Keeping fit is not only considered to be healthy but also trendy. To do that, people are getting more and more precise about their exercises. And one of the most effective ways to do so is to keep a record of the things you do — like your step count.
A great tool to do that is to wear a Fitbit tracker. You can wear it on your wrists, but wearing Fitbit on the ankle has become an unusually popular practice.
Today you will get to know why and how to wear Fitbit on your ankle and use it as one of the unseen ankle fitness trackers on the market today. But first, let us know more about what it really is in more depth.
1. What Is Fitbit Mainly Used for?
Fitbit is, quote, an activity tracker that you get to wear on your wrist to allow yourself to keep track of the work that you are putting into your fitness journey, end quote. It has most things that a good fitness tracker has to offer.
Apart from just tracking how many steps you have taken or calories burned, it can even go as far as sleep tracking which is amazing. Providing you with all the data that you might need.
And by doing that, the Fitbit devices not only let you know how much you’ve worked, but they can also push you to work even harder. You can set goals for yourself and receive notifications on the app as needed to be pushed.
The functions that can be done through a Fitbit device can also be done with a lot of other smartwatches, but undoubtedly, the quality of these is way better in quality — making them a lot more reliable.
Fitbits are amazing devices — but are all Fitbits designed to be worn on the ankle? Let’s get to the answer straight away!
2. Can You Wear a Fitbit on Your Ankle?
Even though wearing Fitbit on the wrists are more common, and is designed in that way in most cases, Fitbits are in fact possible to be worn on the ankles.
Fitbit devices usually come with a wrist strap which often proves to be too small for the ankles. They are not long enough to go across the ankle and fit properly.
However, third-party ankle straps and ankle bands for Fitbit are available on the market if you keep an eye out. And these ankle straps and bands will allow you to wear them on your ankle without much of a problem.
Although, there is still one question that remains, and that is, does Fitbit work properly when worn on the ankle? The answer to that is a yes and a no, depending on what you really want and need.
3. Benefits of Wearing Fitbits on Ankle
There are some solid reasons behind your wanting to be wearing your Fitbit on your ankle. If you are running or walking really often, wearing the Fitbit device on your ankle can prove to be more accurate.
3.1 Helps in Counting Steps
You might not be moving your hands a lot while you are walking — and that is seen in a lot of people. On top of that, you could keep your hand stationary while you are walking.
If you are in a supermarket and have to carry a trolley around, or just have to get your phone while walking, the step counting might not work properly.
This can give the sensors on the devices a hard time in keeping step counts and not missing some. But of course, when you are walking, your ankles are bound to travel, allowing the tracker to give you an accurate reading.
3.2 Helps in Tracking Cycling
But apart from counting steps, if you do cycling, wearing Fitbit on your ankle might give you a considerable upper hand in getting accurate results. You know that when you are cycling, your hands would remain stationary since they will most likely be holding the handles.
And in that case, it is nearly impossible to get accurate cycling data wearing the Fitbit watch on your wrist. So, in those cases, it’s not only doable but also preferable to get the device set on your ankles instead of wrists to get the most accurate results of how much you cycled.
3.3 A Couple Other Reasons
These are the instances where you can wear a Fitbit on your ankle instead of your wrists. But there are also instances when you have to be wearing your Fitbit around your ankle.
Some jobs would not allow you to be wearing Fitbit or any other activity trackers on your job. In that case, wearing it on the ankle would be the smarter decision. This will allow you to abide by the rules of your office and wear your fitness tracker simultaneously.
And if you are an amputee, you can wear a Fitbit on your ankle with no worries since your step count will not get compromised.
4. How to Wear Fitbit on Ankle
The best way to wear a Fitbit on your ankle is to use an ankle strap or an ankle band. This will allow the device to be set on your ankle tight and safe with the risk of losing it. However, the newer Fitbit Sense could actually be worn around the ankles for some people without needing an ankle band.
Fitbit Sense comes with two sizes of straps, and one of them goes up to 9.1 inches — which is wearable on the ankles for many people. Don’t be mistaken, it can be worn on the ankle but the company didn’t make it to be worn on the ankle.
The best ways to put them on your ankles are still straps or bands. And the Fitbits that are most suited for the ankle are Fitbit inspire HR, Inspire 2, Fitbit Flex 2, and Fitbit Zip. There are bands for other models, in case you own the other ones.
Now, let’s talk about some of the products you can use to get your Fitbit around the ankle.
- MoKo Sweatproof Ankle Strap (Check Price)
- Twirling Tiny Sticks’s No Knot Wrist or Ankle Band (Check Price)
- Grestuns’s Ankle Strap (Check Price)
4.1 MoKo Sweatproof Ankle Strap
The best part of this ankle strap is the air holes it comes with — making it proof of sweat by letting the air get in. It works with many models, including Fitbit inspire HR, Fitbit Alta, Fitbit Flex, and so on. The adjustable fitness tracker also comes with a mesh pouch.
