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Protocol	Population	Mode	Equation	r	SEE	Reference
Balke	Active & sedentary men	Treadmill walk	VO2 max = 1.444 (T) + 14.99	0.92	±2.5 ml/kg x min.	Pollock et al., 1976
Speed 3.3 mph; 0% grade 1st minute, 2% increase at start of minute 2, elevation increases 1% each minute thereafter
Balke, modified for women	Active & sedentary women	Treadmill walk	VO2 max = 1.38 (T) + 5.22	0.94	±2.20 ml/kg x min.	Pollock et al., 1982
Speed 3.0 mph; 0% grade for 3 minutes, elevation increase 2.5% every 3 minutes thereafter
Bruce	Active & sedentary men; male cardiac patients	Treadmill walk to run	VO2 max = 14.76 - 1.379 (T) + 0.451 (T^2) - 0.012 (T^3)	0.98	±3.35 ml/kg x min.	Foster et al., 1984
			VO2 max = 13.3 - 0.03 (T) + 0.297 (T^2) - 0.0077 (T^2) + 4.2 (CHS)
	Individuals who require hand rail support		VO2 max = 2.282 (T) + 8.545		±4.92 ml/kg x min.	McConnell & Clark 1987
Bruce	Active & sedentary women	Treadmill walk to run	VO2 max = 4.38 (T) - 3.90	0.91	±2.7 ml/kg x min.	Pollock et al., 1982
Bruce Treadmill Stage 1 2 3 4 5 6  7 Speed (mph) 1.7 2.5 3.4 4.2 5.0 5.5 6 Grade (%) 10 12 14 16 18 20 22

T = time to exhustion

CHS = Cardiac health status (healthy subject = 1, individuals with angina pectoris, past myocardial infarction, or myocardial revascularization surgery.

Of all treadmill tests performed in the United States, it has been estimated 71% use the Bruce protocol and 10% follow the Balke protocol (Pollock 1984).

Also see: Proper Technique in Administering a Stress Test DVD