Physical testing in kent, r u interested?
DonOfAshford
Posts: 53
Centre for Sports Studies, University of Kent
Dr. James Hopker, Dr. Simon Jobson, Dr. Heather Ferguson, Professor Louis Passfield and Professor Sam Marcora
Tel: 01634 – 888814 email: j.g.hopker@kent.ac.uk
The influence of mental fatigue and exercise efficiency on cycling performance
If you have any queries please contact: Dr. James Hopker (see above)
PARTICIPANT INFORMATION SHEET
You are being invited to take part in a research study. Before you decide, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Ask if there is anything that is not clear, or if you would like more information.
Take time to decide whether or not you wish to take part.
Part 1
What is the purpose of the study?
The purpose of the study is to investigate the effects of two different mental tasks (which are a computerised task and watching a wildlife documentary), on the physical effects of cycling exercise.
Am I a suitable subject for this study?
We are looking to recruit male competitive cyclists between the ages of 18-55, who have been regularly training and competing over the past 3 years. You must be a non-smoker, free of symptoms of heart disease, diabetes or any disability that will make it difficult for you to cycle. Prior to being accepted to take part in the study you will have to be screened to ensure it is safe for you to complete the tests. This will involve completing a health questionnaire.
Do I have to take part?
If you decide to take part, you will be asked to sign a consent form. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time without giving a reason.
Will I get any payment for taking part?
Unfortunately, we do not have the funding to pay for your participation in the study, nor to reimburse you for travel costs to any of the sessions. However, £50 prizes for best performances will be offered, details of which can be found below.
What tests will be carried out?
You will be required to visit the laboratory on 4 separate occasions. The first two visits are necessary to measure your fitness and to enable you to practise the experimental conditions. These must be at least two days apart. The last two visits are for the experimental trials, and must be exactly one week apart and at the same time of day. You will be required to attend for approximately 2 hours per visit.
During the first trial you will be asked to conduct a maximal exercise test to exhaustion. The 2nd trial will require you to perform a time to exhaustion test conducted at 80% of the maximal power output achieved during the first maximal trial. For the last two trials you will be asked to complete the time to exhaustion cycling test following one of two mental challenges, a computerised task or watching a wildlife video. You will be asked to complete two questionnaires that are designed to measure various psychological parameters of mood. You will also be asked not to exercise for 24 hours prior to each visit and to standardise what you eat and drink before the last two visits, to ensure you arrive at the laboratory in the same physical condition each time. During the last two trials your brain activity will be measured using electrodes placed on the scalp.
Specific Information
Visit 1:
Upon arrival at the Exercise Testing Laboratory, Psychology Department, University of Kent, Canterbury for the first visit you will have to complete a health-screening questionnaire to check for any contra-indications to exercise testing. Your height and weight will be measured.
You will be asked to complete:
1. an incremental warm-up at 100W, 150W and 200W on a cycle ergometer. Each power output will be conducted for 7 minutes.
2. a maximum exercise (VO2max) test. Following a short rest, you will be required to complete an exercise test which starts at a low exercise intensity and gets progressively harder until you are unable to continue. During the test, your body’s oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production will be measured. To enable this to take place, you will be required to wear a facemask throughout the test, which will analyse the air that you breathe out. You will also wear a heart rate monitor on your chest, so that your heart rate can be recorded.
3. a familiarisation test for the time to exhaustion trials which will be used in visits 3 and 4. This will be conducted at 80% of the maximal power output value you achieved during the maximal test. You will then have a 30 minute rest following the maximal test before completing this familiarisation.
Visit 2:
The 2nd visit will require you to conduct a full familiarisation trial for the two experimental tests (visit 3 and 4). This is to make sure that you fully understand the tests that you will be required to undertake during visit 3 and 4.
At this visit you will be asked to:
1. complete a questionnaire that will assess your current mood.
2. provide a thumb-prick blood sample to measure your resting blood glucose and lactic acid concentrations.
3. put on a Heart rate monitor to facilitate heart rate being continuously recorded throughout the experimental conditions and subsequent performance trial.
