Estimating VO₂max Using a Personalized Step Test

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a personalized step test and a valid regression model that used non-exercise data and data collected during the step test to estimate VO 2 max in males and females 18 to 30 years of age. All participants (N= 80) successfully completed a step test with the starting step rate and step height being determined by the self-reported perceived functional ability (PFA) score and participant's height, respectively. All participants completed a maximal graded exercise test (GXT) to measure VO 2 max. Multiple linear regression analysis yielded the following equation (R = 0.90, SEE = 3.43 mL≅kg-1 ≅min-1): 45.938 + 9.253(G)-0.140(KG) + 0.670(PFA) + 0.429(FSR)-0.149(45sRHR) to predict VO 2 max (mL≅kg-1 ≅min-1) where: G is gender (0=female;1=male), KG is body mass in kg, PFA is the sum of the two PFA questions, FSR is the final step rate (step-ups/min), and 45sRHR is the recovery heart rate 45 seconds following the conclusion of the step test. Each independent variable was significant (p < 0.05) in predicting VO 2 max and the resulting regression equation accounted for roughly 83% (R 2 =0.8281) of the shared variance of measured VO 2 max. Based on the standardized β-weights, gender (0.606) explained the largest proportion of variance in VO 2 max values followed by PFA (0.315), body mass (-0.256), FSR (-0.248), and the 45sRHR (-0.238). The cross validation statistics (R PRESS = 0.88, SEE PRESS = 3.57 mL≅kg-1 ≅min-1) show minimal shrinkage in the accuracy of the regression model. This study presents a relatively accurate model to predict VO 2 max from a submaximal step test that is convenient, easy to administer, and individualized.

Validity of the Actiheart step test for the estimation of maximum oxygen consumption in endurance athletes and healthy controls

“…Legend: Results are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. a significantly different from CON of the same sex (p < 0.05), b significantly different from CON of the same sex (p < 0.01), c significantly different from CON of the same sex (p < 0.0001) Paterson, 2001;Santo & Golding, 2003;Sykes & Roberts, 2004;Webb, Vehrs, George, & Hager, 2014). In our study we found a significant relationship between estimated and measured VO 2 max for the total sample, with R 2 0.24 for AHraw and 0.36 for AHcomplete.…”

Performance, metabolic, hemodynamic, and perceived exertion in the six-minute step test at different heights in a healthy population of different age groups

“…Culpepper and Francis 16 proposed equations for healthy men and women taking into account both the individuals' height and hip flexion angle to estimate the ideal step height; with this, the energy expenditure resulting from biomechanical inefficiency during the test is reduced, and the test is standardized for each individual. Webb et al 35 used the same equation with individualized step heights and concluded that the four-minute test performed in fixed cadence provided an accurate estimate of the aerobic capacity in healthy individuals. In our study, an average step height value of 32 centimeters was obtained from the aforementioned equation.…”

A Six-Minute Walk Test: Oxygen Uptake and Distance Predicted

“…e mask was fixed to the head with adjustable straps. e CORTEX ergospirometer model MetaLyzer® 3B (Germany) reported the data in real time, breath by breath, and was used to determine the VO 2 max, under the following criteria: respiratory exchange ratio (RER) ≥1.11 (Hamlin et al, 2012;Web et al, 2014), an HR ≤ 10 beats . min -1 or ≤ 5% in respects to the maximum estimated (220-age) (Poole & Jones, 2017).…”