Critical velocity and anaerobic distance capacity in prepubertal children.

International audienceThis study was designed to calculate the critical velocity (vcrit) and anaerobic distance capacity (ADC) of prepubescent children for running events. Thirty-four prepubertal children underwent a graded field test to exhaustion in order to determine peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) and maximal aerobic velocity (MAV). Then, in random order, they performed five runs to exhaustion (tlim) at relative velocities corresponding to 90, 95, 100, 105, and 110% of MAV. The linear relationships between distance limit (dlim) and tlim were calculated in order to determine vcrit (slope of the relationship) and ADC (intercept). Very high individual coefficients of determination were found between dlim and tlim (0.98 < r2 < 0.99; p < 0.001). The vcrit was significantly correlated with peak VO2 (r = 0.73; p < 0.001). However, no relationship was found between ADC and the maximal accumulated oxygen deficit. In conclusion, our results indicated that, for children, the relationship between dlim and tlim could be calculated with tlim ranging from 2 to 10 min, and that vcrit is a good indicator of the aerobic fitness of children. Nevertheless, further studies will have to be conducted to validate the use of ADC as an indicator of children's anaerobic capacity.Le but de cette étude tait de calculer la vitesse (vcrit) et la capacité de distance anaérobie (CDA) d'enfants prépubères pour des exercices de course. Trente-quatre enfants on effectué un test de terrain progressif et maximal afin de mesurer leur pic de consommation d'oxygène (pic ) et de déterminer leur vitesse maximale aérobie (VMA). Ils ont ensuite effectué, dans un ordre aléatoire, cinq courses continues jusqu'à puisement (tlim) des allures relatives représentantes 90, 95, 100, 105, et 110% de VMA. Les relations linaires entre les distances limites (dlim) et les tlim ont alors t calcules pour déterminer vcrit (pente de la relation) et CDA (ordonne l'origine). De très forts coefficients de détermination ont t calculs entre dlim et tlim (0.98<r2<0.99; p<0.001). La vcrit tait significativement corrélée au pic (r=0.73; p