Download PDF
Int J Sports Med 2018; 39(06): 456-461
DOI: 10.1055/a-0577-4851
Training & Testing
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

VO2max Testing in Trail Runners: Is There a Specific Exercise Test Protocol?

Volker Scheer
1   Institute of Sports Medicine, Department of Exercise & Health, Faculty of Science, University of Paderborn, Germany
2   Ultra Sports Science Foundation
,
Katharina Ramme
1   Institute of Sports Medicine, Department of Exercise & Health, Faculty of Science, University of Paderborn, Germany
,
Claus Reinsberger
1   Institute of Sports Medicine, Department of Exercise & Health, Faculty of Science, University of Paderborn, Germany
,
Hans-Christian Heitkamp
1   Institute of Sports Medicine, Department of Exercise & Health, Faculty of Science, University of Paderborn, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History



accepted 03 February 2018

Publication Date:
17 April 2018 (online)

Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Trail running places specific physiological demands on the human body due to its uphill and downhill running sections. We developed and investigated a more sport-specific trail exercise test protocol (inclination and speed incremental protocol), and compared it to two standard exercise test protocols (horizontal step and ramp protocol) in thirteen highly trained trail runners (age 31±6 years, height 179±6.4 cm, weight 69.2±7.9 kg, BMI 21.6±2.1 kg/m2). The maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) measured during the trail test (62.5±5.9 ml·kg−1·min−1, [95% CI: 59.0-66.1]) was significantly higher compared to both the step test (60.1±5.3 ml·kg−1·min−1, [95% CI: 56.8-63.3], p=0.024) and the ramp test (59.7±5.5 ml·kg−1·min−1, [95% CI: 56.4-63.0], p=0.028). Time to task failure was significantly shorter in the trail test (557±73 s, [95% CI: 512-601]) compared to both the step test (1378±152 s, [95% CI: 1286-1470], p<0.001) and the ramp test (605±95, [95% CI: 547-662], p<0.001). Other physiological measurements obtained were similar. The trail test was the preferred choice in our group of trail runners. This study supports the implementation of the trail test in practice, and recommends that its validity be evaluated further.

