Step Test
A method for evaluating maximum oxygen consumption to determine the ability kind of work among students of medical emergencies
Keywords:
Maximum oxygen consumption, Medical emergency, Step testAbstract
Introduction: Maximum oxygen consumption shows the maximum oxygen rate of muscle oxygenation that is acceptable in many cases, to measure the fitness between person and the desired job. Given that medical emergencies are important, and difficult jobs in emergency situations require people with high physical ability and readiness for the job, the aim of this study was to evaluate the maximum oxygen consumption, to determine the ability of work type among students of medical emergencies in Qazvin in 2016.
Methods: This study was a descriptive – analytical, and in cross-sectional type conducted among 36 volunteer students of medical emergencies in Qazvin in 2016. After necessary coordination for the implementation of the study, participants completed health questionnaires and demographic characteristics and then the participants were evaluated with step tests of American College of Sport Medicine (ACSM). Data analysis was done by SPSS version 18 and U-Mann-Whitney tests, Kruskal-Wallis and Pearson correlation coefficient.
Results: Average of maximum oxygen consumption of the participants was estimated 3.15±0.50 liters per minute. 91.7% of medical emergencies students were selected as appropriate in terms of maximum oxygen consumption and thus had the ability to do heavy and too heavy work. Average of maximum oxygen consumption evaluated by the U-Mann-Whitney test and Kruskal-Wallis, had significant relationship with age (p<0.05) and weight groups (p<0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between maximum oxygen consumption with weight and body mass index (p<0.001).
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that demographic variables of weight and body mass index are the factors influencing the determination of maximum oxygen consumption, as most of the students had the ability to do heavy, and too heavy work. Therefore, people with ability to do average work are not suitable for medical emergency tasks.
References
Waldemer W, Karwowski M. Interventions, Controls, and Applications in Occupational Ergonomics. 2 ed
374-90.
Siconolfi SF, Garber CE, Lasater TM, Carleton RA. A simple, valid step test for estimating maximal
oxygen uptake in epidemiologic studies. Am J Epidemiol. 1985; 121(3): 382-90. PMID: 4014128.
Vandersmissen G, Verhoogen R, Van Cauwenbergh A, Godderis L. Determinants of maximal oxygen
uptake (VO 2 max) in fire fighter testing. Applied ergonomics. 2014; 45(4): 1063-6. doi:
1016/j.apergo.2014.01.001.
Williams L, Wilkins. ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. 9 ed: American College of
Sport Medicine. 2013; 73-7.
Group TF. International Encyclopedia of Ergonomics and Human Factors. 2 ed: CRC Press. 2006.
Tierney MT, Lenar D, Stanforth PR, Craig JN, Farrar RP. Prediction of aerobic capacity in firefighters
using submaximal treadmill and stairmill protocols. J Strength Cond Res. 2010; 24(3): 757-64. doi:
1519/JSC.0b013e3181c7c282. PMID: 20145563.
Davies S, Naidoo N, Parr B. Physical performance characteristics of South African male and female
Emergency Care students (ECS). Ergonomics SA. 2008; 20(2): 3.
Kline GM, Porcari JP, Hintermeister R, Freedson PS, Ward A, McCarron RF, et al. Estimation of VO2max
from a one-mile track walk, gender, age, and body weight. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1987; 19(3): 253-9. doi:
1249/00005768-198706000-00012. PMID: 3600239.
Morris M, Lamb KL, Hayton J, Cotterrell D, Buckley J. The validity and reliability of predicting maximal
oxygen uptake from a treadmill-based sub-maximal perceptually regulated exercise test. Eur J Appl
Physiol. 2010; 109(5): 983-8. doi: 10.1007/s00421-010-1439-1. PMID: 20352257.
Loftin M, Sothern M, Warren B, Udall J. Comparison of VO2 peak during treadmill and cycle ergometry in
severely overweight youth. J Sports Sci Med. 2004; 3(4): 254-60. PMID: 24624011, PMCID:
PMC3938064.
Mier CM, Gibson AL. Evaluation of a treadmill test for predicting the aerobic capacity of firefighters.
Occup Med (Lond). 2004; 54(6): 373-8. doi: 10.1093/occmed/kqh008. PMID: 15347781.
