VO2 Max Test in Greater Boston
How much oxygen your body can use at full effort, and 4 clinics in Greater Boston that list it.
- Time
- 8 to 12 minutes of effort Plus rest, warm-up and cool-down
- What you do
- Run or cycle in a mask The effort rises until you stop
- You get
- Your VO2 max number Often with training zones
A VO2 max test measures how much oxygen your body can use when you are working as hard as you can. You wear a mask and walk, run or cycle while the effort slowly builds. The mask reads the air you breathe in and out, and the highest amount of oxygen your body uses is your VO2 max.
It is one of the clearest ways to measure cardiorespiratory fitness: how well your heart, lungs and muscles work together. Large studies link higher fitness with better long-term health, so many people use the number as a starting point, then train and retest to watch it move. Many clinics also turn the results into heart-rate zones for your own workouts.
What’s a good VO2 max for your age?
| Age | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 20s | 48.0 | 37.6 |
| 30s | 42.4 | 30.2 |
| 40s | 37.8 | 26.7 |
| 50s | 32.6 | 23.4 |
| 60s | 28.2 | 20.0 |
| 70s | 24.4 | 18.3 |
Typical result from 7,783 US lab treadmill tests (FRIEND registry).
Physical activity in Greater Boston, by the numbers
The rate of physical inactivity in Greater Boston is lower than the national rate. About 1 in 5 adults in Greater Boston did no physical activity outside work in the past month, compared with about 1 in 4 nationally. That adds up to roughly 740,000 adults across five counties.
CDC estimates. PLACES figures are modelled from a national health survey, not counted from medical records, so read them as estimates.
See how the five counties compare
| County | No exercise outside work | Obesity | Serious difficulty walking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 18.3% | 23.8% | 9.4% |
| Suffolk | 23.8% | 24.2% | 10.8% |
| Essex | 24.1% | 30.0% | 12.3% |
| Norfolk | 17.1% | 23.5% | 9.9% |
| Plymouth | 20.4% | 29.7% | 12.0% |
| Greater Boston | 20.4% | 25.6% | 10.6% |
| United States | 25.1% | 33.2% | 13.8% |
Source: CDC PLACES, 2023 county estimates. Greater Boston = Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, Essex and Plymouth counties, weighted by adult population.
longevityclinicshub.comYour regular doctor is the place to start, especially before a big change in how active you are. The tests above show where you're starting from, so progress is easier to see later.
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VO2 Max Test: common questions
Which clinics in Greater Boston list VO2 max testing?
4 in our Greater Boston guide: Healthspan Longevity, Outback Physical Therapy Somerville, Remedy Place Boston and Upwave Labs Boston.
How do I prepare?
Wear clothes and shoes you can exercise in, skip hard training on the day, and avoid eating for a few hours beforehand. Each clinic sends its own instructions.
How often should I retest?
Many people retest after a few months of training, which is long enough for a change to show.
VO2 max test or DEXA scan?
They measure different things. VO2 max is fitness. DEXA is bone density and body composition. Some clinics offer both in one visit.
Sources: American Thoracic Society: Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET), patient information; American Heart Association: Importance of assessing cardiorespiratory fitness in clinical practice; JAMA Network Open: Cardiorespiratory fitness and long-term mortality among adults undergoing exercise treadmill testing