Chester Treadmill Police Run Test (CTPRT)
The Chester Treadmill Police Run Fitness Test is a multistage treadmill test of aerobic capacity, developed by Professor Kevin Sykes from the University of Chester, specifically developed for Police Officers in England and Wales. The test is a higher intensity version of the Chester Treadmill Police Walk Test, which in turn was an adaptation of the Chester Treadmill Test (CTWT). This test is an alternative to the 15m Bleep test based on medical grounds for those deemed unsuited to the twists, turns, sharp acceleration/deceleration of 15m shuttle running. See also the Chester Step Test.
equipment: treadmill with ability to change gradient, stopwatch, RPE chart.
pre-test: Explain the test procedures to the subject. Perform screening of health risks and obtain informed consent. Prepare forms and record basic information such as age, height, body weight, gender, test conditions. Calibrate the treadmill speed and gradient. See more details of pre-test procedures.
procedure: The treadmill is set at 10.4 km/hr for all of the test. The gradient starts at 0% gradient for the first two minutes. At the end of the level check if RPE is less than 18. If so, increase the gradient and continue the test. The gradient is increased by 3% after every two minutes. The RPE is rechecked after each 2 minute level, and must remain under 18. The test ends after 10 minutes. (see table below)
| level | time (minutes) | gradient (%) | equiv. VO2 (ml/O2/min) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0-2 | 0 | 38 |
| 2 | 2-4 | 2 | 41 |
| 3 | 4-6 | 4 | 44 |
| 4 | 6-8 | 5 | 46 |
| 5 | 8-10 | 8 | 51 |
scoring: the target time is a duration of between 10 and 12 minutes - the minimum recommended aerobic fitness standard for the UK Police force.
target population: This test is specifically for for ARV and DIAFO.
considerations: this test could be a maximal test for some individuals, and therefore care should be taken to ensure the test is stopped if the subject is unable to keep up with the workrate and becomes overly distressed.
references
- Sykes K. Fitness for Fire and Rescue. Standards, Protocols and Policy. In: Stevenson R, Wilsher P, eds. United Kingdom: Firefit Steering Group, 2009.
- Sykes K. The Chester Treadmill Police Walk Test. United Kingdom: Cartwright Fitness, 2015.
- Morris M, Deery E, Sykes K. Chester treadmill police tests as alternatives to 15-m shuttle running. Occup Med (Lond). 2019 Apr 13;69(2):133-138. - CONCLUSIONS: The CTPWT and the CTPRT provide a valid and reliable alternative to the 15-m MSFT.
Similar Tests
- Chester Treadmill Test — walking at 6.2km/hr on a treadmill, increasing gradient by 3% every 2 minutes.
- Chester Treadmill Police Walk Test — walking at 6km/hr on a treadmill, increasing gradient by 3% every 2 minutes.
- Astrand Treadmill Test — running at 5mph with a 2.5% increase in gradient every two minutes, until exhaustion.
Related Pages
- Measuring/calibrating treadmill gradient
- Fitness testing for UK Police
- Other fitness tests conducted on treadmills
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