Can You Trust Your Wrist Heart Rate When Exercising? A Validation Study of the Polar Ignite and the Garmin Vivoactive 4S

Background: This study aimed to examine the accuracy of Polar Ignite and Garmin Vivoactive 4S wrist-worn devices for measuring heart rate during various physical activities. Methods: A total of 29 participants (14 women and 15 men) took part in this study. Heart rate was measured by Polar H10 chest strap, Polar Ignite, and Garmin Vivoactive 4S devices. Heart rate measurements were conducted during resting, walking/running on a treadmill at speeds of 5, 8, and 10 km/h, and five different resistance exercises. The Polar H10 was used as the reference standard. Mean absolute percentage error was used to compare the devices with Polar H10. Results: Both devices showed good agreement with the Polar H10 at rest. Additionally, the Polar Ignite showed good agreement with the Polar H10 during walking and running while Garmin did not show good agreement. Both devices had poor accuracy during various resistance exercises. Conclusions: In conclusion, while using both devices is recommended for resting, Polar Ignite is recommended for walking and running. It should also be taken into account that both devices showed poor accuracy in heart rate during resistance training.