Original articles  EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOMECHANICS 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2004 June;44(2):132-40

Copyright © 2009 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Validation of a single-day maximal lactate steady state assessment protocol

Kuphal K. E. ¹, Potteiger J. A. ¹, Frey B. B. ², Hise M. P. ³

¹ Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA 2 Department of Psychology and Research in Education University of Kansas, KS, USA 3 Department of Dietetics/Nutrition University of Kansas School of Allied Health, KS, USA

Aim. The classical maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) assessment protocol takes multiple days to measure thus necessitates athletes to return to a laboratory for several visits. The purpose of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of a new protocol (Palmer protocol), which proposes to measure MLSS in a single-day.
Methods. Nine endurance-trained males (age 21.1±1.6 years, VO2max of 63.2±3.2 ml·kg-1·min-1) performed the Palmer protocol and the classical MLSS assessment protocol. The classical MLSS protocol consisted of several constant-velocity runs of increasing intensity. The MLSS was defined as the highest velocity associated with an increase in blood lactate concentration ([La-]) ≤1.0 mmol·L-1 during the final 20 min of a 30 min run. Concurrent validity was assessed by calculating a Pearson product correlation coefficient between the running velocity at MLSS from the classical protocol and from the single-day Palmer protocol. Test-retest reliability was assessed by calculating a Pearson product correlation coefficient between the running velocities from 2 separate trials of the single-day Palmer protocol.
Results. The velocity at MLSS from the single-day Palmer protocol (236.4±27.8 m·min-1) produced a strong correlation of 0.97 (p<0.001) with the velocity at MLSS from the classical protocol (226.3±22.6 m·min-1). An equally strong correlation was calculated from test-retest reliability of the single-day Palmer protocol (r=0.97), (p<0.001).
Conclusion. These results suggest that the single-day Palmer protocol is valid and reliable in the estimation of MLSS.