Validity and reliability of a modified version of the Chester Treadmill Walking Test (Police) as an alternative to the 15-Metre Multi-Stage Police Fitness Test

摘要

Police forces in England and Wales require new recruits and serving officers to pass an annual fitness test, reaching level 5:4 on the 15-metre MSFT, a predicted VO2max of 35 mL · min–1 · kg–1. This current standard is based on linear regression analysis from directly measured VudO2max during a treadmill protocol and number of shuttles achieved during the 15-metre MSFT. The oxygen cost at level 5:4 has not been attained during the 15-metre MSFT, and the reliability of this test has not be investigated, therefore, the present study aims to investigate whether level 5:4 requires an O2 cost of 35 mL · min–1 · kg–1, and whether this is a repeatable measure. Due to police officers unable to complete the 15-metre MSFT due to musculoskeletal impairments, the CTWT, used within the fire service, has been proposed as an alternative occupational fitness test. A modified version of the CTWT (Police) requires a constant treadmill speed of 6 km·h−1 with 3% increments in treadmill gradient every 2 minutes up until 10 minutes (12% gradient), when predicted VudO2 of 35 mL · min–1 · kg–1 will have been achieved. The validity and reliability of this test has not been examined using direct measurement of VudO2, therefore, prior to potential inclusion as an alternative fitness test, the validity and reliability of the test require investigation to determine whether 10 minutes is a valid and reliable measure of 35 mL · min–1 · kg–1, demonstrating that successful completion requires a VO2max of at least 35 mL · min–1 · kg–1.