Treadmill and cycle ergometry testing in 5- to 6-year-old children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric exercise physiology
• Cardiorespiratory fitness assessment

Background:

• Assessing maximal cardiorespiratory responses in young children is crucial for understanding their physical capabilities.
• Treadmill (TM) and cycle ergometer (CE) are common tools, but their efficacy in 5- to 6-year-olds requires specific investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine maximal cardiorespiratory responses in 5- to 6-year-old children using both TM and CE.
• To compare VO2max attainment criteria between TM and CE in this age group.
• To examine potential gender differences in cardiorespiratory responses.

Main Methods:

• 48 children (24 girls, 24 boys) aged 5-6 underwent maximal exercise testing on a TM and a CE, with a one-week interval.
• Standardized, progressive, continuous protocols were used to measure VO2max, heart rate, and respiratory exchange ratio.
• A 2x2 ANOVA with Bonferroni adjustment analyzed gender and exercise mode effects.

Main Results:

• No significant gender differences were observed in cardiorespiratory variables.
• Children achieved significantly higher relative and absolute VO2max, and higher heart rate on the TM compared to the CE.
• Higher respiratory exchange ratio was observed on the CE, with both modes effectively eliciting maximal effort criteria.

Conclusions:

• Treadmill and cycle ergometer tests are both effective for maximal cardiorespiratory assessment in 5- to 6-year-old children.
• There are no gender-based differences in maximal exercise testing outcomes in this pediatric population.
• Children consistently met criteria for maximal effort on both testing modalities.