reliability data warrant cautious interpretation; leaves open equivalence to ECG across intensities and populations.
BACKGROUND: Usage of wrist-worn activity monitors has rapidly increased in recent years, and these devices are being used by both fitness enthusiasts and in clinical populations. We, therefore, assessed the test-retest reliability of the Polar Vantage M (PVM) watch when measuring heart rate (HR) during various treadmill exercise intensities. METHODS: HR was measured every 30 s (simultaneous electrocardiography (ECG) and PVM). Test-retest reliability was determined using an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Standard error of measurement (SEM) and smallest real difference (SRD) were used to determine measurement variability. RESULTS: A total of 29 participants completed the trials. ICC values for PVM during stages 1, 2 and 5 demonstrated good to excellent test-retest reliability (0.78, 0.78 and 0.92; 95% CI (0.54-0.90, 0.54-0.9, 0.79-0.97)). For PVM during stages 0 (rest), 3 and 4, the ICC values indicated poor to good reliability (0.42, 0.68 and 0.58; 95% CI (-0.27-0.73, 0.32-0.85, 0.14-0.80)). CONCLUSION: This study identified that the test-retest reliability of the PVM was comparable at low and high exercise intensities; however, it revealed a poor to good test-retest reliability at moderate intensities. The PVM should not be used in a clinical setting where monitoring of an accurate HR is crucial to the patients' safety.
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Climstein et al. (2020) reported an observational. Polar Vantage M watch vs. Electrocardiography (ECG) was evaluated on Test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient) of heart rate measurement during various treadmill exercise intensities. The Polar Vantage M watch demonstrated good to excellent test-retest reliability at low and high exercise intensities (ICC 0.78-0.92) but poor to good reliability at moderate intensities.
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