In which protocol [treadmill or cycle ergometer or both ] do you think you can o
ID: 3479350 • Letter: I
Question
In which protocol [treadmill or cycle ergometer or both ] do you think you can observed a true VO2 max (i.e. you measure a plateau in VO2 with an increase in workload)? In which protocols did the secondary measures suggest that the subject were at or at least very close to VO2max.
*Secondary Measurements during V02 max test include blood lactate concentration, respiratory exchange ratio (RER), heart rate (HR), and rating of percieved exertion (RPE).
Use Secondary Measurements to include in answer.
Explanation / Answer
A treadmill is a device generally for walking or running or climbing while staying in the same place. Measurement of VO2 is costly and time consuming. Equations have been determined for the various treadmill protocols based on the variables of treadmill speed, incline or the test time for a particular protocol, a common reference being ACSM publications [ ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. 6th edition Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2000]. However, many factors may contribute to the error of TM-VO2 pred. They include treadmill handrail support or failure to use population specific equations.
Cycle ergometer is a fixed cycling machine used in fitness testing to estimate the exercise intensity (power output) from the rpm and the resistance to pedalling, which can be adjusted to vary the intensity..
It is logical to think that a treadmill could measure the oxygen intake in all positions that is standing, walking and and running. After measuring the oxygen intake in all these positions, an average could be taken of the VO2max values, which would be more accurate. This will not be possible in cycle ergometer, in which VO2max will be measured only in one position.