This study compared the physiological responses and the mechanical efficiency during both arm cranking exercise and leg pedaling exercise with identical work loads, and determined whether arm cranking or unilateral leg pedaling performance could be used to estimate bilateral pedaling exercise capacity. Seven healthy adult males [mean age: 32 (27-36) years old] participated in this study. Arm cranking and leg pedaling exercise tests were carried out using an identical electrically controlled bicycle ergometer. The cranking/pedaling rate was set at 60 rpm. Exercise was performed under the following conditions: Bilateral leg pedaling (BLP), Unilateral leg pedaling (ULP), Bilateral arm cranking (BAC), and Unilateral arm cranking (UAC). By ramp load protocol in gradually increasing 20 W/min stages,. peak oxygen uptake (peak VO 2) and peak heart rate (peak HR) were obtained using BLP, ULP, BAC, and UAC. The oxygen uptake and heart rate obtained using BLP, ULP, BAC, and UAC were compared under three exercise work loads (20 W, 40 W, 60 W). In comparison with ULP and UAC, the values of. peak VO 2 and peak HR in BLP and BAC were high, and the response to the 20 W to 60 W exercise intensities rose in tandem with work load. Differences in physiological response due to disparities in the exerted muscle mass became large and showed a rising trend, particularly in ULP and UAC. There were. no significant correlations between BLP and the other types of exercise (BAC, ULP, UAC) in peak VO 2 and peak HR. In conclusion, the physiological responses in bilateral and unilateral arm/leg exercise at an identical work load depend on the amount of muscle mass exerted. It is hard to estimate the aerobic. work capacity (peak VO 2) using BLP from the results of exercise performed with BAC, ULP, and UAC.

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With the primary objective of examining a useful index for appropriate knee joints of aboveknee prosthesis, the effect on the human body was studied by measuring walking velocity (m/s), stride length (m), and walking. Subjects consisted of 4 above-knee amputees, and the measurement was conducted using a three-dimensional co-ordinate recorder and a gait analysis system of a force plate. The results suggest that the effect of knee joints can be evaluated by walking energy consumption per unit gait distance.

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