Health notice — Exercise Snack¶

This is a translation of the German version. Both versions have the same content. If you notice a discrepancy, please let us know.

Last updated: 26 August 2026

Exercise Snack is a lifestyle, fitness and wellbeing app for adults. It is not a medical device, an emergency system or medical advice. Exercises, estimates and comparisons do not replace medical examination, diagnosis or treatment.

Intended purpose and clear limits¶

The app is intended exclusively to guide short, general movement and breathing exercises, record your own fitness and wellbeing values locally, and place selected values in a general sports science context.

It is not intended to

• diagnose, predict or rule out an illness, injury or health condition,
• prevent, monitor, treat or alleviate an illness,
• clinically monitor symptoms or vital signs, or
• make a therapy, training or emergency decision for you.

If you have symptoms or are unsure, contact a medical professional. An app display without a specific note is not an all-clear.

Before a movement exercise¶

• Exercise only if you feel well and are physically able to do so.
• Seek medical clearance before exercising if, for example, you have a known cardiovascular or respiratory condition, very high blood pressure, a tendency to faint, unexplained dizziness, significant balance problems or an increased risk of falling.
• Also seek advice beforehand if you are pregnant, have an acute infection or fever, have recently had surgery or an injury, or have pronounced knee, hip or back problems.
• Do not start if you have acute chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting, new severe dizziness or if you suddenly feel unwell.

During exercise and in an emergency¶

If you experience pain, chest tightness, unusual shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, heart symptoms, visual disturbances, a feeling that you may faint or other concerning symptoms, stop immediately, sit or lie down somewhere safe, and get help if needed.

For severe or persistent symptoms, impaired consciousness or any other emergency, do not wait for an app display:

• Germany: 112
• Austria: Emergency medical service 144 (Rettung) or European emergency number 112 (Euro-Notruf)
• Switzerland: Ambulance 144 (Sanität) or emergency number 112

Outside these countries, use the local emergency number.

Safely performing the 60-second sit-to-stand¶

• Use a stable chair with a backrest, but no castors or armrests.
• Place it on a non-slip floor, preferably against a wall, and keep the area clear.
• Wear suitable footwear. Do not use an unstable stool.
• Only stand up without pushing off with your hands or arms if you can do so safely. Safety always comes before completing the test or reaching a high number of repetitions.
• If you need help or arm support to stand up safely, do not perform the comparison test alone; seek professional advice.

There is a risk of falling. Stop the test as soon as it is no longer possible to perform it safely.

Limits of the sit-to-stand comparison¶

Exercise Snack uses a 60-second test. The reference comparison is based on Strassmann et al. (2013), a cross-sectional study of adults in Switzerland aged 20 to 79. This means:

• Outside the age range of 20 to 79, the app must not derive a reference comparison from this study.
• The publication reports separate reference groups for women and men. If your profile entry cannot be assigned to a group covered by the source, or has not been set, the app must not show a sex-specific reference comparison. This is a limit of the source and says nothing about your identity.
• The app uses the publication's original five-year groups and shows published reference points (P25, median/P50 and P75) without connecting them to an age trend line. Any additional percentile figure shown is the app's own linear estimate between the published points P2.5, P25, P50, P75 and P97.5. Below or above this range, it shows only “< 2.5” or “> 97.5”. This calculation aid is not a percentile model published by the study and is not a validated individual assessment.
• The sample and its test conditions do not represent every person or every everyday situation. The chair, how the test is performed, motivation, how you feel that day, sleep, caffeine, medicines and health status may affect the result.
• Chair height, full contact with the seat, arm position and counting method are particularly relevant to comparability. If your test differs from the study protocol, the app result and study values are comparable only to a limited extent.

A comparison value is therefore only general information for orientation: it is not a personal “normal value”, a diagnosis or a statement about the presence or risk of an illness.

Heart rate and recovery displays¶

The app can display heart rate values from Apple Watch/HealthKit or estimate heart rate optically using the iPhone camera. Both methods may provide incomplete, delayed or incorrect values.

The camera feature analyses changes in brightness at the finger. Movement, finger position, pressure, lighting, blood flow in the skin and device characteristics may affect the estimate. The feature is not a validated or certified medical measurement. In particular, it does not detect heart rhythm disorders and is not suitable for clinical monitoring.

Calculated heart rate recovery is also a non-medical fitness display. The app shows your own raw values and your personal history, but no population-based threshold and no classification. Available data points, timing, data source and procedure affect the value. Do not use a single value or a history for diagnosis, changes to medication, clearance to exercise or deciding whether you need medical help.

Breathing exercises¶

Box breathing and Cyclic Sighing may cause dizziness, tingling, light-headedness, restlessness or a feeling of tightness in some people.

• Practise while sitting or lying down. Do not practise while standing, in water, while driving or while operating machinery.
• Do not force deep breaths, and hold your breath only for as long as is comfortable.
• If you feel dizzy or unwell, pause and breathe normally. Stop if you experience a racing heart, panic, chest tightness, severe light-headedness or other concerning symptoms.
• If you have a tendency to faint, POTS/orthostatic intolerance, low blood pressure, asthma/COPD, a panic or anxiety disorder, are pregnant or have a seizure disorder, seek medical advice beforehand.

The duration and procedure offered in Exercise Snack do not have to match the protocol of a cited study. A study result therefore does not promise that the app or its use in your individual case will be effective.

Scientific sources¶

60-second sit-to-stand¶

Strassmann A, Steurer-Stey C, Dalla Lana K, et al. Population-based reference values for the 1-min sit-to-stand test. International Journal of Public Health. 2013;58(6):949–953. PMID 23974352, DOI 10.1007/s00038-013-0504-z.

Structured breathing exercises¶

Balban MY, Neri E, Kogon MM, et al. Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Reports Medicine. 2023;4(1):100895. PMID 36630953, DOI 10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100895.

The Balban study compared daily five-minute breathing exercises over one month. Shorter, differently guided or occasional use in Exercise Snack is not equivalent to this study protocol.

The sources are provided as bibliographical references. For the sit-to-stand comparison, the app uses numerical reference values from the cited publication; figures, full texts and third-party passages are not reproduced. Citing a source does not mean that its authors, institutions or publishers collaborate with, recommend or validate the app.

Statutory rights¶

This safety notice describes risks and product limits. It does not exclude any statutory liability or restrict any mandatory statutory consumer rights or rights in respect of defects. The licence is governed by the Apple Standard EULA.

Exercise Snack · See date above.