Criterion-related validity and test-retest reliability of the 20 m Square Shuttle Test

We assessed validity and reliability of the new 20 m square shuttle run test (SST) for predicting maximal. oxygen uptake (VO2max) and compared it with its predecessor, the 20m Multistage Shuttle Run Test (MST). In a repeated measures randomised-block design, 74 healthy adult mates performed the SST, the MST and a treadmill test (TT). To assess reliability, 40 of the total 74 volunteers were randomty-selected to perform the SST and MST twice. Unlike the SST (p > 0.05), mean predicted VO2max (predVO2max) from the MST was significantly increased from that measured during the TT (p < 0.05). The predVO2max from SST and MST corretated with TT VO2max at r=0.95 (p < 0.001) and r=0.63 (p < 0.001), respectively. Prediction error of SST was -0.3 +/- 3.3 ml kg(-1) min(-1) with a coefficient of variation of +/- 3.5%, while the equivalent values for MST were 4.2 +/- 7.3 ml kg(-1) min(-1) and 7.4%. Mean test-retest predVO2max did not differ for both SST and MST (p > 0.05), while the corresponding test-retest correlation coefficients were r = 0.85 (p < 0.001) and r = 0.72 (p < 0.001). Reliability errors in 95% limits of agreement were 0.3 +/- 4.8 and 0.6 +/- 6.8 ml kg(-1) min(-1) white coefficients of variation were 5.2% and 6.8% for the SST and MST, respectively. It is concluded that SST is a more valid proxy than MST for predicting laboratory VO2max based on the current procedures, while both tests are sufficiently reliable in healthy mate adults., (c) 2007 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.