Afternoon, just reading the other Garmin thread got me thinking about some health results of my own (Male, 46, 6ft, 88kgs unkitted).  My "Normal max heart rate is 183bpm, though it fluctuates between 179 and 183, with an average during activity normally aroun d 143bmp (this is all on the MTB) and then avg resting heart rate measured over a week of 58bpm.  However recently a couplf of my rides have flagged up excessive max heart rate at ~207. In all cases i've felt fine and dint think i was pushing it. Nothing else has changed in terms of how i wear my Fenix 7 Pro, So the questions are;
Am i about to pop my clogs?
Is my Fenix doing some weird stuff?
I do have a private health and am due another checkup as part of the cover - the last one 2 years ago flagged up a high gamma or something reading, but i put that down to having recently wrapped myself round a tree and the subsequent hosptioal visit and fixing that ensued.
I see the same, normally lasting perhaps 10-15 seconds. No symptoms and usually when racing at or about max HR. I tried a different HR monitor and see the same. I have a right bundle branch block that may be giving these symptoms. You'll see a few spikes in HR on this Strava analysis FG Track League C6 | Ride | Strava (e.g. at 30:00 and the last points race). Nothing when not pushing very hard. Max HR is about the same as yours. Chest strap HR monitor not watch.
Prior to having Covid (2020) and subsequent long Covid I did not have these "excursions". I've had pericarditis ever since the first infection, notably when the immune system is running hard to fight nasties.
That's interesting. I didn't have a HR monitor of any type before getting Long COVID.
I've got a Garmin VivoActive 5 now and I don't really exercise, but I sometimes see this kind of thing during moderate exercise, like a walk. I'll go out for a half hour walk, HR will be around 100bpm for most of it, but then I'll see that it peaked at 145bpm for about 5 minutes in the middle, before sinking back down. And I certainly won't have felt at any point like my heart is pounding. I've always put it down to the watch being just a consumer-level wrist based sensor and not fully reliable. But I have no pre-COVID reference points to compare with!
I have years of road racing data from Strava and NEVER saw it before. I really don't notice it other than looking down at the Garmin (Power/HR/Cadence window) on a lap at Hillingdon - not allowed to see a garmin on the track (it's under the saddle). I worked pretty hard in some of those races on Tuesday night too, and perhaps the HR accelerations when I attacked induce them. No chance of getting them on the turbo, I never go near max HR on the trainer! Nor Vets SQT track training (last Friday LVV Vets SQT | Ride | Strava for example). It's all about being at or close to max HR.
First off, buy a proper hr strap for 20 quid and use that. Wrist based monitors are notoriously rubbish and excessive heart rates are common.
I've seen my fit bit top out at 207 (interestingly exact same number as you)Â whilst sitting about watching tv. Never felt a thing at the time despite it lasting 2 min, only noticed it afterwards
My cardiologist said there is zero chance I would not have noticed something if my heart had really been going that fast.
I've also had high hrs from chest straps when riding. Usually happens after a couple of years solid use and shortly before they stop working altogetherÂ
My Garmin give high hr if the strap is a bit loose.
The Polar hrm I had would give very high readings near the Airport radar and sometimes was affected by interference from cars.
Most likely any of the above reasons, but I recently had a short bout of atrial fibrillation mid ride. Only a couple of minutes. Polar chest strap. Garmin showed HR just over 200bpm and I'd been plodding as I was nursing a bug. Doesn't necessarily have to feel like your heart is going 200bpm, I just felt a butterfly sensation. Then went back to normal. I'd had similar ten years or so ago so recognised the signs. So keep an open mind, but yes I'm sure it's just a dodgy reading or failing battery.
Thanks all, I'm still of the opinion it's dodgy reading, but will go and borrow a chest monitor for a little while and see what it says.