Wrist ECG measurement

Perform the test while sitting and keep your arms relaxed in an open position on a table or in your lap. It is important to be in a relaxed, stable position that helps minimize movement, which can affect reading accuracy.

Before starting the test:

• Make sure you wear the watch on the hand chosen in the settings. You can check the setting from Settings > General settings > I wear my watch on (Left hand / Right hand).
• Wear the watch at least 10 minutes before the measurement.
• If your hands are cold, warm them up before the measurement.
• If you perform the test after training, it is recommended to rest for at least ten minutes before starting the test to allow your body to return to its normal state.
• Make sure that your watch is properly fitted: it should be worn just behind the wrist bone and be tight enough that it won’t move around.
• Perform the test in similar conditions and at the same time of day every time.
• This feature is only intended for measurements taken at rest.

During the test:

• Keep your arm steady and relaxed until the timer runs out.
• Keep your body still. Movement during the measurement can lead to inaccurate readings.
• Avoid talking during the measurement.

1. Wear your watch snugly on top of your wrist, just behind the wrist bone. On your watch, choose Tests > ECG > Measure now.

2. Keep your arms relaxed in an open position on a table or in your lap. Cover the top left button (LIGHT) with the index finger of your opposite hand. Don't press the button.

   

3. After the watch finds the signal, wait until the timer runs out.

   

4. After the test, the following results will be displayed on your watch:

   
   • HR avg (average heart rate)
   • HRV (heart rate variability)
   • Beat-to-beat interval

You can view your latest result on your watch in Tests > ECG > Latest result. More detailed information on your heart rate, as well as a graph of your ECG signal are available in the Polar Flow app after syncing your watch with it.

Sync your watch with the Polar Flow app to see your ECG test results in the app.

You can check the ECG test results for the current day from the Diary. Tapping the card opens the detailed test result view. From this view, you can export the ECG test result to a PDF file. Tapping the list icon opens your previous ECG test results in the calendar search view.

In the detailed test result view, you will see the following results in addition to the results displayed on the watch:

• ECG graph: In the ECG graph, the spikes represent your heartbeats. You can scroll the graph vertically by swiping.
• PAT at relaxation and PAT at contraction: Pulse arrival time (PAT) refers to the time it takes for the pressure wave generated by your heartbeat to reach your wrist. PAT at contraction and PAT at relaxation are measured at two different time points of the pressure wave.

Learn more about Pulse arrival time (PAT)

Pulse arrival time (PAT) is measured from the ECG signal and simultaneous optical pulse plethysmography (PPG) signal. Pulse arrival time (PAT) refers to the time it takes for the pressure wave generated by your heartbeat to reach your wrist. PAT at contraction and PAT at relaxation are measured at two different time points of the pressure wave. Pulse arrival time describes the health of veins. It is affected by age, blood pressure and arterial stiffness, among other things. As we age, our arteries get stiffer due to functional and structural changes in the arteries, and the pulse arrives faster to the wrist, meaning that PAT gets shorter. The shape of the pulse wave also changes.

The two PAT values (and how they change relative to each other) provide information on the shape of the pulse wave. Higher PAT values are generally more favorable to health than lower values. Similarly to HRV (heart rate variability), each person has an individual range of variation for pulse arrival time values. Also, similarly to HRV (and blood pressure), it is normal that the values vary within one day depending on the time of day, posture, stress and physical exercise. In order to follow the values over time, it is recommended to measure PAT values always at the same time of the day.