EXERCISE TEST IN THE FIELD

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EXERCISE TEST IN THE FIELD
EQUI-TEST 06-07/06/08
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Presentation

• Claire Leleu, DVM, PhD
• Equi-Test private sports medicine unit 2006
• Geographic situation

• Activities
• ?Service to trainers selection, training
• 300 400 tests / year ?4500 tests, 2500 horses
• ? Applied research for labs nutrition,
  equipment
• ? Polar consulting

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CONTENTS

• Background of exercise physiology
• Exercise test what for ? How ?
• Determination of variables
• Interpretation and practical interests in
• ? Selection,
• ? Evaluation of the level of fitness,
• ? Programmation of training

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Exercise physiology

• Treadmill
• Ventilation and gas exchange
• Heart rate
• Lactates
• Blood gas analysis
• Central temperature
• Airways and blood pressures

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Exercise physiology HR

• Resting HR
• 25 40 bpm
• Influenced by stress
• Indicates general health status
• Not a good predictor of fitness and capacity

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Exercise physiology HR

• Max HR
• 210 255 bpm
• Not modified by age and training
• Race / training

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Exercise physiology HR

• Working HR
• linear up to max HR
• Influenced by age,training
• Indicator of fitness and capacity

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Exercise physiology Lactates
Blood or plasma lactates Result from muscle
activity Increase exponentially with
speed Muscular fatigue
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Exercise test what for ?

• Standardized Exercise Test
• Relation between speed and heart rate
• ? Index of  cardiac aptitude 
• Relation between speed and lactates
• ? Indirect index of aerobic capacity
• Relation between heart rate and lactates
• ? guidelines for training intensity

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Exercise test how ?

• Measurement of speed and heart rate

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Exercise test how ?

• Measurement of lactates
• Immediate sampling after exercise
• Fluorure oxalate tubes
• deproteinisation
• Lab or portable analysers (accutrend, Lactate
  pro)
• La Plasma gt La Blood (x 1.5)

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Exercise test how ?

• Standardisation of exercise
• 3 x 3 min
• 1 min recovery
• Steady speed and heart rate (flat track)

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Exercise test how ?

• Others parameters to consider
• Level of training
• Level of performance
• Track (depth and design)
• Goals
• La gt 4 mmol/l
• FC gt 200 bpm

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Exercise test how ?

• Results

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Determination of variables

• Definitions
• V200 velocity for HR 200 bpm
• V4 velocity for La 4 mmol/l
• V2 velocity for La 2 mmol/l
• HR 4 HR for La 4 mmol/l
• HR 2 HR for La 2 mmol/l

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Determination of variables
HR4
HR2
V200
V4
V2
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Determination of variables

• Example

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Interpretation of variables

• Factors of variation

age
track
fitness
V4 / V200
weather
aptitude
equipment
Behaviour / pain
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Interpretation of variables

• age

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Interpretation of variables

• age

130 140 200
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Interpretation of variables

• Level of fitness
• Horse back to training lt horse in preparation lt
  horse competing

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Interpretation of variables

• Physical aptitude
• High level horse gt low level horse
• Demonstration.