Lactate Threshold Testing
Lactate threshold testing allows you to understand the optimal intensity you can train at before your body is unable to keep up. Book your appointment today.
Identifying your lactate threshold helps you to understand the maximum intensity you are able to maintain for an extended period of time before your muscles get too acidic, forcing you to slow down.
Testing this allows you to identify effective and healthy training zones, pushing yourself to your scientific limit in a safe manner without overdoing it and causing excess fatigue and muscle pain.
What is Lactate Threshold Testing?
Lactate threshold testing includes running through a variety of physical exercises, which get gradually more intense. Blood samples are then taken at the end of each exercise, for the purpose of measuring lactate levels in the blood. Lactate levels rise during exercise, especially during high-intensity movement, which can lead to muscle and general fatigue.
Through lactate threshold testing, we are able to determine your threshold levels, and the specific effect that different levels or intensity of exercise have on your body.
Lactate Threshold Testing services
Injury Mechanics lactate threshold testing services are simple and effective, and we’ll help you better understand your body and optimise your training or fitness plans based on scientific evidence.
How we test lactate threshold levels
When testing your lactate threshold, we will use our WattBike Atom V2 for cycling purposes or the treadmill for running focused results.
The aim of a blood lactate threshold test is to determine your specific training zones to optimise endurance performance by identifying an athlete's current fitness level and ability to sustain high-level intensity.
The process will consist of:
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A brief consultation with your clinician about your current fitness levels and performance goals/target race. At this point, you will be able to ask any questions about the testing procedure.
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Your clinician will then create your initial profile by taking your height, weight and baseline blood lactate sample.
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A 10 minutes steady state warm up on the bike or treadmill will take place before entering the first phase of the test. The first phase/intensity level will be pre-determined based upon the current training level or previous race results. The intensity of the session will increase every 3-5 minutes.
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At the end of every interval, your clinician will obtain a heart rate reading, a RPE (rate of perceived exertion) score and a blood lactate sample. This sample is obtained through a small finger prick sample and processed in a lactate analyser. The test will continue until Lactate Threshold 2 (LT2) has been reached.
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The date will then be processed and provided to you following the test including any recommendations for training programming. Follow up discussions or further testing can be arranged with your clinician.
Lactate Threshold Testing Specialists
The Injury Mechanics team are specialists when it comes to lactate threshold testing. We’ve served a plethora of happy customers, aiding them in defining their current limits for intense exercise.
Our physiotherapy services involve understanding your goals and talking to you about your current needs and abilities, before delivering testing and creating a plan to help you achieve what you want.
What Lactate Threshold Testing tells you
Lactate threshold testing tells you how much intense exercise you can do before the levels of lactate within your muscles get too high, and in turn how hard you can safely push yourself without risking excess fatigue.
Your lactate threshold can rise, effectively meaning you’ll get ‘more fit,’ as you push yourself to the safe limit without going too far. Lactate testing will outline to you how hard to train in order to optimise your athletic improvement with lower risk of fatigue and injury.
Enquire About Lactate Threshold Testing
FAQs about Lactate Threshold Testing
Who should get a Lactate Threshold Test?
Lactate threshold testing is ideal for any athlete at any level who wants to understand the current bounds of their physiological response of your body to certain levels of exercise. Whether you’re a professional athlete or just recovering from an injury, lactate testing helps you understand the levels of intensity you can maintain safely.
How long does a Lactate Threshold Test take?
Generally, a lactate threshold test should take between 1-2 hours. This includes a warm up, the exercise and blood tests, and a cool-down followed by a discussion of your results.
How does Lactate Threshold Testing improve performance?
Lactate testing helps you to understand the intensity level at which your body is no longer able to effectively clear lactate. This allows you to outline clear limitations and potential performance levels, for a bespoke training program which garners the best results.
Can you do a Lactate Threshold Test if you are injured?
Depending on the injury, you can sometimes do a lactate threshold test whilst injured. However, this would only be recommended at all if the injury is relatively minor. Discuss your injury with Injury Mechanics and we can recommend whether or not you should go ahead with a test, as well as providing services such as sports injury rehabilitation to aid you in your injury recovery.
Become a Client Today
Our team are known to be approachable, professional, friendly, knowledgeable, caring and down to earth. If you would like to book an appointment with the Injury Mechanics team, fill out the contact form or use our simple online appointment booking system.
Become a Client Today
Our team are known to be approachable, professional, friendly, knowledgeable, caring and down to earth. If you would like to book an appointment with the Injury Mechanics team, fill out the contact form or use our simple online appointment booking system.