Blood pressure monitor: wrist or upper arm?

Blutdruckmessung am Handgelenk oder Oberarm?

Digital blood pressure monitors take automatic readings of arterial pressure. At the push of a button they inflate automatically and then deflate on their own. They record the two blood pressure values and the pulse rate. These devices are now widely available at low cost. You can choose between monitors for the upper arm and monitors for the wrist. Both methods are considered equivalent. However, there are design-related differences that can make some devices less suitable for certain users than for others.

Wrist monitors are easier to use, but you must pay close attention to holding your hand so that the measuring point is at heart level. With upper-arm monitors, this is almost automatically the case. However, you may need to remove clothing for the measurement.

Wrist blood pressure monitors

The greatest advantage of wrist devices is undoubtedly how easy it is to take a measurement without having to remove any clothing. However, meticulous care must be taken to position the device, and thus the measurement point, at heart level. As age-related narrowing is more likely to occur in the relatively delicate blood vessels of the wrist later in life, upper-arm devices are better suited to older users. However, wrist devices are often the better choice for people who are severely overweight or have very large upper arms, as it may be difficult to find a suitable upper-arm cuff.

Special feature

the arm position must be maintained precisely
easy measurement, as there is no need to remove clothing

Especially suitable

for people with very large upper arms

Less suitable

for older users (details: When is wrist blood pressure measurement not suitable?)

Upper-arm blood pressure monitors

Upper-arm monitors excel because there is little chance of error regarding the measurement point. It is almost automatically at heart level. The arm used for measurement should be rested on a table or otherwise supported, as a 2024 American study showed. However, thick or especially loose outer clothing that forms folds must be removed for the measurement. A thin blouse, a thin shirt, a thin long-sleeved top, or similar clothing, on the other hand, usually does not affect the measurement. Please check your device's user manual for details. People with a large upper-arm circumference sometimes have trouble finding a suitable upper-arm cuff. In these cases, an upper-arm monitor may therefore be less suitable than a wrist monitor. For older users, upper-arm monitors are the better choice in most cases because deposits in the relatively large blood vessels of the upper arm do not cause interference.

Special feature

- the measurement point is almost always correct
- outer clothing may need to be removed

Especially suitable

for older users

Less suitable

for people with a large upper-arm circumference (details: When is upper-arm blood pressure measurement not suitable?)

Sources:

This article is from Tensana – the leading app since 2011, helping hundreds of thousands of people monitor their blood pressure every day. Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based data and is continuously updated (as of 11/2025).

Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as outpatient care, and has headed the specialist editorial team at Tensana since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as an emergency medical technician, first responder, and in various areas of therapy and emergency care, she provides well-founded, practical, and reliably verified information.

We hope you found the article helpful. Accurate measurements are essential for good blood pressure control. Our app Tensana can help with that. Clear instructions walk you through taking measurements according to current guidelines. The app can also remind you if you wish. These features are fully available in the free version as well. Get the free app now.

Blood pressure monitor: wrist or upper arm?

Wrist blood pressure monitors

Upper-arm blood pressure monitors

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