What are stress tests used for in sports medicine?

Stress tests in sports medicine are primarily used to assess cardiovascular fitness. These tests evaluate how well the heart responds to physical stress, and they can help identify underlying heart conditions or issues that may not be apparent at rest. By monitoring heart rate, blood pressure, and other related metrics during physical activity, practitioners can gather essential data to ensure the athlete's safety and performance capability.

While option B mentions checking range of motion and degree of function of tissues at a joint, stress tests are not specifically designed for this purpose. They are more focused on evaluating cardiovascular performance under stress. Other options, such as determining pain levels or increasing strength, do not accurately capture the primary objective of stress tests in the context of athletic performance and health assessment.