The validity of predicting peak oxygen uptake from a perceptually guided graded exercise test during arm exercise in paraplegic individuals.

STUDY

DESIGN

Each participant completed two submaximal, perceptually guided arm crank exercise tests and a graded exercise test (GXT) to volitional exhaustion.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the validity of a submaximal, perceptually guided exercise test to predict peak oxygen uptake (VO(2)peak) during arm cranking in paraplegic individuals.

SETTING

University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.

PARTICIPANTS

Eleven men with paraplegia as a result of poliomyelitis infection or spinal cord injury completed two submaximal perceptually guided exercise tests and an arm crank GXT to volitional exhaustion.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The prediction of VO(2)peak was calculated by extrapolating the submaximal rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and VO(2) values by linear regression to RPE20.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences between measured and predicted VO(2)peak from the three submaximal ranges of the RPE (that is, 9-13, 9-15 and 9-17) when extrapolated to RPE20 during both perceptually guided exercise tests (all P>0.05). However, the second perceptually guided exercise tests provided a more accurate prediction of VO(2)peak as reflected by narrower 95% limits of agreement and higher intraclass correlation coefficients.

CONCLUSION

This study has shown that VO(2)peak may be predicted with reasonable accuracy from a perceptually guided exercise test, especially after a full familiarization trial.