A Comparison of Standing vs. Seated Cycle Ergometer Graded Exercise Test Protocols: 402 Board #239 June 1, 11: 00 AM - 12: 30 PM

PURPOSE: To investigate if allowing participants to stand at the end of a ramp protocol CE GXT would elicit a VO2 max closer to a TM GXT compared to remaining seated. METHODS: A sample of healthy low risk participants (male = 14, female = 9) aged 26.2 ± 7.1 y completed body composition testing, a TM GXT, a seated ramp CE GXT (seat-CE), and a seated-to-standing ramp CE GXT (stand-CE) over 3 visits. Participants could stand once they reached an RPE of 15 on the Borg scale. The order of these tests was randomized and completed within 2 weeks of the initial visit. RESULTS: For males, TM VO2 max (49.3 ± 7.2 mL/kg/min) was higher than seat-CE (44.6 ± 8.1 mL/kg/min) (p \u3c 0.001), and stand-CE (45.6 ± 8.8 mL/kg/min) (p \u3c 0.001), with a difference between seat-CE and stand-CE (p = 0.047). The average time spent standing during stand-CE in males was 100.4 ± 54.4 seconds. For females, TM VO2 max (43.0 ± 5.7 mL/kg/min) was higher than seat-CE (39.6 ± 4.1 mL/kg/min) (p = 0.024), and stand-CE (39.4 ± 5.0 mL/kg/min) (p = 0.005) with no difference between seat-CE and stand-CE (p = 0.880). The average time spent standing during stand-CE in females was 66.0 ± 31.1 seconds. CONCLUSIONS: Though there was not a significant difference between seat-CE and stand-CE VO2 max in females, there was a difference in males. The results of this investigation suggest that allowing participants to stand at the end of a CE GXT will not affect VO2 max values for a ramp protocol in females and may actually produce values closer to those from a TM GXT in males. Based on these data further investigation is warranted to determine if standing at the end of a ramp protocol significantly affects results for healthy males