Operation Manual

Polar BodyAge System
Testing
Pre-Test recommendations
Before any exercise testing is done, the following is recommended by Polar/HealthFirst:
• PAR-Q (Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire) should be completed by the client. If "Yes"
is answered to ANY of the seven (7) questions, it is recommended that the client sees a doctor
before performing any physical activity or exercise testing.
• MEDICAL HISTORY questionnaire must also be completed, printed out and kept in the client's
file in hard copy.
General guidelines to be given to client before any testing:
• Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing.
• Drink plenty of fluids over the 24-hour period preceding the test.
• Avoid food, tobacco, alcohol and caffeine for 3 hours prior to taking the test.
• Avoid exercise or strenuous physical activity the day of the test.
• Get an adequate amount of sleep (6 to 8 hours) the night before the test.
Test Environment
The test environment is important for test validity and reliability. Anxiety, emotional problems,
food in the stomach, bladder distention, climate variation, and pain should be controlled as much
as possible. To minimize anxiety, the test environment should be quiet and private and the
temperature of the room maintained at about 72°F/22°C. The room should be equipped with a
comfortable seat and/or examination table to be used for resting blood pressure. The demeanor
of personnel should be one of relaxed confidence so as to immediately put the subject at ease.
Testing procedures should not be rushed, and all procedures must be clearly explained prior to
initiating the process. These seemingly minor tasks are easily accomplished and will assist in
achieving valid test results.
Importance of Test Order
When exercise testing a client you must consider the testing battery order. For example: if a
cardiovascular test is given first, then a blood pressure measurement is taken, the blood pressure
measurement will be affected by the cardiovascular test.
Manual Entry
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