HSE Medical

[Smelix]

I have mine tomorrow morning.. its my first one and not something im looking forward to... as a lazy student im kinda worried about the fit test... dont think ive done anything reseembling exercise in 6 months!!!

[String]

I think you'd have to be unconscious to fail or even struggle on the exercise test. You just have to step onto an 18" box in time to a beat for 10 minutes. About as stressful as a slow walk up some stairs.

[divebunnie]

Originally Posted by String

I think you'd have to be unconscious to fail or even struggle on the exercise test. You just have to step onto an 18" box in time to a beat for 10 minutes. About as stressful as a slow walk up some stairs.

Yeah the only problem with the 18" box is when you are a short arse like me. I'm only 5'1" so practically had to jump up onto it. Thankfully I'm quite fit, so it wasn't a problem, but it was comedy.

For the record I don't recall the use of any needles not even the clicker thingy, but it was some time ago (haven't worked in the UK for nearly three years before anyone panics).

[DougA]

Originally Posted by String

I think you'd have to be unconscious to fail or even struggle on the exercise test. You just have to step onto an 18" box in time to a beat for 10 minutes. About as stressful as a slow walk up some stairs.

When I did it the other day 10mins is the maximum it could last. They monitored the heart rate till it reaches 80% of maximum - 152 in my case. They then work out a fitness score based on which level you reached and your heart rate at the end of each 2min period

There were 5 levels each lasting 2 mins with a faster beat at each level. The final levels are very fast and more like running. The first two levels are so unnaturally slow its hard to follow the beat.

Speaking to the nurse some people do struggle to get past level 1 - I can imagine these are very large people :P Though I live in a top floor flat and have to nip up stairs daily without any bother its surprising the amount people that arrive at my door out of breath.

[String]

The first 2 did mess me up as it was so slow the thing was like doing a pressup on one leg. Plus i have no sense of rythm or dance ability. Not physically tiring just fiddly. To be honest i'd rather a treadmill.

IIRc on mine pulse got up to about 140 at the end of it when he stopped and didn't even approach any sort of sweat. However 2 mins later he got the needle out for blood test and pulse went to 195 and stayed there, started sweating massively and almost collapsed.

[Scubee]

Crikey.

I had mine renewed a couple of weeks ago.

No blood taken, and the step test was 3 minutes (I think) on one of those step thingys you have in a gym, which was much better than the 18" box I had to do one year, as well as the first year I had it done. That is the third time (out of 5 medicals) I have had the little step, A friend of mine had to do 130 steps on the big box.

I did have to have an ECG though, but I gather not everyone does.

[Smelix]

Well im now safely HSE approved and managed to pss all the test things with flying colours! It is abit of a mission though isnt it, takes forever!!

[Polyphemus]

anyone know what the deal is if your colour blind? going for first medical in a few weeks.
Thanks

[StuartC]

Originally Posted by Polyphemus

anyone know what the deal is if your colour blind? going for first medical in a few weeks.
Thanks

don't mistake the red "occupied" light for the green "available" light outside the examination room and you'll be off to a good start!

[uwila]

Originally Posted by Scubee

I did have to have an ECG though, but I gather not everyone does.

No, it's only the old gits who get the heart test...


(running away very fast )