HRM- Erratic Readings- Maybe I Need a Stress Test
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Leroy Bonkers posted 34 weeks ago.
Are you using the HRM consistently biking? In cold weather I get a lot of static electricity from my jersey flapping about that messes up the readings. Maybe if the perfomance is different at different activities you have a clue
Also, are there other electronic devices close by? wires from ipods have been known to bother the readings occasionally (so I've heard). Are you doing laps around an electrical substation?
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driggins posted 34 weeks ago.
If it isn't electronic interference (per Leroy Bonkers) I'd go in for a routine physical with your DR. For piece of mind.
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tri-ac posted 34 weeks ago.
i suspect the electronic equipment, not your heart...especially if you're not feeling the appropriate RPE to go with the weird readings. the HRM is probably trying to keep up with you and can't figure out what the hell you doing. i've heard the polar HRM's are the most reliable and the closest mechanism to the stuff the docs use.
i've had some trouble with my old nike hrm spiking at the beginnings of runs where it hits in the 200's (my HR max is not close to that) and then settles down into a more appropriate range
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mdittfurth posted 34 weeks ago.
Thanks for all the advice. (Leroy Bonkers) I think I will try it on my stationary bike to see if it the jarring or something of running which may be causing erratic readings. Maybe the HRMS are getting motion sickness :)
mdittfurth
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Iron Dan posted 34 weeks ago.
I would suggest that you check your heart rate manually when you get one of these weird readings. If you see that your readings are rapidly dropping on you HRM, stop and do a quick manual check to see if your heartrate is actually dropping, I would assume that it is just electrical interferance of some type (running under electical lines, using an mp3 player, a treadmill etc. are all thnings that have the potential to give strange readings. )
This is my third HRM Polar, Sigma, now Timex. The same thing happens with all three: When I get my HR up close to anerobic the readings get erratic...my max HR is 176 but the readings sometimes get up to 180-190 then they can drop 40-50 points in a few seconds. The other day they went down to a 31 HR; my resting HR is 39 . I have tried wetting the sensors, tightening the strap, different positions on the chest...It is strange that I feel no physical symptoms of a highly elevated heart rate...no increase in breathing rate, no chest pounding, pain, tightness, extra discomfort---nothing...everything appears normal except the HR reading...I have manually checked the HR in the midst of these episodes and my manually taken HR appears about what my perceived exertion would produce in HR. I have never manually verified the high or low readings on the HRM. But, I wish I had more confidence in my ability to manually check the HR since it is sometimes difficult to get a sustained beat, listen, watch and look out for traffic and pant at the same time. Any ideas out there?