Keskinen, K. L., Keskinen, O. P., & Pöyhönen, T. (2010). Determination of lactate threshold with four different analysis techniques for pool testing in swimmers. A paper presented at the XIth International Symposium for Biomechanics and Medicine in Swimming, Oslo, June 16–19, 2010.

Lactate threshold analyses using common analysis techniques were used to evaluate their test-retest accuracies and to make analysis-to-analysis comparisons. Male and female swimmers (N = 30) performed multiple 100-m swims twice in three days. Four different approaches were applied to define the lactate threshold using blood lactate by velocity curves.

Test-retest reliabilities and comparability between tests were very high. Differences existed when comparisons were made between modes with fixed blood lactate levels.

Implication. Most methods for determining lactate thresholds are reliable. In analysis to analysis comparisons some significant differences exist. Thus, when using a lactate threshold test its idiosyncrasies must be understood to avoid making diagnostic errors.

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