Why do some people wear Apple Watches on their ankles? It's more important than you think

 

There is a growing trend gaining more and more traction: wearing the Apple Watch on the ankle instead of the wrist. But what is the reason behind this change? Let’s see whether this is actually useful or just a passing fad.

A new trend is emerging in the U.S.: wearing the Apple Watch on the ankle. And there are several reasons for this. If you take a look on Amazon and search for "Apple Watch + ankle," you’ll find all kinds of adjustable straps that allow you to wear it under your shoulder or on your ankle.

Yes, There Are Reasons to Wear the Apple Watch on Your Ankle

Let’s set aside medical conditions that prevent some people from wearing anything on their wrists—placing the Apple Watch on the ankle could be a solution for them. On the other hand, some users claim that wearing the smartwatch on this part of the body helps improve measurement accuracy, especially for data like step count.

A step counter would certainly work better in this position, but you’d lose access to many other features, such as accurate heart rate tracking. Another group that might benefit from this trend is people with sensitive skin or allergies. By wearing the Apple Watch on the ankle with a sock to prevent direct skin contact, they can still track steps without worrying about irritation.

However, the group that might be most interested in wearing the Apple Watch on the ankle is those with tattoos. Yes, ink can interfere with heart rate detection.

"Permanent or temporary changes to your skin, such as certain tattoos, may also affect how the heart rate sensor functions. Ink, patterns, and the saturation of some tattoos can block light from reaching the sensor, making it harder to obtain reliable readings."

As you can see, this is official information from Apple, so we’re not talking about something baseless. If you have a tattoo on your wrist, wearing the Apple Watch on your ankle might help you get better readings. Although, of course, it would be a bit more inconvenient when checking the time .