Comparison of a continuous and discontinuous graded treadmill test for maximal oxygen uptake

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to compare a single session continuous-graded treadmill protocol for determining maxVo₂ in healthy male subjects with the multi-session discontinuous-graded treadmill procedure described by Taylor and his co-workers. Twenty young adults served as subjects for the study. The treadmill protocols were administered in random order to all subjects. The total experiment for each subject was completed within a two-week time span. No significant differences in mean Vo₂ were found between the two test procedures. To establish the similarity of the two tests, confidence limits for the differences between means were calculated for the continuous test versus the discontinuous procedure for various samples sizes. The data support the hypothesis that the continuous test applied permits reasonably accurate measurement of maxVo₂ in group studies.