4. have EEG electrodes placed on your scalp. The purpose of the EEG electrodes is to sense brain electrical activity. These electrodes are purely sensors and provide no electrical charge. The electrodes are fixed using a water-based gel and do not cause any harm/damage to the scalp. Depending on how much hair you have, you may need to wash your hair following the test. A shower is available for you to do this. After the electrodes have been fitted you will have a baseline EEG measurement recorded over a 120 second period.
5. conduct two simple tasks which involve face recognition and name matching. These are designed to assess your cognitive function.
6. complete a level of motivation questionnaire related to the subsequent performance trial, and another finger-prick blood sample will be taken.
7. undertake a warm-up for the performance trial, where you will be asked to cycle for 6 minutes at a moderate intensity of 200W. During this time you will have an EEG measurement taken.
8. conduct a time to exhaustion test. The time to exhaustion test will be at 80% of your peak power output recorded during the maximal test at visit 1. You will be able to self-select your preferred cadence for this test. Your time to exhaustion will be measured from the start of the trial until your cadence falls below 60 rev.min-1 for more than 5 seconds despite verbal encouragement. During all of the cycle tests, oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production will be measured through the analysis of expired gases as in visit 1.
Visit 3:
During the 3rd visit you will undergo exactly the same routine as visit 2, with the addition of one of two cognitive activities, either a computerized task or watching a television programme, which will last approximately 60 minutes. This will be conducted prior to the cycling performance time to exhaustion test.
Visit 4:
At the 4th visit, you will be required to complete exactly the same tests as visit 2, except you will be asked to complete the other cognitive task. For example if you watched a video at visit 2, you will be asked to complete the computerised task during visit 3, and vice versa.
Prior to testing you will be asked to follow these criteria:
- You should have a complete rest day prior to each of the visits
- No food within 2 hours of testing
- Drink ONLY WATER in the morning of testing
- No alcohol within 24 hours
- Not to be taking any prescription medication for preceding 4 weeks
- Free from dietary supplementation (vitamins etc.) for the preceding 4 days
- No sports drinks on the day
- Free from illness/infection during the preceding 2 weeks
Drinking water is permitted.
How often will I have to be tested?
You will be required to visit either the EEG lab at the University of Kent Psychology Department on four separate occasions. Allow 2 hours for each visit to include time for explanation of procedures, the tests and a warm-down/debrief afterwards.
What are the possible benefits of taking part?
The benefits of taking part in this study are that you will have a comprehensive fitness assessment with feedback report, and will be under the instruction of experts in their field. We will also provide £50 cash prizes for the best time to exhaustion performance after each condition (cognitive task and video).
Will taking part harm my health?
During any exhaustive physical activity or exercise, there is always a slight increased risk of a cardiac event or injury; for those without underlying heart disease, the risks to health are extremely minimal. You will be asked to cycle to exhaustion on each visit.
If the information in Part 1 has interested you and you are considering participation, please continue to read the additional information in Part 2 before making any decision.
Part 2.
What if something goes wrong?
If taking part in this research project harms you, there are no special compensation arrangements. If you are harmed due to someone’s negligence, then you may have grounds for a legal action against the University of Kent, but you may have to pay for it. Regardless of this, if you wish to complain, or have any concerns about any aspect of the way you have been approached or treated during the course of this study, speak to the researcher involved in the study (see Contact for Further Information below). The normal complaints mechanisms will be available to you.
Will my taking part in this study be kept confidential?
All information, which is collected about you during the course of the research, will be kept strictly confidential and in accordance with the 1998 Data Protection Act. Your data will be treated anonymously in any subsequent publication of this study. Furthermore, any collected data will be kept for the duration of the research and used, even if you withdraw from the study. However, if you request, any personal details will be returned to you upon your withdrawal from the study.
What will happen to the results of the research study?
We will seek to publish these in scientific journals and present them at scientific conferences. If requested, you will receive a copy of your own results from the study.
Who has reviewed the study?
The Research Ethics Committee at the University of Kent has reviewed the study and given their approval.
Contact for Further Information
If you are interested in taking part in the study or require additional information, please contact Dr. James Hopker on (01634) 888814 / j.g.hopker@kent.ac.uk or Dr. Simon Jobson on (01634) 888815 / s.a.jobson@kent.ac.uk
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Dr. James Hopker, Dr. Simon Jobson, Dr. Heather Ferguson, Professor Louis Passfield and Professor Sam Marcora
Tel: 01634 – 888814 email: j.g.hopker@kent.ac.uk
The influence of mental fatigue and exercise efficiency on cycling performance
If you have any queries please contact: Dr. James Hopker (see above)
PARTICIPANT INFORMATION SHEET
You are being invited to take part in a research study. Before you decide, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Ask if there is anything that is not clear, or if you would like more information.
