Patients with UAB Sports and Exercise Medicine and the UAB Highlands Family and Community Medicine clinic now have access to VO2 Max testing, which can give both patients and providers a more precise, detailed picture of someone's cardiorespiratory fitness. 

VO2 Max testing tracks the ratio of carbon dioxide to oxygen during exercise and is widely considered the most accurate marker of cardiovascular fitness and aerobic endurance. The test offered at UAB Highlands also provides information about carbohydrate and fat burn during the course of activity, as the patient progresses toward maximal effort. 

During the test, a patient performs exercises on a treadmill, increasing incrementally in intensity, while connected to a respiratory machine, which analyzes the air that they breathe out. Afterwards, patients and providers review the results, discuss the patient's currently level of cardiovascular fitness and use that data to develop a personalized fitness and nutrition plan.

In the photos below, Clinical Dietitian Caroline Cohen Ph.D., RD, LD, and Athletic Trainer Megan Steirer, MA, LAT, ATC, test the equipment with Athletic Trainer Brandon Sadler, MA, LAT, ATC, kindly standing in as a patient.

During the test, patients exercise on a treadmill while monitored by providers.

Steirer fits Sadler with the respiratory device.

Providers monitor results and use those results to formulate a precisely tailored fitness and nutrition plan.

VO2 Max testing is available at UAB Sports and Exercise Medicine through the SWEEP - Sports, Wellness, Exercise and Elite Performance - or FLOW - Fitness, Lifestyle and Optimal Wellness - programs. SWEEP is designed for individuals who want to take their athletic performance and fitness to the next level, while FLOW is designed for individuals looking to get and stay active. The testing fee is $100.

The SWEEP and FLOW programs are part of the Department of Family and Community Medicine and UAB Sports and Exercise Medicine program's overall focus on exercise as a critical component of well-being, no matter if someone is an elite athlete or simply looking to become more active. You can find out more about the SWEEP program here, and the FLOW program here, including an Exercise is Medicine program that offers a complimentary six-week membership to local YMCAs to jumpstart your fitness routine.

To talk with a provider about which of these options is right for you, make an appointment today by calling 205-934-9700.