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Updated: Feb 28, 2026
Conducting Maximal and Submaximal Endurance Exercise Testing to Measure Physiological and Biological Responses to Acute Exercise in Humans
Published on: October 17, 2018
Heart Rate and Blood Pressure Responses to Gear Weight Under a Controlled Workload
Cassandra C Derella1, Kristin R Aichele, Joyann E Oakman
1The HEART (Hypertension and Endothelial Function with Aerobic and Resistance Training) Laboratory, Health & Exercise Physiology Department, Ursinus College, Collegeville (Ms Derella, Ms Aichele, Ms Chavis, Mr Perez, Ms Getty, Ms Wisdo, Dr Feairheller); Temple School of Medicine, Temple University (Ms Oakman); Physical Therapy Division, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina (Ms Cromwell); Physical Therapy Division, Drexel University (Ms Hill), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Objective:
To compare the effects of personal protective equipment (PPE) weight on blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR), between volunteer firefighters (FF) and athletes.
Methods:
Athletes and FF were matched by body size and came to the lab twice for two treadmill tests. The "Regular" test was completed in normal fitness clothing, and PPE test was completed in full structural PPE with monitoring of HR assessment every minute and BP each stage.
Results:
In the FF cohort, all submaximal HR and BP levels were different. HRmax and VO2max were also different (all P < 0.05). In athletes, HRmax was higher in Regular test than PPE.
Conclusions:
Future research should examine the effect of different PPE weights on HR and BP responses.
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