Service in
Pediatric Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Pediatric Exercise Physiology Lab

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The M Health Fairview Pediatric Exercise Physiology Lab at M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital uses exercise testing (often referred to as stress testing) to evaluate a patient’s heart, lungs, and physical response to exertion.
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Overview

Our multidisciplinary team includes pediatric cardiologists, an exercise physiologist, and a pediatric pulmonologist. Our lab is equipped with a treadmill, bicycle, 12-lead EKG, pulse oximeter, and metabolic cart.

Our approach

We are the only Pediatric Exercise Physiology Program in the state of Minnesota. We are proud to be able to provide this invaluable service to the patients we see. We are continuing to grow as a program and have seen many recent updates including:

  • An upright bicycle which is often more appropriate for the pediatric age group
  • Better fitting and more comfortable facemasks for the patient’s comfort
  • A pulse-oximeter forehead probe, for improved ease of use and accuracy during exercise
  • Customized exercise protocols that best reflect the patient’s physical and medical conditions
  • Exercise flow volume loop testing, for a more in-depth look at pulmonary indications


Types of testing:
Exercise testing is commonly used to investigate symptoms such as chest pain, dyspnea, syncope, and palpitations. It is also valuable for evaluating cardiac function in many of our congenital heart disease patients. The type of test is dependent on the symptoms and medical history of the patient.

  • Cardiopulmonary exercise test – The most in comprehensive test for evaluating the heart and lungs. Gas exchange is measured using a mask or mouthpiece during exercise. This provides valuable data such as oxygen consumption, breathing patterns, and functional capacity.
  • Exercise EKG test – A 12-lead EKG is used to look for any exercise-related EKG abnormalities.
  • Exercise-induced asthma test – A protocol is used that is more sensitive to inducing bronchoconstriction that may occur with exercise.
  • Exercise stress echo – An assessment of how exercise affects the function and movement of the heart.
  • Resting metabolic rate test – Used to evaluate the number of calories and the ratio of fat, protein and carbohydrates the patient is using at rest; also known as resting energy expenditure.

*Some tests are often used in conjunction depending on the indication

All exercise tests are supervised and reviewed by a pediatric cardiologists or pulmonologists.