Purpose
The 20 Meter Shuttle Run is a fitness test to estimate VO2max
Acronym
20 m SRT
Primary Image
20 Meter Shuttle Run
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)
Non-Specific Patient Population
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