Most people make the admirable commitment to improve their health and well-being by working out, but when an Apple Watch is unable to accurately measure one’s level of physical activity, it can feel like a pointless exercise, as quoted in a report by The NY Post.

For optimal effects, fit-influencers are wearing their smartwatches a little lower rather than on their wrists. In the closed caption of a TikTok testimonial, 23-year-old Manhattan exercise enthusiast Ana Espinal wrote, “I’m wearing my Apple Watch on my ankle while working out.”

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Why does the ankle trick work?

According to a November 2024 report from the multinational tech company, Apple Watches, which are technologically sophisticated accessories that can cost up to $1,000, come with hardware and software that measures heart rate, estimates calories burned, and forms the basis of related heart health and fitness features.Recent studies have also praised the wearable devices for measuring heart rate during exercise with clinically acceptable accuracy. Numerous lives have been saved by the stylish trackers, which researchers have found to be particularly helpful for patients with cardiovascular diseases.

Despite the timepiece’s life-saving benefits, some people on the internet, including Espinal, contend that wearing it on the arm isn’t always the best location for accurate workout readings, as reported by The NY Post.

Ana Espinal claims that wearing the watch on her wrist always pauses and never records her full workout. When she learned about the ankle issue and never looked back.

What fitness influencers are saying?

She’s not the only health enthusiast trying the ankle trick, either. Kristen Hollingshaus, a content creator from San Francisco, has been touting the benefits of wearing an Apple Watch around her ankles for years, stating that the device is better able to measure her activity when it’s strapped above one of her moving feet.

The highly-acclaimed hack also works wonders during everyday, less intense moments of movement, such as taking a stroll through Target. TikTok investigator @MediocreMomAdventures took two 10-minute walks around the supermarket, using both wrist and ankle placements for precision. The result was “mind-blowing,” with the watch calculating 835 steps when worn on the ankle, as quoted in a report by The NY Post.

FAQs

Why do people wear their Apple Watches on their ankles?
Many people find that it provides a more accurate step and movement count, especially when doing activities that require the wrist to remain still, such as pushing a cart or working at the desk.

Does the Apple Watch still monitor heart rate from the ankle?
No, the Apple Watch’s heart rate sensor is intended for wrist use, so wearing it on your ankle may reduce heart rate tracking accuracy.