B8970 - VALUTAZIONE FUNZIONALE DELLE CAPACITÀ FISICHE

Learning outcomes

This course focuses on the fundamental skills required for assessing physical abilities through specific tests targeting cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic function. The aim is to prepare students to use tools such as stress tests and spirometry to assess and monitor both healthy subjects and individuals with chronic diseases and disabilities for the purpose of personalized planning and administration of preventive and adapted physical activities.

Course contents

Specifically, students will acquire knowledge related to:

• Pre-exercise assessment
• Assessment and interpretation of measurements related to health-related fitness components
• Functional assessment in a clinical setting and its interpretation
• Functional assessment in populations with other chronic diseases and health conditions
• Cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic responses to physical exercise
• Use of data collected during stress testing and spirometry for medical diagnosis and fitness for sports activities not within the competence of the kinesiologist.

In addition, students will acquire knowledge and skills related to:

• Initial assessment of the subject, including risk stratification and anthropometric assessment;
• Administration of stress testing and spirometry;
• Analysis and interpretation of data collected through stress testing and spirometry for the purpose of assessing the subject's physical abilities, with particular regard to their cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic function;
• Analysis and interpretation of data collected through stress testing and spirometry for the purpose of planning and administering personalized preventive and adapted physical activities;
• Use of muscle strength and endurance tests to identify potential non-cardiorespiratory and metabolic causes of reduced exercise tolerance;
• Use of cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic responses to monitor preventive and adapted physical activities in order to ensure the correct intensity of exercise and prevent adverse events.

Readings/Bibliography

Textbooks
Recommended reading:

American College of Sport Medicine. ACSM - Linee guida per la valutazione funzionale e la prescrizione dell'esercizio fisico. 3ª ed. italiana. Torgiano: Calzetti & Mariucci; 2025. 472 p.

Sietsema, K. E., Stringer, W. W., Sue, D. Y., & Ward, S. (2020). Wasserman & Whipp's principles of exercise testing and interpretation: Including pathophysiology and clinical applications (6a ed.). Wolters Kluwer.

During the course, several scientific articles in English will be examined and made available to students through the Virtual Learning Environment platform [http://virtuale.unibo.it/].

Teaching methods

During the course, we will use a variety of methods, such as lectures, practical exercises, group discussions of scientific articles, and personalized assistance during office hours, which will be agreed upon with the instructor.
Attendance at practical laboratory exercises is mandatory.

Assessment methods

Oral exam on the course content.

Teaching tools

Virtual Learning Environment platform [http://virtuale.unibo.it/] with online announcements and discussions, additional course information, and slides used during lectures and practical exercises.
Gym and Exercise Physiology Laboratory with numerous pieces of equipment for cardiovascular, neuromuscular, metabolic, and respiratory testing.

Office hours

See the website of Ricardo Augusto Barbieri