Abstract
Twenty spinal cord injured individuals were tested for maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2 peak using a hysteresis brake wheelchair ergometer. The subjects were divided into 4 groups as follows: (a) quadriplegics (4 subjects); (b) untrained female paraplegics (5 subjects); (c) untrained male paraplegics (7 subjects); and (d) trained male paraplegics (4 subjects). The V̇O2 peak were analysed by a one way ANOVA and Fisher's LSD multiple comparisons. The F-ratio (50-93) was significant (p = < 0.000l). Fisher's LSD post hoc multiple comparisons found the following differences: (a) quadriplegics were significantly lower than the untrained paraplegic females, untrained paraplegic males and trained paraplegic males; (b) untrained females were significantly lower than the untrained male paraplegics, and trained paraplegic males; (c) untrained paraplegic males were significantly lower than the trained male paraplegics. A Spearman Rho correlation was calculated using injury level and V̇O2 max for all the untrained SCI individuals. The correlation was 0.68 and had a significance level of 0.0019. The present study combined with the known research literature gives strong evidence that V̇O2 peak in the untrained SCI is highly related to level of injury.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Astrand P O, Rodahl, K 1986 Textbook Of Work Physiology. McGraw-Hill, New York.
Bergh U, Kanstrup I L, Ekblom B 1976 Maximal oxygen uptake during exercise with various combinations of arm and leg work. Journal of Applied Physiology 41: 191–196.
Boileau R A, McKeown B C, River W F 1981 The influence of cardiomuscular and metabolic parameters on arm and leg maximum oxygen uptake. Presented at American College of Sports Medicine Conference, May 28, Miami Beach, Florida.
Burk E J, Auchinachie, J A, Hayden R, Loftin J M 1985 Energy cost of wheelchair basketball. The Physician and Sportsmedicine 13: 99–105.
Burkett L N, Chisum J, Cook R et al 1987 Construction and validation of a hysteresis brake wheelchair ergometer. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly 40: 60–71.
Cameron B J, Ward G R, Wicks J R 1978 Relationship of type of training to maximum oxygen uptake and upper limb strength in male paraplegic athletes. Medicine and Science in Sports 9: 58.
Coutts K D, Rhodes E C, McKenzie D C 1983 Maximal exercise responses of tetraplegic and paraplegics. Journal of Applied Physiology 55: 479–482.
Coutts K D, Stogryn J L 1987 Aerobic and anaerobic power of Canadian wheelchair track athletes. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise 19: 62–65.
Crews D, Burkett L N, Wells C L, McKeeman-Hopkins V 1982 A physiological profile of four wheelchair marathon racers. The Physician and Sportsmedicine 10: 134–143.
Dreisinger T E, Dalton R B, Whiting R B 1984 Maximal wheelchair exercise: comparison of ablebodied and wheelchair bound. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise 16: 147.
Ekblom B, Lundberg A 1968 Effects of physical training on adolescents with severe motor handicaps. Acta Paediatrica Scandinavica 57: 17–23.
Flandrois R, Grandmontague M, Gerin H et al 1986 Aerobic performance capacity in paraplegic subjects. European Journal of Applied Physiology 55: 604–609.
Figoni S F 1984 Spinal cord injury and maximal aerobic power. American Corrective Therapy Journal 38: 44–50.
Franklin B A 1985 Exercise testing, training and arm ergometry. Sports Medicine 2: 100–119.
Gass G C, Camp E M 1979 Physiological characteristics of trained Australian paraplegics and tetraplegics. Medicine and Science in Sports 11: 256–259.
Gass G C, Camp E M 1984 The maximum physiological response during incremental wheelchair and arm cranking exercise in male paraplegics. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise 16: 355–359.
Gass G C, Camp E M, Davis H A et al. 1981 The effects of prolonged exercise on spinally injured subjects. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise 13: 277–283.
Geisler W O, Jousse A T, Wynne-Jones M 1977 Survival in traumatic transverse myelitis. Paraplegia 14: 262–275.
Glaser R M, Sawka, M N, Laubach, L L, Surprayasad, A G 1979 Metabolic and cardiopulmonary response to wheelchair and bicycle ergometry. Journal of Applied Physiology 46: 1066–1070.
Hooker S P, Wells C L 1989 Effects of low and moderate intensity training in spinal cord-injured persons. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise 21: 18–22.
Hrubec Z, Ryder R A 1980 Traumatic limb amputations and subsequent mortality from cardiovascular disease and other causes. Journal of Chronic Diseases 33: 239–250.
Kolsky P R, Davis G M, Jackson R W 1983 Field testing-assessment of physical fitness of disabled adults. Journal of Applied Physiology 51: 109–120.
Le C T, Price M 1982 Survival from spinal cord injury. Journal of Chronic Disease 35: 487–492.
McConnell T J, Beutel-Horvat T A, Golding L A, Horvat M A 1984 A comparison of wheelchair treadmill ergometry and arm crank ergometry in measuring maximal performance capabilities of male paraplegics. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise 16: 147.
Morris D S 1984 Physiological profile of an ultra-marathon woman wheelchair athlete. Abstract of Research Papers, American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, p. 116.
Shephard R J 1988 Sports medicine and the wheelchair athlete. Sports Medicine 5: 226–247.
Stoboy H, Rich, B, Lee, M 1971 Workload and energy expenditure during wheelchair propelling. Paraplegia 8: 223–230.
Strayer J R, Glaser R M, May K P 1985 Metabolic response to voluntary arm and electrically stimulated leg exercise in spinal cord injured individuals. Federation Proceedings, 44: 1369. (abstract).
Tahamont M, Knowlton R G, Sawaka M N, Miles D S 1986 Metabolic responses of women to exercise attributable to long term use of a manual wheelchair. Paraplegia 24: 311–317.
Van Loan M D, McCluer, S, Loftin, J M, Boileau, R A 1987 Comparison of physiological responses to maximal arm exercise among able-bodied, paraplegics, and quadriplegics. Paraplegia 25: 397–405.
van der Woude L H, Veeger, D E, Rozendal, R H 1989 Ergomics of wheelchair design: A prerequisite for optimum wheeling conditions. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly 6: 109–132.
Wells C L, Hooker S P, Williams T J 1988 Aerobic capacity of elite paraplegic road racers. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise 20: 27. (abstract).
Wicks J R, Oldridge N B, Cameron B J, Jones N L 1983 Arm cranking and wheelchair ergometry in elite spinal cord-injured athletes. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise 15: 224–231.
Zwiren L D, Bar-Or O 1975 Response to exercise of paraplegics who differ in conditioning level. Medicine and Science in Sports 7: 94–98.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Burkett, L., Chisum, J., Stone, W. et al. Exercise capacity of untrained spinal cord injured individuals and the relationship of peak oxygen uptake to level of injury. Spinal Cord 28, 512–521 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.1990.68
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.1990.68
