Orthometria: New term for digital health fixation, framework for responsible use
Have you ever planned your day around what your wearable or smartwatch is telling you? Skipped a workout because your recovery score was low, or felt anxious after a poor sleep score?
As Australians increasingly track their health metrics via smartphones and wearables, CQUniversity researchers are asking when healthy interest in personal data becomes counterproductive.
Dr Dean Miller from CQU’s Appleton Institute has published a new paper formally introducing the term ‘orthometria': a proposed construct describing counterproductive fixation on digital health metrics.
Submitted in April 2026 and published in August 2026, the paper proposes a five-stage framework for responsible digital health technology use.
Dr Miller said he started developing the concept in 2024 after noticing the potential to shift from awareness to fixation while supporting athletes at the Paris Olympics and Paralympics.
“The vast majority of athletes have wearables and collect digital health data,” he said.
“Some loved it, some barely glanced at it, but some were deeply focused on optimising every metric they collected… and my colleague and I realised there might be downsides to that focus.
"Elite athletes are often praised for their focus and continuous improvement mindset, but when data becomes a fixation and a distraction rather than a tool, it may impact performance and wellbeing."
What is orthometria?
‘Orthometria’ comes from the Greek words ortho- (correct) and -metria (to measure). It describes the counterproductive fixation on digital health metrics collected via commercially available health technology, and builds on terms such as orthosomnia, the unhealthy preoccupation with perfect sleep data, and orthorexia, the excessive pursuit of healthy eating.
"Over the past decade, consumer health technology has expanded to monitor so many aspects of our daily lives – not just for athletes, but across the population," Dr Miller said.
“These devices provide great value, offering daily insight into sleep, physical activity, and overall health that was previously only available in clinical or laboratory settings. For many people, that data supports healthier decisions”
“But as adoption grows, so does the need for frameworks that help individuals use that data in a way that serves them. Defining orthometria and proposing the new framework is that first step.”
Measured measuring
Dr Miller has worn a wearable device almost continuously since 2013. He says the goal of the research is not to discourage tracking but to share the knowledge that comes from years of both wearing and studying the technology.
“I want people to feel confident using their data, not intimidated by it,' he said. 'The technology is valuable. It works better when you know how to personalise it.'"
Dr Michele Lastella, co-author on the research and assistant coach with the Australian Junior Matildas, says the emotional impact of wearable data on young athletes can be significant.
“A low sleep or recovery score before a big game can shake a young athlete's confidence before they've even stepped on the field,” Dr Lastella said.
“The data becomes part of their pre-competition mindset in ways that aren't always helpful — and that's exactly the pattern orthometria is trying to address.”
The paper outlines a five-stage framework to support the responsible use of digital health technology in high-performance sport. But Dr Miller says the same principles can be applied more broadly.
“The framework recommends focusing on longitudinal trends rather than day-to-day fluctuations, taking advantage of features like metric hiding to reduce reactive checking, and speaking to an expert if you want to better understand what your data means.”
"It's about ensuring the technology supports wellbeing rather than becoming another source of stress.”
Appleton Institute is CQUniversity’s world-leading research hub for health and wellbeing at work, rest and play, learn more at the Appleton Institute website.
