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Pulse ox accuracy

pulse ox on the FR945 show 92-95%, regular “pulse ox on finger” show 99-98%. What is your pulse ox numbers? Did you try to compare with other meter?
  • Tried having the Pulse Ox on for a whole week. It seems to rise over time, and didn't fall below 90 for the last two days. But I have started wearing the strap tighter (mostly to stop being able to see the red light on the back). I'm not sure what it measures that can jump from 100% to 90% so easily, and it certainly impacts the battery. So I'm going to turn that function off, and never look at it again.

  • For me, the use-case for this is "relative" not "absolute."  For example, I normally keep pulse-ox OFF but when I travel to a high-altitude environment (like Colorado) I will turn it on as a means to check acclimatization while there.  So the actual percentages don't matter as long as a trend is shown, and in this way it seems to work "pretty" well.  My last trip I was in the lower 80% range when I arrived but consistently in the 90%+ range when I left.

    Of course, the 945 also has builtin Altitude Acclimatization tracking too so that's another sorta fun metric to keep watching when I'm at higher elevations too.

  • yeah I think it is more important to track the relativity of the measurements.

    If you are constantly seeing 95% range regularly at the same location, a reading of 85% can be a red flag.

  • When I check my reading, it's usually 95-96%, though looking at the history, it looks like it has dipped as low as 90% overnight. I've never tested lower than 99% at a doctor's office.

  • Same here. Using a medical device on finger, FR 945 is consistently 4 points lower. 

  • The issue for me was keeping the watch on the wrist 

    I know it's funny but . .

    I sleep with my forerunner around my ankle (luckily I have small ankles) and the oxygen reading throughout the night are spot on accurate with my oxymeter. Even the heartrate is more accurate when I wear it at the ankle in bed perfectly matches the chest strap HR.

    Also blood supply is reduced to the arms during the night depending on position and that doesn't happen to legs.

  • I own a Garmin Instinct Solar Tactical and it shows most of the time values between 90 and 95 % during daytime and values down to 81% during sleep, so I think that's not accurate at all.

  • Not usefull for me...Compared to a medical one: 99% and FR 945 show 94%. Over night  from 88 to 99% probably depending from arm position...

  • Only 2 years late.  My watch shows low readings all of the time. Averaging at 93 in the day time and going as low as 81% when I'm sleeping. I work in a hospital so have checked many times before where my average SPO2 is usually 98%.  I was naturally worried when I read that I'm dipping as low as 81% when sleeping.  If I was in hospital with those readings, I'm sure I would be put on 10-15L high flow oxygen very quickly!  I'm wondering if the fact I have mild raynauds in my fingers could be a reason. I've heard up to 20% of people have raynauds!?