Firoozeh M, Saremi M, Maleki A, Kavousi A. Investigation into Maximal Aerobic Capacity and its
Associated Factors in Firefighters. Iran Occupational Health. 2015; 12(3): 15-26.
Tayyari F, Smith J. Occupational Ergonomics Principles and Applications. Illustrated ed. R. Parsaei H,
editor: Springer US. 1997.
Zare Derisi F, Rastegar L, Hosseini S, Daneshmandi H, Choobineh A, Mohammadbeigi A. Correlation of
Astrand and ACSM Protocols in Estimating the Maximum Aerobic Capacity (Vo2-Max). Journal of
Ergonomics. 2014; 1(3): 27-35.
Farhadi S, Abazari M, Babayi Y. Design and fabrication of adjustable stair stepping test and its use for
measurement of the maximum aerobic capacity in fire fighters. 1st Biennial Iranian Conference on
Ergonomics; Hamedan University of Medical Sciences 2014; 1-11.
Matlabi Kashani M, Lahmi M. Evaluation of physical work capacity at machining process industry in
tehran. Journal Elam of Medical Sciences. 2000; 9(26-27): 21-8.
Daneshmandi H, Choobineh A, Rajaei Fard A. Estimation of aerobic capacity and determination of its
associated factors among male workers of industrial sector of Shiraz city, 2010. Iran Occupational Health.
; 8(3): 48-58.
Heydari P, Varmazyar S, Mohammadzadeh E. Factors affecting estimation of the maximum aerobic
capacity by treadmill test in students of medical emergencies in Qazvin. The Journal of Qazvin University
of Medical Sciences. 2016; 19(6): 65-72.
Choobineh A, Barzideh M, Gholami T , Amiri R , Tabatabaei HR, Almasi Hashyanie A. Estimation of
aerobic capacity (Vo2-max) and study of its associated factors among male workers of industrial factories
in Sepidan/Fars province, 2009. Jundishapur scientific medical Journal. 2011; 10(1(70)): 1-12.
Chatterjee S, Mitra SK, Samanta A. Aerobic capacity of the brick-field workers in eastern India. Ind
Health. 1994; 32(2): 79-84. doi: 10.2486/indhealth.32.79. PMID: 7806448.
Betik AC, Hepple RT. Determinants of VO2 max decline with aging: an integrated perspective. Appl
Physiol Nutr Metab. 2008; 33(1): 130-4. doi: 10.1139/H07-174. PMID: 18347663.
Atomi Y, Miyashita M. Maximal oxygen uptake of obese middle-aged women related to body composition
and total body potassium. The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness. 1984; 24(3): 212-8. PMID:
Grassi GP, Turci M, Sforza C. Aerobic fitness and somatic growth in adolescents: a cross sectional
investigation in a high school context. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2006; 46(3): 412-8. PMID: 16998445.
Nazem F, Jalili M, Farahpour N, Heydarianpour A. Predictive model practical capacity through daily step
count in men 65-40 years old with an active lifestyle. Sport Biosciences (move). 2012; (11): 55-73.
Rafieepour A, Farasati F, Kalantari S, Motamedzadeh M, Rafieepour E. The estimated maximum aerobic
capacity and individual habits and demographic factors that, in the University of Medical Sciences. Journal
of Qom University of Medical Sciences. 2014; 8(3): 33-40.
Gaeini A, Rahmaninia F, Hosseini M. The relationship between aerobic power, anthropomentric
measurement and body composition of non-athlete females students. Olympic. 2000; 8(3-4): 57-66.
Habibi EA, Moghiseh M, Khoshzat N, Taheri MR, Gholamian J, Khoshhali M. Estimate aerobic capacity
and determine the level of physical activity students. Journal of Research Health System. 2013; 9(9): 951-9.
Klausen K, Andersen C, Nandrup S. Acute effects of cigarette smoking and inhalation of carbon monoxide
during maximal exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1983; 51(3): 371-9. doi:
1007/BF00429074. PMID: 6685036.
Hosseinabadi S, Hamidi Bagejan P, Ebrahimian H, Barkhordari A, Bandpe TR. Estimate aerobic capacity
and physical work capacity of workers. Journal Knowledge & Health. 2013; 8(3): 131-7.
Hall G. Medical physiology. 12, editor. Tehran: Arjomand. 2011; 1326.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2020 KNOWLEDGE KINGDOM PUBLISHING
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
