Precision and accuracy of four handheld blood lactate analyzers across low to high exercise intensities.

Purpose: To evaluate the precision and accuracy in measured blood lactate concentrations among four commonly used handheld lactate analyzers compared to two stationary analyzers.

Methods: Venous blood samples were taken at exercise intensities ranging from low to high. The blood lactate concentration was measured simultaneously with four pairs of handheld lactate analyzers (two new units of each brand: Lactate Plus, Lactate Pro2, Lactate Scout 4, and TaiDoc TD-4289), and compared with two stationary analyzers (Biosen C-Line and YSI Sport 1500).

Is Rating of Perceived Exertion a Valuable Tool for Monitoring Exercise Intensity During Steady-State Conditions in Elite Endurance Athletes?

Purpose: Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) is a widely used tool to assess subjective perception of effort during exercise. The authors investigated between-subject variation and effect of exercise mode and sex on Borg RPE (6-20) in relation to heart rate (HR), oxygen uptake (VO2), and capillary blood lactate concentrations.

Methods: A total of 160 elite endurance athletes performed a submaximal and maximal test protocol either during cycling (n = 84, 37 women) or running (n = 76, 32 women).