Comparison of Rockport one-mile walk test and McArdle step test for the prediction of VO₂max

Abstract

Background: There are various field tests to predict VO2max. The Rockport one-mile walk test and McArdle step test are among them, which are easy to administer and give good result. The purpose of this study was to see the differences in the result of VO2max predicted by Rockport one-mile walk test and McArdle step test in the adult North Indian population.Methodology: A total of sixty college/university students from North India, between the age group of 18 and 25 years, were divided into two equal groups of thirty each. Group A performed Rockport one-mile walk test and Group B performed McArdle step test.Results and Analysis: The mean age (years), height (cm), weight (kg), and VO2max (ml/kg/min) of Group A were 19.73 (±1.34), 172.37 (±8.52), 63.23 (±11.01), and 55.47 (±3.73), respectively, whereas the mean age (years), height (cm), weight (kg), and VO2max (ml/kg/min) of Group B were 19.30 (±1.02), 174.17 (±7.56), 70.03 (±7.11), and 53.12 (±9.37), respectively. T-test applied between both groups, and there is no statistically significant difference found in age (0.164), height (0.392), weight (0.006), and VO2max (0.206) between both groups.Conclusion: This study has concluded that there is no difference between the Rockport one-mile walk test and McArdle step test for the prediction of VO2max. Hence, we can use any of the tests, either Rockport one-mile walk or McArdle step test, for calculating VO2max in any individuals.