Take time to decide whether or not you wish to take part.
Part 1
What is the purpose of the study?
The purpose of the study is to investigate the effects of two different mental tasks (which are a computerised task and watching a wildlife documentary), on the physical effects of cycling exercise.
Am I a suitable subject for this study?
We are looking to recruit male competitive cyclists between the ages of 18-55, who have been regularly training and competing over the past 3 years. You must be a non-smoker, free of symptoms of heart disease, diabetes or any disability that will make it difficult for you to cycle. Prior to being accepted to take part in the study you will have to be screened to ensure it is safe for you to complete the tests. This will involve completing a health questionnaire.
Do I have to take part?
If you decide to take part, you will be asked to sign a consent form. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time without giving a reason.
Will I get any payment for taking part?
Unfortunately, we do not have the funding to pay for your participation in the study, nor to reimburse you for travel costs to any of the sessions. However, £50 prizes for best performances will be offered, details of which can be found below.
What tests will be carried out?
You will be required to visit the laboratory on 4 separate occasions. The first two visits are necessary to measure your fitness and to enable you to practise the experimental conditions. These must be at least two days apart. The last two visits are for the experimental trials, and must be exactly one week apart and at the same time of day. You will be required to attend for approximately 2 hours per visit.
During the first trial you will be asked to conduct a maximal exercise test to exhaustion. The 2nd trial will require you to perform a time to exhaustion test conducted at 80% of the maximal power output achieved during the first maximal trial. For the last two trials you will be asked to complete the time to exhaustion cycling test following one of two mental challenges, a computerised task or watching a wildlife video. You will be asked to complete two questionnaires that are designed to measure various psychological parameters of mood. You will also be asked not to exercise for 24 hours prior to each visit and to standardise what you eat and drink before the last two visits, to ensure you arrive at the laboratory in the same physical condition each time. During the last two trials your brain activity will be measured using electrodes placed on the scalp.
Specific Information
Visit 1:
Upon arrival at the Exercise Testing Laboratory, Psychology Department, University of Kent, Canterbury for the first visit you will have to complete a health-screening questionnaire to check for any contra-indications to exercise testing. Your height and weight will be measured.
You will be asked to complete:
1. an incremental warm-up at 100W, 150W and 200W on a cycle ergometer. Each power output will be conducted for 7 minutes.
2. a maximum exercise (VO2max) test. Following a short rest, you will be required to complete an exercise test which starts at a low exercise intensity and gets progressively harder until you are unable to continue. During the test, your body’s oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production will be measured. To enable this to take place, you will be required to wear a facemask throughout the test, which will analyse the air that you breathe out. You will also wear a heart rate monitor on your chest, so that your heart rate can be recorded.
3. a familiarisation test for the time to exhaustion trials which will be used in visits 3 and 4. This will be conducted at 80% of the maximal power output value you achieved during the maximal test. You will then have a 30 minute rest following the maximal test before completing this familiarisation.
Visit 2:
The 2nd visit will require you to conduct a full familiarisation trial for the two experimental tests (visit 3 and 4). This is to make sure that you fully understand the tests that you will be required to undertake during visit 3 and 4.
At this visit you will be asked to:
1. complete a questionnaire that will assess your current mood.
2. provide a thumb-prick blood sample to measure your resting blood glucose and lactic acid concentrations.
3. put on a Heart rate monitor to facilitate heart rate being continuously recorded throughout the experimental conditions and subsequent performance trial.
4. have EEG electrodes placed on your scalp. The purpose of the EEG electrodes is to sense brain electrical activity. These electrodes are purely sensors and provide no electrical charge. The electrodes are fixed using a water-based gel and do not cause any harm/damage to the scalp. Depending on how much hair you have, you may need to wash your hair following the test. A shower is available for you to do this. After the electrodes have been fitted you will have a baseline EEG measurement recorded over a 120 second period.
5. conduct two simple tasks which involve face recognition and name matching. These are designed to assess your cognitive function.
