Frequently Asked Questions

Specific information about scheduling can be found using this link!

Generally, scheduling can be accomplished through the following:

1. Submitting your physician referral and health forms.

2. Completing payment for your visit.

3. Confirming your appointment date once your forms and payment have been recieved. 

We do not accept third party payment from an insurance company, Medicare, or Medicaid. Insurance coverage for this evaluation varies by company, so you should check with your insurer to determine if coverage is available to you. We can provide a more complete description of the exercise test to your insurance company if needed. If you do discuss this evaluation with your insurer, they may want to kow the CPT (procedure) code for the cardiopulmonary exercise test, which is listed below. Be sure to clarify with your insurer that you will perform the test twice.

CPT code: 94621 complex pulmonary stress test

The entire CPET visit will consist of 2 appointments, separated by 24 hours. Each appointment will be 90 minutes long, but you will only be exercising for about 8-12 minutes per session. 

Many individuals arrive to the area 1-2 days prior to their first test to ensure they are well-rested. Please plan your travel so that you are not overly fatigued upon arrival to your first appointment!

You do not need to bring someone to your CPET appointments, but you must find transportation to/from our clinic. We will not test you if you plan to drive yourself away from our clinic after a test.

Please wear comfortable clothing to perform the exercise tests, such as a short sleeve t-shirt, sweatpants or shorts, and sneakers. Avoid anything heavy or limiting, like turtlenecks, sweaters, body leotards, etc.

If you will be wearing a bra or sports bra, it should not have a metal underwire. If you wear a bra with an underwire, you will be asked to remove it for the test.

Your last meal before the tests should be light and eaten at least 2 hours prior to arrival. You can drink water before, during and after the test.

Make sure to eat dinner the night before each test, and have a small carbohydrate snack every couple of hours 2 days before the test.

Do not consume carbonated or caffeinated beverages in the 4 hours before your test. Do not consume alcoholic beverages within 24 hours of your test.

Do not "pre-fatigue" yourself prior to arriving for your appointments! It is very important that you begin the test in your 'normal' rested baseline state and NOT more fatigued than usual.

Do not recieve any restorative body work (massage, etc.) within 2 days before the first test, or after the first test. You can resume any bodywork following test 2.

You will be completing about 8-12 minutes of cycling during each visit. The exercise will start at a low intensity and increases very gradually until it feels strenuous. You will determine when the exercise test is over, but we ask that you have worked to your maximum ability by the end of the cycling test.

Prior to exercise, we will collect physiological data related to resting ECG (heart rate and rhythm) and blood pressure. During the exercise test and recovery, we will collect your blood pressure, ECG, and blood oxygen. We will also collect measures related to breathing, so you will be wearing a face mask that allows us to collect the air you exhale. 

For a fast(er) recovery from the exercise bout, we recommend the following:

• Drink plenty of fluids (water or juice), but avoid caffeinated or alcoholic beverages.

• Eat high carbohydrate snacks like fruit, yogurt, and bread.

• Stretch frequently. If you are too tired to stretch, as someone to help!

• Take a warm (not hot) shower or bath and stretch during/afterwards when your muscles are warm and more flexible.

• Plan to rest until you recover! If you experience post-exertional malaise, please understand that the test will exacerbate your response.