Safety and feasibility of a health-related fitness test battery for adults

Abstract

Background and Purpose. Health-related fitness (HRFI) assessment may be useful in promoting physical activity. Health-related fitness refers to those components of fitness that are related to health status. The safety and feasibility of a test battery designed for the assessment of HRFI were evaluated. Subjects and Methods. Middle-aged men (n=246) and women (n=254), evenly selected from five age cohorts of a random sample (N=826), were tested. The subjects had a mean age of 47.0 years (SD=7.9, range=37-57). Screening to identify subjects with health limitations was conducted by fitness testers who had master's degrees in sport or health sciences. Safety was assessed in terms of acute complications, delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and heart rate after each test. Subject exclusion and time costs were evaluated for feasibility. Results. No acute complications occurred. The leg function test caused severe DOMS among inactive women. The overall exclusion rate increased with age. Up to 27% of subjects aged 52 and 57 years were excluded from muscle endurance tests, mainly due to self-reported heart disease or elevated blood pressures. Over 90% of the subjects, however, qualified for balance, flexibility, muscle force, and walk tests. Conclusion and Discussion. The test battery offers a safe and feasible method for the assessment of HRFI in working-aged adults, with the limitation that the one-leg squat function test may cause DOMS, particularly in inactive women.