Utilização da escala de dificuldade percebida na produção da fala na avaliação aeróbia em cicloergometro (Talk Test)

Abstract

Talk Test is a tool used to to evaluate by a subjective manner the optimal exercise intensity. It is based on individual capacity to maintain a confortable speech during the effort. The aim of the study was to verify evidence of validitiy (concurrent and constructo) of the Talk Test. Fourteen subjects (7 males and 7 females) volunteered to a cicle ergometer progressive test with intial load of 25 Watts and increments of 25 Watts each 2 minutes until exhaustion. Subjects should recite a known sentence for three times at the end of each stage and indicate their Perceived Speech Production Difficult (DPPF) accoding to the scale of Rotstein et al., (2004) where the load at the level 7 which is “difficult” was taken as a physiological threshold indicator. The Second Physiological Threshold (LT2) was considered the Heart Rate Deflection Point (PDFC) identified by the positive Dmax method. For analyzes were employed Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Kruskal-Wallis post hoc Dunn's, and BlandAltman, beyond the Spearman correlation (p <0.05). No significant differences were identified between L7DPPF and PDFC (p = 0.03), and are associated with the maximum load reached in the test (r = 0.90 and r = 0.81). Both techniques of identification of LTF2 - PDFC and L7DPPF - were similar by BlandAltman method (95% CI = 0.41 to 1.46). TT being an indicator of aerobic fitness, the L7DPPF could be considered a method to predict LTF2.