Why do I have gaps in the Heart Rate Measurement whilst Running?

[mrbrianlee]

Gaps in Heart Rate Measurement whilst Running

Hi All,

I just started to use the Run tile on my Microsoft Band 2 and have found the heart rate measurement a little spotty.

First run was short and no HR data showed up.
Second run was a mile and a half and whilst all the HR metrics populated (Avg. Peak + Low, Ending, 1min + 2min), the HR graph has large gaps in it. Seems that for about 50% of my run, no HR data was available?



Is this normal? I wear the Band with the display facing inwards and use it with a 950XL

In all other respects, it's a solid wearable.

Thanks.

 

[DroidUser42]

It's not getting a lock on your heart rate for some reason. (Heart symbol is hallow.) If it doesn't have a "lock" it will still display a number, but it won't record.

Different people have different experiences. Mines is that movement tends to create more problems than sitting still. You may want to try a different orientation, a different arm, a different spot on your wrist, tighter or looser. (It needs to be tight enough that it doesn't move, but loose enough that you're not restricting blood flow under the sensor.) Since every body's body is different, I'm not sure as there's a universal "best way".

 

[Nate Silver]

Certainly not normal. Do you know if the sensor is getting a solid lock when you're not doing any exercise? Tap on the 'me' tile and swipe over to the heart rate section (last one to the right). It should start out as acquiring, but achieve a lock within 5 to 10 seconds. If its locking ok that way, try starting a run, but just wait a bit before you start running, to see if its tracking hr. What you want to see is for the little heart icon to be filled in, not just an outline. Might take some experimenting, but if you're wearing it fairly snug and it doesn't stay reasonably locked, it may have a defect. Short drop-outs are not uncommon, but what you're seeing is definitely not the norm.

 

[cj-m]

Were you running with your phone at the time with the bluetooth link on?

Maybe turn off the BT for your next run and then after your run upload/sync your run and check the heart data and see if there is any improvement?

 

[DroidUser42]

Were you running with your phone at the time with the bluetooth link on?

I wouldn't expect that to make any difference at all.

 

[littlebib]

How tightly do you wear your Band? When exercising, it shouldn't be able to flop around on your wrist or it will likely never get your HR. I wear mine like a watch normally during the day, but when I go for a run, I tighten it up a notch or two.

 

[mrbrianlee]

Certainly not normal. Do you know if the sensor is getting a solid lock when you're not doing any exercise? Tap on the 'me' tile and swipe over to the heart rate section (last one to the right). It should start out as acquiring, but achieve a lock within 5 to 10 seconds. If its locking ok that way, try starting a run, but just wait a bit before you start running, to see if its tracking hr. What you want to see is for the little heart icon to be filled in, not just an outline. Might take some experimenting, but if you're wearing it fairly snug and it doesn't stay reasonably locked, it may have a defect. Short drop-outs are not uncommon, but what you're seeing is definitely not the norm.

Lock is normally solid when I'm not doing exercise. It shows the solid flashing heart and says "Locked"

Another interesting thing is that when I use it to track other activities (e.g. a yoga class) via the exercise tile, it seems to track HR fine???

 

[mrbrianlee]

Were you running with your phone at the time with the bluetooth link on?

Maybe turn off the BT for your next run and then after your run upload/sync your run and check the heart data and see if there is any improvement?

To confirm, the Bluetooth link was on (I did not turn it off) but I was not carrying my phone on the run.

 

[mrbrianlee]

How tightly do you wear your Band? When exercising, it shouldn't be able to flop around on your wrist or it will likely never get your HR. I wear mine like a watch normally during the day, but when I go for a run, I tighten it up a notch or two.

I don't really have a point of comparison but I feel I wear the band on the tighter side. It can move around a little bit if I shake my wrist but if I look at how it sits on my wrist, both the optical sensor (back of the display) and the "galvanic skin response" sensor are typically in light contact with my skin.

 

[HSolo]

To confirm, the Bluetooth link was on (I did not turn it off) but I was not carrying my phone on the run.

