Chapter 14 – Fitness and Stress Assessments
Cardiorespiratory Fitness Assessment
As was discussed in Chapter 5: Cardiorespiratory Fitness, cardiorespiratory assessments aim to assess an individual’s capacity to accomplish two fundamental physiological processes:
- Take in oxygen through the respiratory system and deliver it to the working tissues via the cardiovascular system (and conversely, remove metabolic waste and carbon dioxide from the working tissues and remove them from the body via metabolic processes and the respiratory system).
- Use the delivered oxygen to produce Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), our body’s energy currency, to power muscular contractions.
The greater their ability to accomplish the aforementioned processes, the greater an individual’s Maximal Oxygen Consumption – VO2 max will be (i.e., the rate of oxygen uptake/consumption during maximal aerobic exercise). This directly translates to the body’s ability to maintain higher intensities of aerobic exercise for extended periods of time. VO2 max is measured in ml/kg/min – in other words, how many milliliters of oxygen are consumed per kilogram of body weight per minute while exercising at the maximal aerobic intensity.
When assessing cardiorespiratory endurance, tests can be Direct (directly measuring the oxygen consumed by the body using masks and gas analysis software) or Indirect (using various variables such as workload, heart rate, distance, time, stage completion, etc. to predict what the oxygen consumption is). This Paramedic course will specifically make use of Indirect protocols to allow you to estimate your VO2 max. In this chapter, you will find various tests that may be employed during your time as a PARA student to assess your current level of cardiorespiratory endurance.
Activity 1.1: The 1.5 mile/ 2.4km Cooper Run
This test operates on the premise that the distance a subject can run in a specified time is determined by their ability to maintain a high level of oxygen consumption. The principle is simple: fitter individuals will be able to run the 2.4km distance in less time. Conversely, the 12-minute Cooper test works on the same premise; participants run the furthest distance possible in 12 minutes.
Procedure:
This test should be conducted on a flat surface without risks of interruptions (traffic lights, etc.), which is why a 400m track is recommended (6 laps total – 6 x 400m = 2400m). The objective is to cover the 2.4km distance as quickly as possible while maintaining the fastest steady exercise pace possible. In other words, do not start too quickly or else you may be forced to slow down/walk later, but do not start too slowly where you end up running much faster in later laps. It is worth noting that participants tend to improve their performance on this test when re-testing, not due to training but due to learning how to pace themselves from their previous trial. For this reason, a practice test is often recommended a few days before the official test. A