BICYCLE ERGOMETER MEASUREMENT OF MAXIMAL OXYGEN UPTAKE IN CHILDREN

Seven to 15 maximal exercise tests on a cycle ergometer were done on twenty boys, 11 to 15 years of age, until the work load was sufficiently high that it could not be sustained for 3 min. The mean maximal pulse rate was 202 beats/min, and the mean maximal oxygen uptake was 53.8 ml/kg per min. A plateau of the oxygen uptake curve occurred in only 7 of the 20 subjects, whereas the pulse rate reached a plateau in 13 subjects. On the basis of the pulse rate – work load straight line relationship for submaximal exercise, the intensity of the load that the subjects were able to complete was such that a mean predicted pulse rate of 247 beats/min would have resulted. This information can be utilized to obtain maximal oxygen uptake from a single test in children.