Key word

trail running - exercise test - performance - VO2max
 

  • References

  • 1 Astorino TA, McMillan DW, Edmunds RM, Sanchez E. Increased cardiac output elicits higher V̇O2max in response to self-paced exercise. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2015; 40: 223-229
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Astrand I. Aerobic work capacity in men and women with special reference to age. Acta Physiol Scand Suppl 1960; 49: 1-92
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Balducci P, Clémençon M, Morel B, Quiniou G, Saboul D, Hautier CA. Comparison of level and graded treadmill tests to evaluate endurance mountain runners. J Sports Sci Med 2016; 15: 239-246
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Balducci P, Clémençon M, Trama R, Blache Y, Hautier C. Performance factors in a mountain ultramarathon. Int J Sports Med 2017; 38: 819-826
    Google Scholar
  • 5 Barnes KR, Kilding AE. Running economy: measurement, norms, and determining factors. Sports Med - Open 2015; 1: 8
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Bassett DR, Howley ET. Limiting factors for maximum oxygen uptake and determinants of endurance performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2000; 32: 70-84
    Google Scholar
  • 7 Beltz NM, Gibson AL, Janot JM, Kravitz L, Mermier CM, Dalleck LC. Graded exercise testing protocols for the determination of VO2max: Historical perspectives, progress, and future considerations. J Sports Med (Hindawi Publ Corp) 2016; 2016: 3968393
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Borg G.An introduction to Borg’s RPE-scale. Ithaca, N.Y. : Mouvement Publications, 1985. Available from: http://trove.nla.gov.au/version/45253441
    PubMed
  • 9 Buchfuhrer MJ, Hansen JE, Robinson TE, Sue DY, Wasserman K, Whipp BJ. Optimizing the exercise protocol for cardiopulmonary assessment. J Appl Physiol 1983; 55: 1558-1564
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Costill DL, Jansson E, Gollnick PD, Saltin B. Glycogen utilization in leg muscles of men during level and uphill running. Acta Physiol Scand 1974; 91: 475-481
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Davies B, Daggett A, Jakeman P, Mulhall J. Maximum oxygen uptake utilising different treadmill protocols. Br J Sports Med 1984; 18: 74-79
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Duncan GE, Howley ET, Johnson BN. Applicability of VO2max criteria: discontinuous versus continuous protocols. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1997; 29: 273-278
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Fleg JL, Piña IL, Balady GJ, Chaitman BR, Fletcher B, Lavie C, Limacher MC, Stein RA, Williams M, Bazzarre T. Assessment of functional capacity in clinical and research applications: An advisory from the Committee on Exercise, Rehabilitation, and Prevention, Council on Clinical Cardiology, American Heart Association. Circulation 2000; 102: 1591-1597
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Freund BJ, Allen D, Wilmore JH. Interaction of test protocol and inclined run training on maximal oxygen uptake. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1986; 18: 588-592
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Giandolini M, Vernillo G, Samozino P, Horvais N, Edwards WB, Morin J-B, Millet GY. Fatigue associated with prolonged graded running. Eur J Appl Physiol 2016; 116: 1859-1873
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Giovanelli N, Taboga P, Rejc E, Simunic B, Antonutto G, Lazzer S. Effects of an Uphill marathon on running mechanics and lower-limb muscle fatigue. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2016; 11: 522-529
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 González-Alonso J, Calbet JAL. Reductions in systemic and skeletal muscle blood flow and oxygen delivery limit maximal aerobic capacity in humans. Circulation 2003; 107: 824-830
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Gottschall JS, Kram R. Ground reaction forces during downhill and uphill running. J Biomech 2005; 38: 445-452
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Harriss DJ, Macsween A, Atkinson G. Standards for ethics in sport and exercise science research: 2018 update. Int J Sports Med 2017; 38: 1126-1131
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Heitkamp HC, Scheib K, Schmid K. Treadmill performance, anaerobic threshold and marathon running speed. In: Bachl M, Graham TE, Löllgen H. (eds.) Advances in Ergometry. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg: ; 1991: 248-253 Available from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-76442-4_33
    CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Hoffman MD, Pasternak A, Rogers IR, Khodaee M, Hill JC, Townes DA, Scheer BV, Krabak BJ, Basset P, Lipman GS. Medical services at ultra-endurance foot races in remote environments: Medical issues and consensus guidelines. Sports Med Auckl NZ 2014; 44: 1055-1069
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 22 Howley ET, Bassett DR, Welch HG. Criteria for maximal oxygen uptake: review and commentary. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1995; 27: 1292-1301
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 23 Kang J, Chaloupka EC, Mastrangelo MA, Biren GB, Robertson RJ. Physiological comparisons among three maximal treadmill exercise protocols in trained and untrained individuals. Eur J Appl Physiol 2001; 84: 291-295
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 24 Kasch FW, Wallace JP, Huhn RR, Krogh LA, Hurl PM. VO2max during horizontal and inclined treadmill running. J Appl Physiol 1976; 40: 982-983
