Execution of the test:
- Record the patient’s body weight and resting heart rate
- Start the metronome with a frequency of 45 beats per minute. The patient will have to step up on one count and step down on the second count
- Start the stop watch and have your patient step on a box of a height of 40cm for males and 30cm for females
- Record your patient’s heart rate each minute for a total of 6 minutes
- After the 6 minutes, a short cool down can be performed by the patient
Outcome calculation
- Calculate the mean heart rate of the fifth and sixth minute
- Connect this HR average with the patient’s body weight by a straight line in the nomogram
3. The predicted VO2max is read from the middle scale by looking at the intersection with your drawn line
Adjust your results by multiplying your outcome with the age factor provided below:
|
Age in years |
Correction factor |
|
15 |
1.2 |
|
16 |
1.1 |
|
17-35 |
1.0 |
|
>35 |
0.87 |
| >40 |
0.83 |
| >45 |
0.78 |
| >50 |
0.75 |
| >55 |
0.71 |
- Compare your results (corrected for age) with the following standard values:
Females:
|
Age |
Very poor | Poor | Fair | Good | Excellent |
Superior |
|
13-19 |
<25.0 | 25.0-30.9 | 31.0-34.9 | 35.0-38.9 | 39.0-41.9 |
>41.9 |
|
20-29 |
<23.6 | 23.6-28.9 | 29.0-32.9 | 33.0-36.9 | 37.0-41.0 | >41.0 |
|
30-39 |
<22.8 | 22.8-26.9 | 27.0-31.4 | 31.5-35.6 | 35.7-40.0 |
>40.0 |
|
40-49 |
<21.0 | 21.0-24.4 | 24.5-28.9 | 29.0-32.8 | 32.9-36.9 |
>36.9 |
|
50-59 |
<20.2 | 20.2-22.7 | 22.8-26.9 | 27.0-31.4 | 31.5-35.7 |
>35.8 |
|
60+ |
<17.5 | 17.5-20.1 | 20.2-24.4 | 24.5-30.2 | 30.3-31.4 |
>31.4 |
Males:
| Age | Very poor | Poor | Fair | Good | Excellent |
Superior |
|
13-19 |
<35.0 | 35.0-38.3 | 38.4-45.1 | 45.2-50.9 | 51.0-55.9 |
>55.9 |
|
20-29 |
<33.0 | 33.0-36.4 | 36.5-42.4 | 42.5-46.4 | 46.5-54.2 |
>54.2 |
|
30-39 |
<31.5 | 31.5-35.4 | 35.5-40.9 | 41.0-44.9 | 45.0-49.4 |
>49.4 |
|
40-49 |
<30.2 | 30.2-33.5 | 33.6-38.9 | 39.0-43.7 | 43.8-48.0 |
>48.0 |
|
50-59 |
<26.1 | 26.1-30.9 | 31.0-35.7 | 35.8-40.9 | 41.0-45.3 |
>45.3 |
|
60+ |
<20.5 | 20.5-26.0 | 26.1-32.2 | 32.3-36.4 | 36.5-44.2 |
>44.2 |
| Study |
Reliability |
Sn | Sp | LR+ |
LR- |
| Meyers et al. (1969):college students |
Test-retest r=0.84 |
NA | NA | NA |
NA |
| Siconolfi etal. (1985) |
NA |
NA | NA | NA |
NA |
| Burnstein et al. (2011): intraclass reliability over time |
ICC = 0.46-0.67 |
NA | NA | NA |
NA |
| Heywood et al. (1998) | |||||
| Comment: Siconolfi et al. (1985) report that step tests have shown approximately 10% higher VO2max values than bike ergometer tests. In their study VO2max during the step tests was 12% higher than the directly measured VO2max. | |||||
