The goal of this prospective, cross-sectional study is to develop updated reference
values for the Muscle Power Sprint Test (MPST) in children aged 5-12 years.

The main question it aims to answer is:

• What are reference ('normal') values for the MPST in children aged 5-12 years?

Participants will be asked to perform six short sprints of fifteen meters each, with a
ten-second rest between each effort.

Reference Values for the Muscle Power Sprint Test

Development, Child

Activity, Motor

SUMMARY Rationale: Children with congenital abnormalities face risks of below-average
lung function and exercise tolerance (1-3). As the standard of care, our tertiary
hospital enrolls these children in a prospective, longitudinal follow-up program from
birth (4). This program involves regular assessments of overall health and development,
including spirometry and exercise tolerance tests conducted by pediatric
physiotherapists. Historically, the Bruce treadmill protocol was employed for testing
maximal exercise tolerance in children aged 4 and above, but it presented limitations
such as high muscular demands of the steep inclines and large workload increments,
impacting reliability and potentially causing premature discontinuation (5).

In response, the Bruce protocol was replaced in newer follow-up program versions by the
Muscle Power Sprint Test (MPST). Unlike the Bruce protocol, which assesses aerobic
capacity, the MPST focuses on anaerobic exercise capacity, which is crucial for
children's daily activities like playing with peers (6). Performing the MPST involves six
short runs of 15 meters, from which the calculated 'mean power' serves as the primary
outcome. The distance covered during these runs corresponds well to the distances
children cover during daily play activities.

While Dutch norm values for children aged 6-18 exist, gathered mainly in rural areas
between 2012 and 2016, the study highlights the need for updated reference values.
Lifestyle changes, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, underscore the urgency of
updating exercise tolerance reference values (7). Notably, there is a current lack of
established reference values for 5-year-olds undergoing MPST testing in our longitudinal
follow-up program, emphasizing the need for comparative data in this age group.

Objective: Our primary goal is to establish reference values for the MPST for primary
school children aged 5-12 belonging to a diverse population living in the Netherlands.

Study design: The study adopts a prospective cross-sectional design.

Study population: Primary school or after-school childcare children aged 5-12 years.

Intervention (if applicable): The MPST, which involves six 15-meter sprints at maximum
pace between the two cones/lines, with a 10-second rest in between each effort.

Main study parameters/endpoints: The primary outcome is generating reference values for
the MPST for typical children aged 5-12.

Nature and extent of the burden and risks associated with participation, benefit and
group relatedness: We believe the risks of experiencing drawbacks from study
participation are minimal. The Muscle Power Sprint Test (MPST) is non-invasive, involving
six short, consecutive 15-meter sprints - similar to activities children commonly engage
in, such as games like tag or hide-and-seek - with a 10-second rest after every run.
Individual testing and warm-up rounds further mitigate potential risks, and we estimate
the likelihood of injuries or adverse effects to be lower than those encountered in a
standard physical education class.

Muscle Power Sprint Test

Reference Values for the Muscle Power Sprint Test in Children Aged 5-12 Years

Reference values for the MPST for children aged 5-12 years, both male and female.

MD, PhD Candidate

All patients in this arm will be assessed through the MPST. We calculate the mean Power
developed during the six short distance sprints, using time needed for each sprint and
the weight of the study subject.

Reference Values for the Muscle Power Sprint Test

About this trial

Study ID

Status

Type

Phase

Placebo

Accepting

Trial Timing

What is this trial about?

What are the participation requirements?