Shouldn't make any difference.....I run with Bluetooth on sometime, and Bluetooth off at other times (on the Band 2), because sometimes moving the Band close to my Bluetooth headphones interrupts the streaming music if it has Bluetooth on as well. And my heart-rate NEVER shows a break.

I would suggest that your Band is not making good contact during those times of the line break. I would suggest wearing the Band with the screen on the outside when you run, and test that out. I have posted on several threads that the Band 2 (for me) over reads heart-rate anyway, when worn with the screen inside wrist (Band 1 did not over read either way). I would also agree with others that you might want to try wearing it a little tighter when you run......I do that too. One more click tighter when I run so it doesn't move at all.

 

[indiW]

Re: Gaps in Heart Rate Measurement whilst Running

As Hsolo said, I normally wear it tighter during my runs.. So haven't experienced any issues with heart rate measurements.



Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[cj-m]

I was just wondering if, while running with his phone linked/sncyed to his Band, if there was not any kind of signal disruption between the band and the phone? I vaguely remember reading of some issues by other users using their band and phones at the same time that they experienced some deviations in their data.
Hence, the question.

 

[anon(9173271)]

I tighten it up a click or two and no issues!

 

[DroidUser42]

I vaguely remember reading of some issues by other users using their band and phones at the same time that they experienced some deviations in their data. Hence, the question.

The only thing I remember is that the Band tended to monopolize the phone's Bluetooth and cause problems with streaming music to the car stereo.

The only data deviation I know of is when you have both the Band and the phone tracking steps taken. The phone is supposed to fill in when the Band isn't on-duty, but I'm not so sure about that logic.

 

[poit57]

I vaguely remember reading of some issues by other users using their band and phones at the same time that they experienced some deviations in their data.
Hence, the question.

All I remember related to this is that winsupersite's Rod Trent reported a possible bug in April 2015. He reported that he was noticing that his run tracking was being paused every 20 to 25 minutes. A few days later, he reported that Microsoft Support had suggested a workaround of turning off Bluetooth prior to any activity tracking. Then a week later, Mr. Trent discovered the culprit in his activity tracking being paused at random. It was an app called Band Companion that was automatically checking the battery status every 20 to 25 minutes, and this synchronization that took place to update the battery status is what was interrupting the activity tracking.

These are the related articles:
Possible Activity Bug in Latest Microsoft Band Update
Microsoft Band Activity Bug Workaround
Permanent Fix for the Bluetooth Activity Bug for the Microsoft Band

I've never used the Band Companion app, so I don't know if that issue was ever resolved. The situation described in Rod Trent's articles doesn't really apply to the OP's question.

 

[rwsl100]

Re: Gaps in Heart Rate Measurement whilst Running

As Hsolo said, I normally wear it tighter during my runs.. So haven't experienced any issues with heart rate measurements.



Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

IndiW - is there not a bit of an issue with your heart rate track for your 10k run given you've kept a really steady pace (guessing on a treadmill) but your heart rate starts high then gets lower further into the run then rises again despite the steady pace?

 

[indiW]

Re: Gaps in Heart Rate Measurement whilst Running

IndiW - is there not a bit of an issue with your heart rate track for your 10k run given you've kept a really steady pace (guessing on a treadmill) but your heart rate starts high then gets lower further into the run then rises again despite the steady pace?

OK before I answer your question.. This loss of heart rate data phenomenon happened to me during my weight training this am.. Pls see the attached picture



Now the answer to your question... This is one of the annoying factors of B2.. Not been able to detect speed variations whilst running on treadmill. Despite the graph.. I change my speeds between 9 and 15 during my run/jogs however B2 cannot detect these changes. Guess I have to live with it until the sun comes out in Spring so I can use GPS.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[HSolo]

Re: Gaps in Heart Rate Measurement whilst Running

"Sun comes out in Spring"........."Running on treadmill"....

What? I am already having to run in the evenings rather than during the day because it is getting warm. Could be that I live in Florida
No way I could stand for it to be too cold to run outside at ANY point during the year.......