Finger pulse monitoring is a reliable and valid tool for measuring heart rate during exercise among adolescents in lab and school settings

The reliability of a finger pulse device for monitoring heart rate during a 3-minute step test (3MST30) to estimate cardiorespiratory endurance in a lab and school setting was examined. Indices of reliability between a chest worn heart rate monitor were also analysed. Participants (N= 29; male = 16; age: 15.83 ± .66) completed the 3MST30 on two occasions, in a lab setting (T1) and in a school setting (T2). Participants wore a Braun® finger pulse monitor and a Polar® H7 chest strap heart rate monitor. Heart rate in beats per minute (BPM) was recorded on both devices at 1-minute, 2-minutes, 3-minutes, and one minute following test completion. Absolute mean differences between devices and settings were clinically insignificant, with the smallest variance at the 1-minute post recording (finger pulse p = .012; chest strap p = .041). This study demonstrates that finger pulse monitoring is a reliable and valid tool for measuring heart rate during sub-maximal exercise.