Comparison of "traditional" maximal exercise testing protocols during bicycle ergometry - pilot study
Abstract
Introduction: Exercise testing protocol is the matter of choice of examining physician. There are two default protocols for exercise testing - incremental or continuous (so called ramp), eventually combination of both.
There is assumption that maximal values obtained by use of one or another are commutable. Aim: To compare maximal values obtained by two different exercise testing protocoles.
Methodology: Thirteen young and apparently healthy subjects (age 25,8 +- 3,8 year, 4 women) underwent two exercise tests in separate occasion. Workload was increased by 1 W/kg in 3 minutes continuously or incrementally.
Results: HRmax 184 +- 9 vs. 185 +- 8, ĂO2max 54,7 +- 7,6 vs. 55,2 +- 8,1 ml/min/kg, RERmax 1,25 +- 0,07 vs. 1,25 +- 0,09, VEmax 141 +- 42 L vs. 141 +- 40 L, W/kgmax 4,5 +- 0,6 vs. 4,5 +- 0,6, RPEmax 18,7 +- 1,1 vs. 18,8 +- 1,1, time 13:37 +- 1:35 vs. 11:48 +- 1:40 min. Statistically significant difference was obtained only for time to exhaustion.
Conclusion: Maximal values obtained by use of incremental and continuous exercise testing protocol seems to be commutable at least in young and healthy men.