Assessment of peak oxygen uptake during handcycling: Test-retest reliability and comparison of a ramp-incremented and perceptually-regulated exercise test

Abstract

Twenty recreationally active individuals (14 male, 6 female) completed four trials across a 2- week period, using a randomised, counterbalanced design. Participants completed two RAMP protocols (20 W.min-1) in week 1, followed by two PRETmax in week 2, or vice versa. The PRETmax comprised five, 2-min stages clamped at Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) 11, 13, 15, 17 and 20. Participants changed power output (PO) as often as required to maintain target RPE. Gas exchange variables (oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide production, minute ventilation), heart rate (HR) and PO were collected throughout. Differentiated RPE were collected at the end of each stage throughout trials. Results For relative VO2peak, coefficient of variation (CV) was equal to 4.1% and 4.8%, with ICC(3,1) of 0.92 and 0.85 for repeated measures from PRETmax and RAMP, respectively. Measurement error was 0.15 L.min-1 and 2.11 ml.kg-1.min-1 in PRETmax and 0.16 L.min-1 and 2.29 ml.kg-1.min-1 during RAMP for determining absolute and relative V O2peak, respectively. The difference in V O 2peak between PRETmax and RAMP was tending towards statistical significance (26.2 ± 5.1 versus 24.3 ± 4.0 ml.kg-1.min-1, P = 0.055). The 95% LoA were -1.9 ± 4.1 (-9.9 to 6.2) ml.kg-1.min-1. Conclusion The PRETmax can be used as a reliable test to measure V O2peak during handcycle exercise in recreationally active participants. Whilst PRETmax tended towards significantly greater V O 2peak values than RAMP, the difference is smaller than measurement error of determining V O 2peak from PRETmax and RAMP.