Evaluating the influence of different modes of administration of a pre-exercise screening tool.
OBJECTIVE
Exercise participation is important in overall health, but is not without risk, particularly when exercising at vigorous intensities. Pre-exercise screening procedures such as the Sports Medicine Australia Pre-Exercise Screening System (SMA PESS) aim to minimise risks while maximising benefits from physical activity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the SMA PESS as it might be used within commercial fitness centres and to determine the effect of point of care blood analysis on risk identification.


METHODS
Convenience sample of participants attending fitness centres for exercise classes.


METHODS
Participants were recruited from commercial fitness centres and completed the PESS via self-administration and interview with an Exercise & Sports Science Australia Accredited Exercise Physiologist. Blood related risk factors obtained from the CardioChek(®) point of care blood analyser were compared to those obtained from laboratory analysis.


RESULTS
Findings indicated that approximately 54% of participants would be required to seek medical clearance with a further 17% restricted to moderate intensity exercise. The identification of risk in Stage 2 of the SMA PESS improved with increasing rigour of application, with the number of participants classified as moderate risk increasing non-significantly from 37% to 50% (p=0.40).


CONCLUSIONS
Increasing the rigour of administration of the SMA PESS influences risk identification and results in a higher number of clients being excluded from participation in vigorous intensity exercise.
School of Human Life Sciences, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia.
Katie-Jane
KJ
Brickwood
Andrew D
AD
Williams
Kiran D K
KD
Ahuja
James W
JW
Fell
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D020446:Fitness Centers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*; D013178:Sports Medicine / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013648:Tasmania; D055105:Waist Circumference; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers