Hülsdünker, Thorben, Bahdur, Khatija, Flammang, Laetitia, Naclerio, Fernando ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7405-4894, Sondermann, Yannick, Mierau, Andreas and Karsten, Bettina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7336-9472 (2026) Assessing maximum oxygen uptake through a motor-cognitive reactive agility test in team ball sports athletes. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 8:1749132. ISSN 2624-9367 (Online) (doi:10.3389/fspor.2026.1749132)

Preview	PDF (Open Access Article) 52299 KARSTEN_Assessing_Maximum_Oxygen_Uptake_Through_A_Motor-Cognitive_Reactive_Agility_Test_(OA)_2026.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (699kB) | Preview
Preview	PDF (Author's Accepted Manuscript) 52299 KARSTEN_Assessing_Maximum_Oxygen_Uptake_Through_A_Motor-Cognitive_Reactive_Agility_Test_(AAM)_2026.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (355kB) | Preview

Abstract

Background: Conventional laboratory and field tests often underestimate VO2max and fail to reflect the reactive agility, multidirectional demands of team ball sports. This study examined whether a motor-cognitive Reactive Agility (RA) Test can elicit a true VO2max response and serve as a sport-specific alternative for assessing VO2max in team sport athletes.

Method: Fifty-three team ball sports athletes performed an exhaustive incremental treadmill test and a motor-cognitive RA Test. The RA Test was performed on the SKILLCOURT and contained four all-out reactive agility runs of 150 m with an intermittent break of 30 s. VO2max was determined in both tests using a portable gas analyzer. Dependent t-tests, Blant-Altman analysis, concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and correlation analyses were performed.

Results: The mean difference in VO2max between the tests was 0.25 mL × kg−1 × min−1 (0.5%, p = 0.55) with upper and lower 95% limits of agreement at 6.02 (11%) and −5.53 (10%) mL × kg−1 × min−1, respectively. CCC (pc = 0.94), ICC (0.943) and correlation analysis (r = 0.94) revealed a strong agreement and relation between VO2max in the treadmill and RA Test.

Conclusion: The RA Test reliably elicits a true VO2max response and offers a valid and more sport-specific option when compared to laboratory treadmill assessment for measuring VO2max in team ball sport athletes.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	aerobic performance, ball sport, endurance, physiological profile, reactive agility, team sport
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology Q Science > Q Science (General) R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC1200 Sports Medicine
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > Institute for Lifecourse Development Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > Institute for Lifecourse Development > Centre for Exercise Activity and Rehabilitation Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > School of Human Sciences (HUM)
Last Modified:	06 Mar 2026 13:21
URI:	https://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/52299

Actions (login required)

View Item

Downloads