Exercise Prescription Exam 1 Practice

Absolute contraindications are conditions in which performing an exercise test would pose a high risk of a serious event, so the test should not be done. Relative contraindications are conditions that raise risk but might allow testing to proceed with extra precautions, medical supervision, and often after obtaining clearance. This distinction is why saying that absolute contraindications prohibit testing and relative contraindications require caution and medical clearance when testing is the best way to differentiate them. The other statements misstate the relationship—for example, suggesting testing is prohibited only for relative cases, or that absolute cases apply only to older adults, or that relative contraindications apply only to a specific type of test like VO2 testing.