BACKGROUND: Portable metabolic carts are a popular tool to assess aerobic capacity and affirm many cardiorespiratory conditions. They may also measure strength training performance. Given their popularity and increased usage to assess strength training performance; their data accuracy and consistency are important to determine. OBJECTIVE: Measure Cosmed K4 b2 portable metabolic cart data repeatability from consecutive seated calf press workouts. METHODS: Fifteen women and twelve men did two workouts that began with a stationary cycling warm-up followed by calf presses. Gases were measured before the calf press portion of workouts to establish baseline VO2 and VCO2 values, as well as continually throughout and after the calf press protocol. Subjects were detached from the cart once gas values returned to baseline after workouts concluded. In addition to VO2 and VCO2, repeatability was quantified for: breaths per minute, tidal volume, ventilation, O2 uptake relative to body mass, expired O2 and CO2 fractions, percent fat and carbohydrate utilization, METS and total energy cost. Mean and peak values per variable were analyzed. Repeatability was assessed separately for male and female data, as well as with values pooled, by the following: intraclass correlation coefficients, eta squared, limits of agreement, coefficient of variation and smallest real difference percent. RESULTS: Per variable, repeatability values across workouts were low. Female intraclass correlation coefficient mean values were more repeatable for variables related to gas measurements, yet male data were generally more repeatable for those related to substrate usage. CONCLUSIONS: Results for some repeatability indices were influenced by measurement magnitude. Peak values were predictably less repeatable than those for mean values. Most smallest real differences percent scores are so high they were rendered irrelevant or meaningless to determine true differences among paired values. Results suggest low data repeatability that are likely appropriate and realistic for the exercise protocol, hardware and intensity examined. 

Data repeatability for the Cosmed K4 b2 portable metabolic cart during non-steady state exercise

BACKGROUND: Pulse oximetry measures heart rate (HR) and percent oxygen saturation (SpO2). For aerobic exercise, whereby cellular oxygen demand and delivery are elevated and maintained for extended periods, HR and SpO2 values are consistent when measured by pulse oximetry. Yet due to its intermittent nature, HR and SpO2 values from resistive exercise may exhibit lower data reliability and repeatability. OBJECTIVE: Assess intra-rater reliability and repeatability of pulse oximetry HR and SpO2 values from two identical resistive exercise protocols. METHODS: Subjects (n= 32) performed two calf press workouts on a flywheel-based ergometer as HR and SpO2 were measured before, between sets, and after exercise. Workouts entailed a 4-set 15-repetition protocol separated by 120-second rests. Intra-rater reliability was assessed with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Repeatability was measured by the smallest real difference in absolute and relative terms. RESULTS: ICC and standard error of estimate results for HR ranged from 0.60–0.79 and 9.1–13.0 respectively. SpO2 ICC and standard error of estimate results ranged from 0.16–0.71 and 1.44–4.33 respectively. Between sets, smallest real difference values tended to be less for HR. CONCLUSIONS: Results demonstrate acceptable intra-rater reliability and repeatability for HR, but not SpO2 which we attribute to the exercise mode and protocol examined.

Intra-rater reliability and repeatability of pulse oximetry values obtained before, between sets, and after resistive exercise

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound is an important tool to diagnose many clinical conditions. Yet hand-held devices may be prone to more data variability in part from the greater likelihood of human error. OBJECTIVE: Quantify intra-rater reliability of subcutaneous skin fold thickness from a hand-held ultrasound device. PARTICIPANTS: College-age subjects (18 men, 14 women) submitted to two sets of ultrasound subcutaneous skin fold measurements spaced (mean + sem) 10.6 + 2.2 days apart. Per measurement, they stood relaxed as ultrasound measured the subcutaneous skin fold thickness that covered their left leg’s calf muscle group. Measurements occurred with a hand-held device (BodyMetrix Pro System BX2000; Livermore, CA) used in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines. Four subcutaneous measurements were made 90∘ apart (anterior, medial, posterior, lateral) at the portion of the left calf with the largest circumference. To assess intra-rater reliability, we used intraclass correlation coefficients, limits of agreement, coefficient of variation and the smallest real difference. RESULTS: Intra-rater reliability was high for most of our statistical tests. CONCLUSION: Despite the relatively long period between measurements, our hand-held ultrasound device exhibited a high degree of intra-rater reliability. Given our results, ultrasound measurements may be a useful tool to quantify skin fold thickness.

Intra-rater reliability of lower leg subcutaneous skin fold thickness derived from hand-held a-mode ultrasound

https://www.scientificarchives.com/admin/assets/articles/pdf/exercise-strains-and-their-impact-on-bone-mineral-content-and-density-losses-20210616110637.pdf

Alex C.S. Shefflette

Papers

Intra-rater reliability and repeatability of pulse oximetry values obtained before, between sets, and after resistive exercise

Intra-rater reliability of lower leg subcutaneous skin fold thickness derived from hand-held a-mode ultrasound

Exercise, Strains and Their Impact on Bone Mineral Content and Density Losses