The McMaster protocol is best described as which of the following tests?

The McMaster protocol is best described as which of the following tests?

• A. A cycle ergometer test with 2-minute stages at pre-determined work rates based on gender and height.
• B. A treadmill test with 2-minute stages based on age only.
• C. A cycle ergometer test with 5-minute stages and random work rates.
• D. A walking test to exhaustion.

Answer: (A)

The main idea is a quick, standardized cycling test to estimate VO2 max. The McMaster protocol uses a cycle ergometer with short, fixed two-minute stages, and the workloads are pre-set based on the person’s gender and height. This setup standardizes the effort across different individuals, making the test efficient and safe while providing a reliable VO2 max estimate. It’s not a treadmill protocol, not based on age, not using long stages with random work rates, and not a walking-to-exhaustion test.

The main idea is a quick, standardized cycling test to estimate VO2 max. The McMaster protocol uses a cycle ergometer with short, fixed two-minute stages, and the workloads are pre-set based on the person’s gender and height. This setup standardizes the effort across different individuals, making the test efficient and safe while providing a reliable VO2 max estimate. It’s not a treadmill protocol, not based on age, not using long stages with random work rates, and not a walking-to-exhaustion test.