Table 2:
Comparison Of Selected Tests Used To Measure Cardiorespiratory Fitness1
| Description | Ability to Assess CRF2 | Limitations | Suggestions for Clinical Practice | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (Gas-analyzed) | Participants exercise with incrementally increasing difficulty/workload with V̇O2 measured via respiratory gases | +++ | Sophisticated equipment needed | Gold standard for measurement of V̇O2 |
| 20mSRT3 (Non-gas-analyzed) (Field based) | Participants run/walk between two points on a floor in sync with audio signals with incrementally increasing frequency | ++ | Need 20 meters open space | Modified protocols are available for office populations |
| Run tests (e.g., 1.5 mile / 2400 meters) (Field based) | Participants run a given distance as quickly as possible | ++ | Very dependent on motivation and body size. | Often used in school settings |
| Step Test (Office or Field based) | Participants step up and down on a block of a given height. Each stage is associated with an increased step rate. | + | Validity not well-established | Portable, test can be performed in small spaces |
| Walk tests (Office based) (e.g. 6-minute walk test) | Participants instructed to walk as far as possible in 6 minutes | +/− | Poor validity in healthy populations | Useful for populations with low exercise capacity |
| Questionnaires | Questionnaire to assess fitness level | +/− | Large error in estimation of V̇O2 | Used for population research mainly |
1
Tests presented were collated to give examples of various testing categories or explanations of protocols and is not meant to be exhaustive.
2
Scale ranges from +/− (least) to +++ (most) and reflects writing groups’ overall assessment of test’s usefulness in reflecting CRF.
3
20mSRT – 20-meter Shuttle Run Test