Treadmill heart rate accuracy?

[ross997]

I have read numerous accounts that treadmill heart monitors are inaccurate. I was training the other day and after rowing at moderate intensity for 2 minutes or so I jumped on the treadmill and started walking quickly holding on to the heart rate monitor readers, which read 95bpm. At the time I thought this seemed normal, but now I have heard that treadmills can underestimate your heart rate im a bit concerned. So how inaccurate are they, how much higher would my heart rate have been? Do I have anything to be worried about?

Im 16 years of by the way and have normal blood pressure.

Any answers would be appreciated. Thanks.

[ed34]

you can easily confirm this by taking your own pulse for 15 seconds and then multiplying it by 4.

[Jerry_NJ]

I'm not sure what you are trying to worry aboutl

A HR of 95 in a 16 year old is "miles away" form worrying about a too high HR, unless you have very low exercise tolerance or have been told by your doctor to keep you HR below 100, say... and unlikely situation I think.

So what if the tread mill is off by 10%, you could have a HR as high as 105, no problem, even a 20% error, so what?

Now if you see a HR of 200, slow down and if that is when walking you need to work on starting slow and working your way up over a period of months, that is getting into good physical condition.