title: Recumbent Stepper Submaximal Test response is reliable in adults with and without stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present study was to determine the reliability of the exercise response (predicted peak VO2) using the total body recumbent stepper (TBRS) submaximal exercise test in: 1) healthy adults 20-70 years of age and 2) adults participating in inpatient stroke rehabilitation. We hypothesized that the predicted peak VO2 (Visit 1) would have an excellent relationship (r > 0.80) to predicted peak VO2 (Visit 2). We also wanted to test whether the exercise response at Visit 1 and Visit 2 would be significantly different.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy adults were recruited from the Kansas City metro area. Stroke participants were recruited during their inpatient rehabilitation stay. Eligible participants completed 2 TBRS submaximal exercise tests between 24 hours and 5 days at similar times of day.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 70 participants completed the study. Healthy adults (n = 50) were 36 M, 38.1 ± 10.1 years and stroke participants (n = 20) were 15 M, 62.5 ± 11.8 years of age. The exercise response was reliable for healthy adults (r = 0.980, p<0.01) and stroke participants (r = 0.987, p<0.01) between Visit 1 and Visit 2. Repeated Measures ANOVA showed a significant difference in predicted values between the two visits for healthy adults (47.2 ± 8.4 vs 47.7 ± 8.5 mL∙kg-1∙min-1; p = 0.04) but not for stroke participants (25.0 ± 9.9 vs 25.3 ± 11.4 mL∙kg-1∙min-1; p = 0.65).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that the exercise response is reliable using the TBRS submaximal exercise test in this cohort of healthy adults and stroke participants.
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas Medical Center, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Kansas City, Kansas, United States of America.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas Medical Center, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Kansas City, Kansas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Anna E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Mattlage
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas Medical Center, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Kansas City, Kansas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Nicole M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Seier
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas Medical Center, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Kansas City, Kansas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jonathan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas Medical Center, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Kansas City, Kansas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Brian G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Price
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas Medical Center, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Kansas City, Kansas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Sarah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kwapiszeski
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas Medical Center, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kansas City, Kansas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vardey
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas Medical Center, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Kansas City, Kansas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Sandra A
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1618-7207
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Billinger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult