CS1.0 Treadmill Owner’s Guide
33
Accuracy of
the Gerkin
Test
Accuracy of the Gerkin Test
:
The scientific journal, Occupational Medicine, published
a study in 2004 on the accuracy of the Gerkin test. The
conclusion:
“The Gerkin treadmill protocol overpredicts VO
2
max in
healthy men and women and, therefore, should not be used for
predicting VO
2
max in individual firefighters, particularly if
VO
2
max is a criterion for inclusion or exclusion from duty. At
this time, a valid treadmill running test is needed for predicting
the VO
2
max value of individual firefighters.”
However, for the fitness enthusiast who is interested in
monitoring their fitness level, the Gerkin test can be used to
measure progress over time.
