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CC BY 4.0 · Int J Sports Med 2022; 43(07): 642-647
DOI: 10.1055/a-1686-9068
Training & Testing

Assessment of Peak Oxygen Uptake with a Smartwatch and its Usefulness for Training of Runners

Peter Düking
1   Integrative and Experimental Exercise Science, Department of Sport Science, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
,
Bas Van Hooren
2   Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, Netherlands
,
Billy Sperlich
1   Integrative and Experimental Exercise Science, Department of Sport Science, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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Abstract

Peak oxygen uptake (˙VO2peak) is an important factor contributing to running performance. Wearable technology may allow the assessment of ˙VO2peak more frequently and on a larger scale. We aim to i) validate the ˙VO2peak assessed by a smartwatch (Garmin Forerunner 245), and ii) discuss how this parameter may assist to evaluate and guide training procedures. A total of 23 runners (12 female, 11 male; ˙VO2peak: 48.6±6.8 ml∙min−1∙kg−1) visited the laboratory twice to determine their ˙VO2peak during a treadmill ramp test. Between laboratory visits, participants wore a smartwatch and performed three outdoor runs to obtain ˙VO2peak values provided by the smartwatch. The ˙VO2peak obtained by the criterion measure ranged from 38 to 61 ml∙min−1∙kg−1. The mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) between the smartwatch and the criterion ˙VO2peak was 5.7%. The criterion measure revealed a coefficient of variation of 4.0% over the VO2peak range from 38–61 ml∙min−1∙kg−1. MAPE between the smartwatch and criterion measure was 7.1, 4.1 and −6.2% when analyzing ˙VO2peak ranging from 39–45 ml∙min−1∙kg−1, 45–55 ml∙min−1∙kg−1 or 55–61 ml∙min−1∙kg−1, respectively.

Key words

data-guided training - digital health - digital training - eHealth - innovation - technology - wearable - mHealth


Publication History

Received: 09 February 2021

Accepted: 20 October 2021

Article published online:
30 January 2022

© 2019. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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