Conconi test

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Conconi test
Purposemeasure aerobic threshold heart rates.

The Conconi Test is a sports medicine test [1] intended to measure an individual's maximum anaerobic and aerobic threshold heart rates.

Contents

The test measures a person's heart rates at different loads (e.g. faster speeds on a treadmill). The points are plotted on a graph with heart rate on one axis and power (or some correlated measurement such as running speed) on the other axis; the graph's deflection point indicates the aerobic threshold. The heart rate increases (approximately) linearly up to the deflection point, where the heart rate reaches AT (also known as LT, lactate threshold, in more modern nomenclature). The test continues for a while, under increasing load, until the subject has gone well past the anaerobic threshold.

Accuracy

Two studies from the mid 90s [2] [3] showed the Conconi test to be inaccurate and impractical in assessing the anaerobic threshold, while other recent studies are disputing or have disputed this contention, [4] and still others proposed modifications to improve the test. [5]

See also

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References

  1. Conconi, Francesco; M. Ferrare; et al. (1982). "Determination of the anaerobic threshold by a non-invasive field test in runners". Journal of Applied Physiology. 52 (4): 869–73. doi:10.1152/jappl.1982.52.4.869. PMID   7085420.
  2. Jones, Andrew M.; Jonathan H. Doust (1995). "Lack of reliability in Conconi's heart rate deflection point". International Journal of Sports Medicine. 16 (8): 541–544. doi:10.1055/s-2007-973051. PMID   8776209.
  3. Jones, Andrew M.; Jonathan H. Doust (1997). "The Conconi test is not valid for estimation of the lactate turnpoint in runners". Journal of Sports Sciences. 15 (4): 385–394. doi:10.1080/026404197367173. PMID   9293415.
  4. Bourgois, Jan; Coorevits, Pascal; Danneels, Lieven; Witvouw, Erik; Cambier, Dirk; Vrijens, Jacques (2004). "Validity of the heart rate deflection point as a predictor of lactate threshold concepts during cycling". Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 18 (3): 498–503. doi:10.1519/1533-4287(2004)18<498:VOTHRD>2.0.CO;2. ISSN   1533-4287. PMID   15320666. S2CID   10970208.
  5. Sentija, D.; V. Vucetic; C. Markovic (2007). "Validity of the Modified Conconi Running Test". International Journal of Sports Medicine. 28 (12): 1006–1011. doi:10.1055/s-2007-965071. PMID   17614011.