Reliability and minimal detectable change of a new treadmill-based progressive workload incremental test to measure cardiorespiratory fitness in manual wheelchair users. (2nd November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gauthier, Cindy; Arel, Jasmine; Brosseau, Rachel; Hicks, Audrey L.; Gagnon, Dany H.
• Is Part Of: Journal of spinal cord medicine. Volume 40:Number 6(2017:Nov.)
• Page Start: 759
• Page End: 767
• Publication Date: 2017-11-02
• Subjects: Wheelchairs -- Exercise test -- Rehabilitation -- Cardiorespiratory fitness; Spinal cord -- Wounds and injuries -- Periodicals; Spinal cord -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 616.8305
• DOI: 10.1080/10790268.2017.1369213
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1079-0268

Abstract

Abstract : Background: Cardiorespiratory fitness training is commonly provided to manual wheelchair users (MWUs) in rehabilitation and physical activity programs, emphasizing the need for a reliable task-specific incremental wheelchair propulsion test. Objective: Quantifying test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) of key cardiorespiratory fitness measures following performance of a newly developed continuous treadmill-based wheelchair propulsion test (WPTTreadmill ). Methods: Twenty-five MWUs completed the WPTTreadmill on two separate occasions within one week. During these tests, participants continuously propelled their wheelchair on a motorized treadmill while the exercise intensity was gradually increased every minute until exhaustion by changing the slope and/or speed according to a standardized protocol. Peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak ), carbon dioxide production (VCO2peak ), respiratory exchange ratio (RERpeak ), minute ventilation (VEpeak ) and heart rate (HRpeak ) were computed. Time to exhaustion (TTE) and number of increments completed were also measured. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated to determine test-retest reliability. Standard error of measurement (SEM) and MDC90% values were calculated. Results: Excellent test-retest reliability was reached for almost all outcome measures (ICC=0.91-0.76), except for RERpeak (ICC=0.58), which reached good reliability. TTE (ICC=0.89) and number of increments (ICC=0.91) also reached excellent test-retest reliability. For the main outcome measures (VO2peak and TTE), absolute SEM was 2.27 mL/kg/min and 0.76 minutes, respectively and absolute MDC90% was 5.30 mL/kg/min and 1.77 minutes, respectively. Conclusion: The WPTTreadmill is a reliable test to assess cardiorespiratory fitness among MWUs. TTE and number of increments could be used as reliable outcome measures when VO2 measurement is not possible.