Commentary: Is Wearable Fitness Technology a Medically Approved Device? Yes and No

Jennifer L. Scheid (), Jennifer L. Reed and Sarah L. West
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Jennifer L. Scheid: Department of Physical Therapy, Daemen University, Amherst, NY 14226, USA
Jennifer L. Reed: Exercise Physiology and Cardiovascular Health Lab, Division of Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, ON K1Y 4W7, Canada
Sarah L. West: Department of Kinesiology, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 13, 1-9

Abstract: Wearable technologies, i.e., activity trackers and fitness watches, are extremely popular and have been increasingly integrated into medical research and clinical practice. To assist in optimizing health, wellness, or medical care, these devices require collaboration between researchers, healthcare providers, and wearable technology companies in order to clarify their clinical capabilities and educate consumers on the utilities and limitations of the wide-ranging wearable devices. Interestingly, activity trackers and fitness watches often track both health/wellness and medical information within the same device. In this commentary, we will focus our discussions regarding wearable technology on (1) defining and explaining the technical differences between tracking health, wellness, and medical information; (2) providing examples of health and wellness compared to medical tracking; (3) describing the potential medical benefits of wearable technology and its applications in clinical populations; and (4) elucidating the potential risks of wearable technology. We conclude that while wearable devices are powerful and informative tools, further research is needed to improve its clinical applications.

Keywords: wearable technology; fitness; heart rate; atrial fibrillation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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