FIT - Consent & Liability Waiver & Release Form

Valpo FitLab at Valparaiso University

CONSENT & LIABILITY WAIVER & RELEASE FORM
Purpose: The purpose of these assessments is to determine physical fitness. The information obtained from the assessments will be used to write a personalized exercise prescription to maintain or improve physical fitness. With permission, data may be recorded without identification for future research and analysis.

Procedures: To assess cardiovascular function, body composition, and other physical fitness components, the undersigned hereby voluntarily consents to engage in one or more of the following test(s):
o Graded exercise assessment
o Balance assessment
o Body composition assessment
o Postural assessment
o Muscular fitness assessment
o Blood Lactate assessment
o Flexibility assessment
o Gait analysis

Explanation of Assessments: All assessments may be stopped at any time, for any reason. A preliminary examination in addition to observations during testing will help to minimize risks. Emergency equipment and trained personnel are available in the event of an emergency. Instructions for each test will be explained thoroughly and all questions will be answered prior to testing.

The graded exercise test may be performed on a cycle ergometer, a motor-driven treadmill, or a step platform. The exercise workload is increased every few minutes until exhaustion or until other symptoms indicate that the test be terminated. Heart rate will be monitored prior to, during, and immediately following the assessment via a heart rate monitor. The tests are designed to increase the demands of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels. The test will continue until you choose to end it unless symptoms prohibit further exercise.

Lactate threshold testing will be performed in a non-maximal exercise test on a bicycle, treadmill, step, or track. The work level will begin at a low intensity and gradually increase until lactate threshold is identified. The test will take approximately 45 minutes to complete, during which time 6 - 10 blood samples will be extracted from the finger, toe, or earlobe at regular intervals to determine blood lactate values. Participants can request to stop the test at any time and should immediately inform the tester if they experience fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, chest pain, or any other feelings of discomfort.

Body composition assessment may include measurement of height, weight, and girth, and/or tests consisting of skinfold tests and/or bioelectrical impedance analysis to determine body fatness.

Muscular endurance may be measured using calisthenics and/or special equipment to assess strength and endurance of the major muscle groups in the body.

Evaluation of flexibility requires measurement of the range of motion in your joints. This includes, but is not limited to a sit and reach assessment along with shoulder and trunk mobility evaluations.