SECTION III - SPORTS AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY / RESEARCH PAPER
Are Predictive Metrics by Wearables “Unproductive”?
The Effect of Deceptive Wearable Monitor Feedback
on Performance and Perception in Recreational Runners
1
Department of Exercise Science, Bellarmine University, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
Submission date: 2025-06-13
Final revision date: 2025-12-08
Acceptance date: 2026-03-18
Online publication date: 2026-09-04
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Popular wearables used by endurance athletes feature predictive prompts about recovery and fitness based on heart rate variability (HRV) and/or exercise data. No previous research has examined how receiving these prompts affects the athlete. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of deceptive feedback from a wearable on time trial performance, pacing, perceived effort, perceived readiness and performance quality, and affect in recreational runners. Participants (N = 19) completed three 5-km time trials (TT), each preceded by a sham “analysis” by a contrived prototype wearable. Participants received no feedback (FAM) or scripted feedback indicating a positive (POS) or negative (NEG) recovery and readiness status. Perceived readiness and the performance level were assessed before and after each TT. TT performance was similar among conditions (p = 0.54). The rating of perceived exertion (RPE) at the 2nd km was lower under the POS (13.8 ± 1.54) than the NEG (14.5 ± 1.31, p = 0.01) and FAM (14.6 ± 1.26, p = 0.02) conditions. The 4th km was faster under the POS (337 ± 64.7 s) compared to the NEG (342 ± 62.0 s, p = 0.04) and FAM (346 ± 65.5 s, p < 0.01) conditions. Participants reported higher perceived readiness (p = 0.02) under the POS (76.4 ± 14.9 mm) than the NEG condition (66.7 ± 17.7 mm) and higher ratings of performance under the POS (85.6 ± 11.8 mm) than the NEG (73.7 ± 18.2 mm, p < 0.01) and FAM (76.1 ± 17.6 mm, p < 0.01) conditions. Predictive feedback from a wearable device does not appear to affect running performance, but may affect expectations, perceived effort, pacing, and the perception of the completed exercise. Algorithmically derived scores or ratings by wearables should be interpreted with caution or along with analysis of individual trends in HRV.
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