The purpose of this investigation was to compare physical work capacity (PWC), peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2), maximal pulmonary ventilation (VEmax), maximal heart rate (HRmax), and maximal blood lactate concentration (LAmax) for wheelchair ergometer (WERG) and arm crank ergometer (ACE) exercise. For this, wheelchair-dependent (n = 6) and able-bodied (n = 10) subjects completed a progressive intensity, discontinuous test for each mode of exercise. Each test was terminated by physical exhaustion and/or an inability to maintain a flywheel velocity of 180 m.min-1. Relatively high correlation coefficients were found between values obtained during the two modes of ergometry for PWC, peak VO2, VEmax, and HRmax. WERG exercise was found to elicit a significantly (P less than 0.05) lower PWC (by 36%), HRmax (by 7%), and LAmax (by 26%) than ACE exercise. Peak VO2 and VEmax, however, were similar for both exercise modes. These data suggest that either exercise mode may be used for fitness testing and training of people who cannot use their legs and that arm cranking may be a superior method to propel wheelchairs.

To compare metabolic and circulatory responses for wheelchair ergometer (WERG) and arm crank ergometer (ACE) exercise at equal power-output (PO) levels, wheelchair-dependent (n = 7) and able-bodied (n = 10) subjects exercised at PO levels at 30, 90, 150, and 210 kpm times min-1 for each mode of ergometry. Steady-state values of oxygen uptake (VO2), pulmonary ventilation (VE), ventilatory equivalent of oxygen (VE times VO2-1), cardiac output (Q), stroke volume (SV), arteriovenous oxygen difference (a-VO2), heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and rate pressure product (RPP) were determined at each PO. With the exception of VE times VO2-1 and a-VO2, each variable tended to increase with PO. Generally, VO2, VE, Q, SV, HR, SBP, and RPP responses were higher for WERG than ACE exercise at each PO level. When Q and RPP were expressed in relation to VO2, both variables were higher for WERG exercise. These data suggest that the wheelchair hand-rim system is inherently more strenuous than arm cranking, and that the latter should be studied further as an alternative method for wheelchair propulsion.

Abstract. The purpose of this study was to compare energy cost and cardiopulmonary responses to wheelchair locomotion and walking on tile and on carpet at 3.0 km·h-1• Nine wheelchair-dependent (WD) and ten able-bodied (AB) individuals served as test subjects. WD subjects were tested for wheelchair locomotion on tile and on carpet, and AB subjects were tested for walking over both floor surfaces. Studied variables included gross energy cost (GEC), net locomotive energy cost (NLEC), pulmonary ventilation (VE) and heart rate (RR) during all test conditions. On tile, GEC and NLEC were found to be lower, whereas VE and RR were higher for wheelchair locomotion than for walking. On carpet, wheelchair locomotion elicited higher values for all variables than walking. In going fr om tile to carpet, significant increases in these variables were fo und for wheelchair locomotion, whereas walking elicited similar response magnitudes on both floor surfaces.These results suggest that cardiopulmonary stresses for wheelchair locomotion are higher than for walking, and that a carpet can present an obstacle to wheelchair locomotion which may not be recognised by those who walk.

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