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Int J Sports Med 2006; 27(1): 55-59
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-837504
Training & Testing

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Poor Reliability of Heart Rate Monitoring to Assess Oxygen Uptake During Field Training

A. Crisafulli1 , G. Pittau1 , L. Lorrai1 , A. M. Carcassi1 , M. Cominu1 , F. Tocco1 , F. Melis1 , A. Concu1
  • 1Interdepartmental Center of Technologies and Environments Related to Sport, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
Further Information

Publication History

Accepted after revision: November 25, 2004

Publication Date:
11 April 2005 (online)

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to quantify the error associated with the assessment of oxygen uptake (V·O2) by heart rate (HR) monitoring in 15 athletes freely performing their training session. A laboratory-derived equation was used on the running track to calculate V·O2 (V·O2est) from HR. Oxygen uptake was also assessed by means of a portable gas analyzer (V·O2real). Bland and Altman statistics were carried out in order to evaluate agreement between V·O2real and V·O2est. The excess in carbon dioxide production (CO2excess) was measured to test the hypothesis that the subject with the highest CO2excess had the highest V·O2est - V·O2real difference. V·O2real was on average 0.14 l · min-1 below V·O2est. The limits of agreement of this difference were between + 0.77 and - 0.48 l · min-1. Thus, on average V·O2real was overestimated by V·O2est. Spearman non-parametric statistics found a significant correlation between CO2excess and V·O2est - V·O2real difference (R = 0.55, p = 0.031). This study demonstrates that the use of HR monitoring to assess V·O2 during field training overestimates V·O2real, especially when a substantial increase in CO2excess occurs. Therefore, this method should be used with care when an excessive amount of CO2 is produced as occurs in activities that involve the lactic acid anaerobic source of energy production.

Key words

Energy expenditure - carbon dioxide excess - exercise - telemetry - cardiovascular regulation

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A. Concu

Interdepartmental Center of Technologies and Environments Related to Sport, University of Cagliari

Via Porcell 4

09124 Cagliari

Italy

Phone: + 390706758918

Fax: + 39 07 06 75 89 17

Email: concu@unica.it