6. complete a level of motivation questionnaire related to the subsequent performance trial, and another finger-prick blood sample will be taken.
7. undertake a warm-up for the performance trial, where you will be asked to cycle for 6 minutes at a moderate intensity of 200W. During this time you will have an EEG measurement taken.
8. conduct a time to exhaustion test. The time to exhaustion test will be at 80% of your peak power output recorded during the maximal test at visit 1. You will be able to self-select your preferred cadence for this test. Your time to exhaustion will be measured from the start of the trial until your cadence falls below 60 rev.min-1 for more than 5 seconds despite verbal encouragement. During all of the cycle tests, oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production will be measured through the analysis of expired gases as in visit 1.
Visit 3:
During the 3rd visit you will undergo exactly the same routine as visit 2, with the addition of one of two cognitive activities, either a computerized task or watching a television programme, which will last approximately 60 minutes. This will be conducted prior to the cycling performance time to exhaustion test.
Visit 4:
At the 4th visit, you will be required to complete exactly the same tests as visit 2, except you will be asked to complete the other cognitive task. For example if you watched a video at visit 2, you will be asked to complete the computerised task during visit 3, and vice versa.
Prior to testing you will be asked to follow these criteria:
- You should have a complete rest day prior to each of the visits
- No food within 2 hours of testing
- Drink ONLY WATER in the morning of testing
- No alcohol within 24 hours
- Not to be taking any prescription medication for preceding 4 weeks
- Free from dietary supplementation (vitamins etc.) for the preceding 4 days
- No sports drinks on the day
- Free from illness/infection during the preceding 2 weeks
Drinking water is permitted.
How often will I have to be tested?
You will be required to visit either the EEG lab at the University of Kent Psychology Department on four separate occasions. Allow 2 hours for each visit to include time for explanation of procedures, the tests and a warm-down/debrief afterwards.
What are the possible benefits of taking part?
The benefits of taking part in this study are that you will have a comprehensive fitness assessment with feedback report, and will be under the instruction of experts in their field. We will also provide £50 cash prizes for the best time to exhaustion performance after each condition (cognitive task and video).
Will taking part harm my health?
During any exhaustive physical activity or exercise, there is always a slight increased risk of a cardiac event or injury; for those without underlying heart disease, the risks to health are extremely minimal. You will be asked to cycle to exhaustion on each visit.
If the information in Part 1 has interested you and you are considering participation, please continue to read the additional information in Part 2 before making any decision.
Part 2.
What if something goes wrong?
If taking part in this research project harms you, there are no special compensation arrangements. If you are harmed due to someone’s negligence, then you may have grounds for a legal action against the University of Kent, but you may have to pay for it. Regardless of this, if you wish to complain, or have any concerns about any aspect of the way you have been approached or treated during the course of this study, speak to the researcher involved in the study (see Contact for Further Information below). The normal complaints mechanisms will be available to you.
Will my taking part in this study be kept confidential?
All information, which is collected about you during the course of the research, will be kept strictly confidential and in accordance with the 1998 Data Protection Act. Your data will be treated anonymously in any subsequent publication of this study. Furthermore, any collected data will be kept for the duration of the research and used, even if you withdraw from the study. However, if you request, any personal details will be returned to you upon your withdrawal from the study.
What will happen to the results of the research study?
We will seek to publish these in scientific journals and present them at scientific conferences. If requested, you will receive a copy of your own results from the study.
Who has reviewed the study?
The Research Ethics Committee at the University of Kent has reviewed the study and given their approval.
Contact for Further Information
If you are interested in taking part in the study or require additional information, please contact Dr. James Hopker on (01634) 888814 / j.g.hopker@kent.ac.uk or Dr. Simon Jobson on (01634) 888815 / s.a.jobson@kent.ac.uk
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
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Comments
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Would offering cash incentives not skew the results?0
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I'm in Kent but don't qualify as I'm diabetic. Seems a bit discriminatory, there are plenty of pro athletes (including cyclists) in the same boat...
:roll: 0 -
And the point of this study is what exactly?0
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I'd be interested but I smoked 2 cigarettes last night ( :oops: ) and Canterbury is just an @rse to get to and probably expensive by PT from London...Do not write below this line. Office use only.0
