Harvard Step Recovery Index

Calculate the Harvard step-test index from exercise duration and three recovery pulse counts.

Description

The Harvard step recovery index combines exercise duration with three recovery pulse counts.

The Harvard step recovery index combines exercise duration with three recovery pulse counts. Each input count represents a 30-second counting period in this convention.^[1]

Calculate the Harvard step-test index from exercise duration and three recovery pulse counts.

When to use Harvard Step Recovery Index

Use this tool to calculate the Harvard step-test index from exercise duration and three recovery pulse counts.

Prepare the measured movement, timing, load or preassigned score requested. Keep protocols, units, paired measurements and caller-selected thresholds consistent.

How to use Harvard Step Recovery Index and understand its results

Prepare the measured movement, timing, load or preassigned score requested. Keep protocols, units, paired measurements and caller-selected thresholds consistent.
Enter exerciseSeconds, recoveryPulseCounts using the field table and calculation rules, then run the tool.
Read recoveryIndex, pulseCountTotal. The explanation below defines the units, signs, ordering and any flags or placeholder values.
If the tool reports an input issue, correct the values and run it again. Apply the stated assumptions when interpreting a successfully returned result.

Input field	Meaning	Value type; see rules below	Requirement
exerciseSeconds	Exercise seconds	number	Required
recoveryPulseCounts	Recovery pulse counts	list of number	Required

Enter positive exercise seconds and exactly three positive safe integer pulse counts. Return total counts and index.

index=100exerciseSeconds/(2ΣpulseCounts)

Units, indexing, boundary conditions and exceptional cases are defined in the calculation rules above.

Output field	Meaning	Value type
recoveryIndex	Recovery index	number
pulseCountTotal	Pulse count total	number

json

{
  "input": {
    "exerciseSeconds": 300,
    "recoveryPulseCounts": [
      50,
      50,
      50
    ]
  },
  "output": {
    "recoveryIndex": 100,
    "pulseCountTotal": 150
  }
}

Limitations and assumptions

No recovery timing protocol, step height, pulse measurement or population grade is enforced.

Numeric inputs must be finite. Follow the calculation-specific rules for overflow, underflow and exceptional cases. Lists are limited to 100,000 entries; the rules above may require smaller limits. Missing required fields, extra fields, wrong value types and violations of the calculation rules are input errors.

Alternative or Complementary methods

Use Heart Rate Reserve Zone: Compute Karvonen heart-rate reserve training zone boundaries. For a complementary task, use Timed Up And Go Screen: Compare a Timed Up and Go result with an explicitly supplied threshold.

References

Harvard Step Recovery Index — tool.io

Similar or alternative tools

Heart Rate Reserve Zone
Compute Karvonen heart-rate reserve training zone boundaries.
Timed Up And Go Screen
Compare a Timed Up and Go result with an explicitly supplied threshold.