Comparison of Non-Maximal Tests for Exercise Prescription and Outcome Assessment

Abstract

ii iii ABSTRACT Alajmi, R. A. Comparison of non-maximal tests for exercise prescription and outcome assessment. MS in Clinical Exercise Physiology, December 2017, 71pp. (C. Foster) This study examined the accuracy of non-maximal tests: the Talk Test (TT), Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) extrapolation, Rockport Walking Test (RWT) and non-exercise VO 2 max prediction equation for predicting exercise capacity (VO 2 max and VT). Subjects (N=20) were 18-50 yrs. of low to moderate fitness level. Subjects performed three exercise sessions. Test 1 was a maximal incremental test to measure VO 2 max and VT. Test 2 was a submaximal incremental exercise test without respiratory gas exchange measurements, using the TT and RPE. Test 3 was the RWT. Also, VO 2 max was calculated using the non-exercise prediction equation of Matthews et al. (1997). The results showed that there was no significant difference between measured VO 2 max and predicted VO 2 max using the non-exercise equation, extrapolation to RPE19 and the RWT. However, measured VO 2 max was significantly less than predicted VO 2 max using extrapolation to RPE 20 (p≤0.05). There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between the VO 2 at VT, the LP, and EQ stages of the TT, and at RPE13 and RPE14. However, the VO 2 at RPE 15 was significantly higher than VO 2 at VT (p≤0.05). In conclusion, the results showed that the non-maximal methods could be used as primary methods for exercise prescription and outcome assessment.iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS