Test–retest reliability of performance variables during treadmill rollerski skating

• Published in: European journal of applied physiology Vol. 125; no. 7; pp. 2015 - 2021
• Main Authors: Losnegard, Thomas, Solberg, Paul André, Lund-Hansen, Magne, Skaugen, Martin, Hansen, Joar, Skovereng, Knut, Sandbakk, Øyvind
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.07.2025; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Athletic Performance - physiology; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cross country skiing; Exercise Test - methods; Exercise Test - standards; Female; Heart rate; Human Physiology; Humans; Male; Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine; Original; Original Article; Oxygen Consumption - physiology; Physiology; Reproducibility of Results; Skating; Skating - physiology; Skiing - physiology; Software; Sports Medicine; Training; Variance analysis; Young Adult; Norway; Germany; Training; Oxygen uptake; Performance; Cross-country skiing; Nordic skiing
• ISSN: 1439-6319; 1439-6327; 1439-6327
• DOI: 10.1007/s00421-025-05746-w

Purpose We examined the test–retest reliability of rollerski testing across a familiarization trial followed by three separate test trials (T1–T3) conducted within a 14-day period. Methods Ten competitive cross-country skiers performed three sub-maximal tests (5%, speed range 10–16 km h −1 ) and a maximal speed test until failure (MTF; ~ 5–8 min, 7%, > 10 km h −1 ) on a rollerski treadmill using the Gear 3 ski skating sub-technique. Reliability was assessed as within-subject typical error, expressed as a coefficient of variation (CV%, [confidence limits]) intraclass correlation (ICC, [confidence limits]), and changes in mean (%). Results The speed at MTF demonstrated a mean CV (T1–T3) of 1.5% [1.1, 2.6] and an ICC of 0.96 [0.87, 0.99], but a systematic familiarization bias from T1 to T2 (1.2% [0.1, 2.3]) and T2 to T3 (2.2% [0.1, 4.3]). Peak oxygen uptake exhibited a mean CV of 2.2% [1.6, 3.8] and an ICC of 0.93 [0.78, 0.98], with no systematic changes from T1 to T2 (− 0.2% [− 2.0, 1.6]) and T2 to T3 (1.8% [− 1.1, 4.7]). VO 2 at submaximal load showed a mean CV of 2.1% [1.5, 3.3] and an ICC of 0.94 [0.84,0.99], with no systematic changes from T1 to T2 (− 0.7% [− 2.4, 1.1]) and T2 to T3 (− 0.1% [− 2.4, 2.3]). Conclusion The relatively low CV and high ICC for most measures suggest a high degree of test–retest reliability. However, the systematic mean changes in MTF indicate that familiarization trials are essential to provide valuable information about individual changes. Overall, these reliability measures can be used as a framework by practitioners to discern true changes when testing on a rollerski treadmill.