Ratings of perceived exertion from a submaximal 20-m shuttle run test predict peak oxygen uptake in children and the...

To determine the validity and test-retest reliability of using ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) elicited during a submaximal 20-m Shuttle Run Test (20mSRT) to predict VO_2peak in children and investigate acute affective responses.

Twenty-five children (14 boys; age, 12.8 ± 0.7 years; height, 162.0 ± 9.3 cm; mass, 49.9 ± 7.7 kg) completed four exercise tests (GXT, 2 submaximal 20mSRT, maximal 20mSRT). The Eston-Parfitt RPE scale was used, and affect was measured with the Feeling Scale. Submaximal 20mSRT were terminated upon participants reporting RPE7. The speed-RPE relationship from the submaximal 20mSRTs was extrapolated to RPE9 and 10 to predict peak speed and then used to estimate VO_2peak.

Repeated measures ANOVA to examine the validity of using submaximal RPE to predict VO_2peak resulted in a Gender main effect (boys = 46.7 ± 5.1 mL kg^-1 min^-1; girls = 42.0 ± 5.1 mL kg^-1 min^-1) and Method main effect (p < 0.01). There were significant differences between measured and estimated VO_2peak from the maximal 20mSRT, but not between measured and estimated VO_2peak at RPE9 and RPE10. Intraclass correlation analysis revealed excellent reliability (~ 0.9) between the two submaximal 20mSRTs. Significant differences (p < 0.05) in end-test affect were reported between submaximal and maximal trials in girls, but not in boys, with girls feeling less negative at the end of the submaximal trials.

The results of this study provide evidence that RPE reported during a submaximal 20mSRT can be used to predict VO_2peak accurately and reliably. In this study, the submaximal 20mSRT ending at RPE7, provided better predictions of VO_2peak while minimising aversive end-point affect, especially in girls.