Purpose
The 20 Meter Shuttle Run is a fitness test to estimate VO2max
Acronym
20 m SRT
Primary Image
20 Meter Shuttle Run
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Populations
Key Descriptions
- Participants repeatedly run a 20-meter distance at increasing speeds until they can no longer keep pace. A number of equations are available to predict VO2max from assessment performance.
Administration instructions: (Léger et al., 1998)
▪ Distance of 20 meters is marked
▪ Subjects will complete the following sequence of runs in stages
1. The participant will run the 20m, beginning with an audible beep
2. The audible beep begins at a rate of 8.5km/h
3. The audible beep is incrementally increased by 0.5km/h every 1 minute - The test continues until failure or fatigue occurs on 2 consecutive runs
Note that variations and modifications to the test exist such as the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test, PACER test, and the 15m Test
Number of Items
1
Equipment Required
- Marked distance of 20 meters on a flat, non-slip surface
- An audio source able to produce an audible beep at an initial rate of 8.5km/h and able to increase 0.5 km/h every minute (● Various resources for audio include online video and audio files and smartphone applications)
Time to Administer
8-12 minutes
Required Training
No TrainingInstrument Reviewers
Brian Gerlach MS, ATC, CSCS and Molly Jennings MA, AT, LAT
Considerations
- Numerous individuals can be tested concurrently in the same testing session
- There are several modifications and variations to the test that are population specific such as Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Tests for athletes (Bangsbo et al, 2008)
- Other methods exist to calculate VO2max values such maximal effort treadmill assessments (Aziz et al, 2005; Stickland et al, 2003)
- This test fills a need for a feasible VO2max test that can be completed in a non-laboratory environment (Stickland et al, 2003)
- Participant motivation and environmental factors such as ambient temperature, relative humidity and elevation can influence performance (Kim et al, 2011)
Mixed Conditions
back to PopulationsStandard Error of Measurement (SEM)
Healthy adults (calculated from Kim et al, 2011; n=119)
- SEM for males (n=90): 2.0 shuttles
- SEM for females (n=29): 0.6 shuttles
- SEM for males and females (n = 119): 1.4 shuttles
Athletes (Aziz et al, 2005; n=12 professional male soccer players; mean age=27.2)
- SEM: 2.3 shuttles
Military personnel (Calculated from statistics in Aandstad et al, 2011; Home Guard: n= 38; mean age = 38 years)
- SEM: 1.0 shuttles
- SEM: 0.1 last half laps completed
Minimal Detectable Change (MDC)
Healthy adults (Kim et al, 2011; n=119)
- MDC95 for males (n=90): 5.5 shuttles
- MDC95 for females (n=29): 1.7 shuttles
- MDC95 for males and females (n = 119): 3.9 shuttles
Athletes (Calculated from statistics in Aziz et al, 2005)
- MDC95 for entire group (n=12): 6.7 shuttles
Military personnel (Calculated from statistics in Aandstad et al, 2011)
- MDC95 for entire group (n=38): 2.86 shuttles
- MDC95 for entire group (n=38): 0.35 last half laps completed
Test/Retest Reliability
Healthy adults
- Excellent test-retest reliability among males in shuttle counts (r = 0.87) (Kim et al, 2011)
- Excellent test-retest reliability among females in shuttle counts (r = 0.97) (Kim et al, 2011)
- Excellent test-retest reliability among males and females in shuttle counts (r = 0.93) (Kim et al, 2011)
- Excellent test-retest reliability for completed stages (r = 0.95) (Léger et al, 1988; n = 81, age 20-45 years)
Athletes (Aziz et al, 2005)
- Excellent test-retest reliability in shuttle counts (ICC = 0.97)
Healthy children (Léger et al, 1998; n = 139, age 6-16 years)
- Excellent test-retest reliability for completed stages (r = 0.89)
Military personnel (Aandstad et al, 2011)
- Excellent test-retest reliability in shuttle counts (ICC = 0.96)
- Excellent test-retest reliability in half laps completed (ICC = 0.95)
Criterion Validity (Predictive/Concurrent)
Concurrent validity:
Healthy males (Stickland et al, 2003)
- Excellent concurrent validity compared with treadmill V02max in males (r = 0.88)
Healthy females (Stickland et al, 2003)
- Excellent concurrent validity compared with treadmill V02max in females (r = 0.81
Predictive validity:
Healthy adults
- Excellent predictive VO2max (r = 0.90) with input of speed [km/hr] (Léger et al, 1988; n = 77 men and women 18-50 years old)
Healthy children (Léger et al, 1988; n=188, boys and girls 8-19 years old)
- Excellent predictive VO2max (r = 0.71) with inputs of speed [km/h] and age [years]
Military personnel (Aandstad et al, 2011)
- Excellent predictive value for VO2max (ICC = 0.62) using input of last half level completed
- r=0.80-0.82
Bibliography
Aandstad, A., Holme, I., Berntsen, S., & Anderssen, S. (2011). Validity and reliability of the 20 meter shuttle run test in military personnel. Military Medicine, 176 (5), 513-518. https://doi.org/10.7205/MILMED-D-10-00373
Aziz, A. R., Tan Hun Yau, F., & Teh Kong, Chuan. (2005). The 20m Multistage Shuttle Run test: Reliability, Sensitivity and its Performance Correlates in trained soccer players. Asian Journal of Exercise & Sports Science, 2(1), 1–7.
Bangsbo, J., Iaia, F., & Krustrup, P. (2008). The yo-yo intermittent recovery test: A useful tool for evaluation of physical performance in intermittent sports. Sports Medicine, 38(1), 37-51. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200838010-00004
Gillespie, M. (2009). Reliability of the 20 metre shuttle run in children with intellectual disabilities. European Journal of Adapted Physical Education, 2(2), 7-13. Retrieved from https://eujapa.upol.cz/artkey/euj-200902-0001_reliability-of-the-20-metre-shuttle-run-for-children-with-intellectual-disabilities.php
Kim, J., Jung, S., & Cho, H. (2011). Validity and reliability of shuttle-run test in Korean adults. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 32(8), 580-585. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0031-1277179
Léger, L. A., Mercier, D., Gadoury, C., & Lambert, J. (1988). The multistage 20 metre shuttle run test for aerobic fitness. Journal of Sports Sciences 6, 93-101. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640418808729800
Stickland, M. K., Petersen, S. R., & Bouffard, M. (2003). Prediction of maximal aerobic power from the 20-m multi-stage shuttle run test. Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology, 28(2), 272+. https://doi.org/10.1139/h03-021
Verschuren, O., Bosma, L., & Takken, T. (2011). Reliability of a shuttle run test for children with cerebral palsy who are classified at Gross Motor Function Classification System level III. Developmental Medicine and Clinical Neurology, 53 (5), 470-472. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8749.2010.03893