According to a recent report, an increasing number of individuals are opting to wear their Apple Watch on their ankle for five notable reasons.
The most straightforward reason comes from those with small wrists who find the watch fits too loosely during workouts, even when using the smallest bands available.
The New York Times highlights fitness influencer Ana Espinal as an example of this trend.
In the past, when Ana Espinal wore her Apple Watch on her wrist at the gym, she frequently encountered issues with her fitness app shutting down mid-workout. With her small wrists, she speculated that the watch’s looseness might hinder its ability to monitor her heart rate properly.
Searching for solutions online, she discovered a small community of people with similar experiences who had creatively resolved their issues by wearing their watches on their ankles.
Others have reported improved accuracy in step counts when wearing the watch on their ankle during activities such as walking or running. This is because step counting is often influenced by the natural swinging of the arm, which can vary greatly compared to the more consistent motion of the legs.
In certain scenarios, the watch failed to count steps, like when using a treadmill while standing or while pushing a stroller with the watch hand.
Additionally, individuals with wrist tattoos have mentioned that heart-rate readings can be inconsistent or even unavailable if the sensor is partially or completely obscured by ink.
Those with specific skin conditions find the watch uncomfortable to wear on their wrist, but report that wearing it around the less sensitive skin of the ankle is much more tolerable.
Interestingly, some medical professionals who are prohibited from wearing watches due to hygiene regulations in hospitals have started placing the watch around their ankles to continue tracking substantial step counts during their shifts.
An unexpected downside mentioned by many who adopt this method is the frequent misidentification of the watch as an ankle monitor, commonly used to track the movements of individuals under legal supervision.
This kind of conversation occurs more often than these individuals would like. Mrs. Hughley Beasley often feels the need to reassure her neighbors that she isn’t under any form of house arrest.
Photo by Ryan De Hamer on Unsplash
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