Nowadays, we use our phones in almost every aspect of our lives. Our phones let us do an incredible amount of things with just a few clicks – checking the weather, ordering dinner, even engaging with a virtual trainer.
New-age fitness apps have been all the rage in recent years, and COVID-19 has substantially accelerated this growth. In this article, we’re taking a deeper look at this new trend from a Healthcare and Information Technology perspective.
Diet Plans, At-Home Workouts, and Couch-to-5Ks
The category “Fitness App” encompasses a wide variety of applications. You can find apps to track your calories and macros, plan workouts at home with minimal equipment, or participate in one of the countless couch-to-5K programs. Due to the stay-at-home orders from COVID-19, the number downloads for at-home workout apps has skyrocketed. Four out of the top five most downloaded fitness apps in June 2020 were designed for at-home exercise. Due to the risk associated with close contact sports, many people are also lacing up their running shoes instead. According to statistics, there has been a 90% increase in couch-to-5k downloads. In light of this surge of downloads, many companies have seized this new opportunity to develop their own.
Health Benefits Connected to Fitness Apps
There are many obvious physical health benefits to fitness apps. People often don’t have the means or the time to join a gym or a running club, so using a fitness app can majorly boost motivation. The best workout apps have programs for every age group and all fitness levels.
Additionally, the mental health benefits of these apps shouldn’t be overlooked. Most new-age fitness apps have created involved communities, integrating features that allow you to follow other people’s progress, compete with each other’s times on the same running routes, and so on. Apps like Strava have accumulated an almost cult-like following, and are connecting people on different continents through sport. This trend is particularly important as many people have stated they stopped exercising in the past because they lacked the motivation to do it alone. Now, these communities drive members to keep going together.
Technology Behind Fitness Apps
An important consideration for fitness apps is that the software is only as strong as the hardware connected to it. This industry is in a state of constant change and evolution. Right now, there are a few pieces of hardware that stand out. Software can now communicate with basic heart rate and skin response sensors, while motion sensors can be used to more accurately handle GPS data. At the moment, the most trustworthy fitness apps are ones that can connect to wearable devices specifically created for these activities. However, Smartphone technology is rapidly catching up. We’ll have to wait and see who wins that race in the long run.
If your company is considering joining the fitness app race, drop us a note. We’ll discuss how we can help carry you across the finish line!