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 25 Keren G, Epstein Y, Magazanik A, Sohar E. The energy cost of walking and running with and without a backpack load. Eur J Appl Physiol 1981; 46: 317-324
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 26 Kuipers H, Rietjens G, Verstappen F, Schoenmakers H, Hofman G. Effects of stage duration in incremental running tests on physiological variables. Int J Sports Med 2003; 24: 486-491
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 27 Larsen HB. Kenyan dominance in distance running. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2003; 136: 161-170
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 28 Lazzer S, Salvadego D, Taboga P, Rejc E, Giovanelli N, di Prampero PE. Effects of the Etna uphill ultramarathon on energy cost and mechanics of running. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2015; 10: 238-247
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 29 Mauger AR, Metcalfe AJ, Taylor L, Castle PC. The efficacy of the self-paced V̇O2max test to measure maximal oxygen uptake in treadmill running. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2013; 38: 1211-1216
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 30 Midgley AW, Bentley DJ, Luttikholt H, McNaughton LR, Millet GP. Challenging a dogma of exercise physiology: does an incremental exercise test for valid VO2 max determination really need to last between 8 and 12 minutes?. Sports Med Auckl NZ 2008; 38: 441-447
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 31 Nelson N, Asplund CA. Exercise testing: Who, when, and why?. PM R 2016; 8: S16-S23
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 32 Nicol C, Avela J, Komi PV. The stretch-shortening cycle : a model to study naturally occurring neuromuscular fatigue. Sports Med Auckl NZ 2006; 36: 977-999
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 33 Paavolainen L, Nummela A, Rusko H. Muscle power factors and VO2max as determinants of horizontal and uphill running performance. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2000; 10: 286-291
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 34 Pollock ML, Jackson AS. Research progress in validation of clinical methods of assessing body composition. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1984; 16: 606-615
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 35 Robergs RA, Dwyer D, Astorino T. Recommendations for improved data processing from expired gas analysis indirect calorimetry. Sports Med Auckl NZ 2010; 40: 95-111
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 36 Scheer BV, Murray A. Al Andalus Ultra Trail: an observation of medical interventions during a 219-km, 5-day ultramarathon stage race. Clin J Sport Med 2011; 21: 444-446
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 37 Scheer BV, Murray DA. Ultramarathon running injuries. In: Doral MN, Karlsson J. (eds.) Sports Injuries. Berlin Heidelberg: Springer; 2015: 2889-2898 Available from http://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-642-36569-0_216
    CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • 38 Sloniger MA, Cureton KJ, Prior BM, Evans EM. Anaerobic capacity and muscle activation during horizontal and uphill running. J Appl Physiol (1985) 1997; 83: 262-269
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 39 Sloniger MA, Cureton KJ, Prior BM, Evans EM. Lower extremity muscle activation during horizontal and uphill running. J Appl Physiol (1985) 1997; 83: 2073-2079
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 40 Sperlich PF, Holmberg H-C, Reed JL, Zinner C, Mester J, Sperlich B. Individual versus standardized running protocols in the determination of VO2max. J Sports Sci Med 2015; 14: 386-393
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 41 St Clair Gibson A, Lambert MI, Hawley JA, Broomhead SA, Noakes TD. Measurement of maximal oxygen uptake from two different laboratory protocols in runners and squash players. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1999; 31: 1226-1229
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 42 Vernillo G, Giandolini M, Edwards WB, Morin J-B, Samozino P, Horvais N, Millet GY. Biomechanics and physiology of uphill and downhill running. Sports Med Auckl NZ 2017; 47: 615-629
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 43 Vernillo G, Savoldelli A, Skafidas S, Zignoli A, La Torre A, Pellegrini B, Giardini G, Trabucchi P, Millet GP, Schena F. An extreme mountain ultra-marathon decreases the cost of uphill walking and running. Front Physiol 2016; 7: 530
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 44 Vernillo G, Savoldelli A, Zignoli A, Skafidas S, Fornasiero A, La Torre A, Bortolan L, Pellegrini B, Schena F. Energy cost and kinematics of level, uphill and downhill running: fatigue-induced changes after a mountain ultramarathon. J Sports Sci 2015; 33: 1998-2005
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 45 Will PM, Walter JD. Exercise testing: improving performance with a ramped Bruce protocol. Am Heart J 1999; 138: 1033-1037
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 46 Yoon B-K, Kravitz L, Robergs R. VO2max, protocol duration, and the VO2 plateau. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2007; 39: 1186-1192
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 47 Definition of trail-running - ITRA. Available from: http://www.i-tra.org/page/259/Definition_of_trail-running.html
    PubMed