title: Validity and Reproducibility of an Incremental Sit-To-Stand Exercise Test for Evaluating Anaerobic Threshold in Young, Healthy Individuals.
abstract: Sit-to-stand exercise (STS) is a common activity of daily living. The objectives of the present study were: 1) to assess the validity of aerobic fitness measurements based on anaerobic thresholds (ATs), during incremental sit-to-stand exercise (ISTS) with and without arm support compared with an incremental cycle-ergometer (CE) test; and 2) to examine the reproducibility of the AT measured during the ISTSs. Twenty-six healthy individuals randomly performed the ISTS and CE test. Oxygen uptakes at the AT (AT-VO2) and heart rate at the AT (AT-HR) were determined during the ISTSs and CE test, and repeated-measures analyses of variance and Tukey's post-hoc test were used to evaluate the differences between these variables. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to assess the strength of the relationship between AT-VO2 and AT-HR during the ISTSs and CE test. Data analysis yielded the following correlations: AT-VO2 during the ISTS with arm support and the CE test, r = 0.77 (p < 0.05); AT-VO2 during the ISTS without arm support and the CE test, r = 0.70 (p < 0.05); AT-HR during the ISTS with arm support and the CE test, r = 0.80 (p < 0.05); and AT-HR during the ISTS without arm support and the CE test, r = 0.66 (p < 0.05). The AT-VO2 values during the ISTS with arm support (18.5 ± 1.9 mL·min(-1)·kg(-1)) and the CE test (18.4 ± 1.8 mL·min(-1)·kg(-1)) were significantly higher than those during the ISTS without arm support (16.6 ± 1.8 mL·min(-1)·kg(-1); p < 0.05). The AT-HR values during the ISTS with arm support (126 ± 10 bpm) and the CE test (126 ± 13 bpm) were significantly higher than those during the ISTS without arm support (119 ± 9 bpm; p < 0.05). The ISTS with arm support may provide a cardiopulmonary function load equivalent to the CE test; therefore, it is a potentially valid test for evaluating AT-VO2 and AT-HR in healthy, young adults. Key pointsThe ISTS is a simple test that varies only according to the frequency of standing up, and requires only a small space and a chair.The ISTS with arm support is valid and reproducible, and is a safe test for evaluating AT in healthy young adults.For evaluating the AT, the ISTS may serve as a valid alternative to conventional CPX, using either a cycle ergometer or treadmill, in cases where the latter methods are difficult to implement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Matsumoto City Hospital , Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan ; Department of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Shinshu University , Matsumoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Sciences, Shinshu University , Matsumoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohira
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Sciences, Shinshu University , Matsumoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yokokawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Matsumoto City Hospital , Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagasawa
keywords: Sit-to-stand; anaerobic threshold; correlations; cycle ergometer; reproducibility; validity