Water aerobics: The use of wearables

Nowadays within the popularity of aquatic exercise programs, water-aerobics is one of the most recognized programs by the scientific community. Due to the importance of water-aerobics, it is essential to monitor and evaluate the exercise effects. However, little is known about exercise control in water-aerobics. Thus, the aim of this study was to characterize the use of wearable technology by the Portuguese who practice water-aerobics. For this, a questionnaire was applied to 188 subjects of both genders, with aged between 19 and 88 years, who regularly practice water-aerobics. The results show that most subjects have heard of wearable technology (60%), but few have ever experienced it during exercise (12%), and only 29% of these subjects used wearable technology during performing water-aerobics. Main reasons are: due to the lack of opportunity (62%), for considering the technology useless (15%), and due to the difficulty to perceive its functioning (9%). These people who have never experienced, considered using it (79%), especially if the technology allows to monitor heart rate (34%) and calories spent (31%). Overall, people have knowledge about the existence of wearable technology, but are few subjects who have ever experienced to perform physical exercise with the aid of these devices, especially when speaking in the water-aerobics. However, there is some interest in starting to use the technology, especially for monitoring heart rate and calories spent. Therefore, it is necessary to make known and to improve the technology according to the mode of exercise and to the preferences of its users.