A new fashion of wearing smartwatches on the ankle instead of on the wrist is spreading in the country. What could have led to such a trend? Some influencers suggest that it may be a more comfortable and convenient solution for those with very thin bones. What’s more, it might also be more accurate for counting steps during treadmill workouts.
As the New York Times reports, fitness expert Ana Espinal, who boasts an impressive 80,000 followers, was among the first influencers to promote this fad. In her videos on Tik Tok Ana explains how “wearing the device on the ankle simply by using a basic additional Velcro strap ”provides a safer and more comfortable feeling while working out.” The newspaper also reports on the experience of another user who claims to have more accurate feedback in measuring her steps by wearing the smartwatch on her ankle, especially when walking down the street pushing her stroller, because “if her hand stays still resting on the handle, the final report is not very accurate.”
However, although many users intrigued by the new trend are posting videos on Instagram and YouTube to test the effectiveness of the measurement, smartwatches like Apple’s are designed to be worn exclusively on the wrist and not on other parts of the body. The sensors were developed to collect information regarding the intensity of physical activity the user performs and the heart rate detection information is based on the anatomy of the wrist, which is totally different from that of the ankle.