The material that the ankle strap is made of is premium and comfortable. The neoprene material allows the strap to be soft, and breathable. It prevents the belt from getting wet due to sweat. The inside is made of microfiber, which is pleasant to the skin.
The double concealed design of the zinc alloy buttons lets it be worn without any risk of it getting loose as you run or cycle. It fits the circumference of the ankle perfectly, stretching from 8.2 inches to 12.2 inches. So basically, everyone can wear it if they want to.
The secret pocket to keep the device in also adds an extra layer of security to the product. It also comes with a lot of buttons, making it adjustable according to the size of everyone’s ankles. Overall, this is a great product if you want to take all the benefits of your Fitbit on your ankle — and that with style.
4.2 Twirling Tiny Sticks’s No Knot Wrist or Ankle Band
The biggest feature of this band is that you can use it to wear your Fitbit both on your wrists and ankle depending on your needs and wants at the moment. This stylish band is compatible with many models, including Fitbit Inspire, Fitbit Flex and Flex 2, Alta, and Luxe.
It has a small pocket made of satin elastic and fabric to hold the Fitbit in its place in a safe and secure manner. The material of the band itself is really soft and comfortable on the skin. The inside is non-scratchy, giving a smooth feeling to the wrist or ankle — wherever it’s worn.
It also has a larger pocket in which you can fully insert the Fitbit for even more protection in case you are running or walking at a very high speed. The bands stay on the ankle properly, being adjustable in size to small, medium, or large. Its width is one inch.
Overall, this is a fantastic band for your Fitbit whether you wear it on your ankle or wrists. It’s easy to use, comfortable, and also fashionable coming with a lot of colors to choose from. However, being fully covered in the pocket, it can’t provide an accurate heart rate for those HR devices.
4.3 Grestuns’s Ankle Strap
This is one of the lightweight ankle straps on the market — and it’s also compatible with a lot of Fitbit watches. This ankle strap will work with the latest variants of your Fitbit Inspire, Fitbit Luxe, Fitbit Charge, Fitbit Alta, Fitbit Flex, and Fitbit One.
The strap has a mesh pouch in which the Fitbit can be stored safely. The fabric is soft and comfortable on the skin, which allows it to be worn for a really long time without any discomfort. The inside is not rashy either, which means you can wear it for hours without even noticing.
This also provides top-notch security and safety when it comes to carrying your watch. The strap has many snaps to adjust on your ankle as you like it. For even more convenience, it comes in two sizes. The Medium size reaches from 7 to 10 inches while the X-large reaches from 9 to 13 inches.
In conclusion, the product is great when it comes to comfort, safety, and convenience. And a nice addition is that it can actually do some heart rate monitoring if you place the back to your ankle. It will not be as accurate as putting the watch on your wrist, but overall, it’s great.
5. Potential Reasons to Not Wear Fitbit on Your Ankle
As convenient as putting it on the ankle might be in some cases, it certainly is not the best option in a lot of cases. Sometimes, you might want to wear the product like it was designed to be worn.
5.1 Can’t Track Heartbeat and Calories Burned
Wearing the Fitbit on your ankle deprives you to keep track of important health metrics properly, like heart rate. To know heart rate properly and other body metrics is probably just as important as it is tracking steps in many cases.
A major method of counting how many calories are burned is the heart rate. Calories are a big part of fitness since it is essentially the determinant of what you should eat, how much you should eat, and how much workout is necessary for you.
This makes heart rate monitoring a vital part of keeping fit and healthy, which is really hard to get when the watch is not strapped around your wrist. If you want to lose fat, you need to be serious about calorie tracking. Wearing on the wrists is the best way to do so.
5.2 Can’t Track Sleep
Another vital part of health is the amount of sleep you get. Fitbits are designed for sleep tracking. The way that they do it is actually by following the heart rate. Wearing it on the ankle can cause hindrance in getting the proper heart rate resulting in inaccuracies.
5.3 Can’t Look at the Screen
If you are someone who often looks at the screen of their Fitbit to be updated about the stats, it goes without saying that wearing Fitbit on the ankle can never let you do that. It just is not practical to check the watch from your ankle every time you have to check it.
On top of that, you lose access to the other apps that you could use to check anything up wearing the Fitbit on your ankle. This could be a really big deal breaker for you if you are an avid trainee and want to be able to accurately track your progress.
5.4 Might Cause Discomfort
Wearing it on the ankle for extended periods of time can not only disallow you to check up on the statistics but also cause a lot of discomforts.
Last but most definitely not least, attaching ankle straps to your Fitbit can oftentimes take your warranty away, in case you come and say we didn’t warn it.
