Muscular and metabolic responses to different Nordic walking techniques, when style matters

Pellegrini, Barbara; Boccia, Gennaro; Zoppirolli, Chiara; Rosa, Raffaela; Stella, Federico; Bortolan, Lorenzo; Rainoldi, Alberto; Schena, Federico

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0195438

Cited by 37 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 37 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…These results suggest that NW is superior to OW as a health-promoting exercise, at least as far as METs is concerned in those who more forcefully push the pole to the ground to propel the body forward. It has been previously reported that the correct NW technique permitted an increase in energy expenditure during NW [ 5 , 15 ], which is in agreement with our results. On the other hand, Schiffer et al [ 27 ] reported that in the pole handling of licensed NW instructors, pole inclination starts from 70° at initial pole contact to 45° at terminal pole off during pole ground contact.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…These findings suggest that in NW pushing the pole more forcefully and for longer periods on the ground results in increased walking distance, speed, and METs during exercise which may contribute to enhanced health-derived activity benefits, supporting our study hypothesis. These results are in agreement with those of Pellegrini et al [ 15 ] who reported that a weak pole action (reducing the propulsive action exerted along the pole) decreased energy expenditure during NW compared to the correct pole handling technique. As such, those seeking to engage in NW for health-related benefits would benefit from appropriate instruction on pole handling so that potential benefits may be achieved.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…Given that NW uses the motion of pushing the poles into the ground to propel the body forward, it is highly likely that the proficiency in handling the poles may affect the physiological response. Several previous studies have suggested that differences in pole handling proficiency may affect exercise intensity and the effectiveness of NW [ 5 , 12 – 15 ]. The International Nordic Walking Federation has established that the correct technique in use of the poles is active and dynamic, and control of the poles with the grip and strap to propel the body forward [ 16 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Proficiency in pole handling during Nordic walking influences exercise effectiveness in middle-aged and older adults

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Nordic walking (NW) is a total body version of walking increasingly used as a health-promoting activity by middle-aged and older adults. The present study examined the relationship between force exerted through the pole and physiological response during NW. In this non-randomized exercise trial, 17 participants comprising 8 middle-aged and older recreationally trained Nordic walkers (NWrec: 63.7 ± 8.1 years) and 9 experienced NW instructors (NWinstr: 57.5 ± 7.8 years) underwent outdoor ordinary walking (OW) and NW bouts as fast as possible for 12 minutes. Walking distance, speed, heart rate (HR), energy expenditure (METs and J/kg/m) and upper and lower limb muscle activities using surface electromyogram (EMG) were assessed. A pole with a built-in load cell measured force applied to the pole with peak pole force, pole contact time, % of pole contact time with respect to the gait cycle, and pole impulse derived. We conducted two-way analysis of covariance adjusted for age and BMI. There was a significant group and walking type interaction for walking distance and speed (P = 0.04), METs (P < 0.01), and HR (P = 0.04) with higher values in the NWinstr group during NW than OW. As expected, upper limb EMG activities increased (P < 0.01) with NW in both groups. All pole force measures were significantly higher in NWinstr than NWrec (P ≤ 0.01). Change in walking distance and speed were correlated with pole peak force (r = 0.67, P < 0.01) and pole impulse (r = 0.63, P = 0.01). Similarly, change in METs was associated with peak pole force (r = 0.66, P < 0.01) and pole impulse (r = 0.56, P = 0.02). These results indicate that planting the pole on the ground more forcefully and for longer periods to derive a driving force in NW enhances the effectiveness of the exercise and potentially the health-derived benefits.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Proficiency in pole handling during Nordic walking influences exercise effectiveness in middle-aged and older adults

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Initially, all the elderly performed a familiarization period of 4 weeks with the technique of NW (one weekly session of 45 min) and only after that, the participants attended the lab for executing the assessments corresponding to the pre-training period. Recent findings confirm that the correct technique of NW improves the effectiveness of the exercise [25,26].…”

Section: Trial Design and Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 52%

Nordic walking training in elderly, a randomized clinical trial. Part II: Biomechanical and metabolic adaptations

et al. 2020

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Nordic walking is an attractive method of endurance training. Nevertheless, the biomechanic response due to the additional contribution of using poles in relation to free walking training has been less explored in the elderly. Purpose: This randomized parallel controlled trial aimed to assess the effects of 8 weeks of Nordic walking and free walking training on the walking economy, mechanical work, metabolically optimal speed, and electromyographic activation in elderly. Methods: Thirty-three sedentary elderly were randomized into Nordic walking (n = 16) and free walking group (n = 17) with equalized loads. Submaximal walking tests were performed from 1 to 5 km h −1 on the treadmill.Results: Walking economy was improved in both free and Nordic walking groups (x 2 4.91, p = 0.014) and the metabolically optimal speed was increased by approximately 0.5 km h −1 changing the speed-cost profile. The electromyographic activation in lower and upper limbs, pendular recovery, and total, external, and internal mechanical work remained unchanged (p > 0.05). Interestingly, the internal mechanical work associated with arm movement was higher in the Nordic walking group than in the free walking group after training, while the co-contraction from upper limb muscles was reduced similarly to both groups.Conclusions: Eight weeks of Nordic walking training effectively improved the walking economy and functionality as well as maintained the gait mechanics, similar to free walking training in elderly people. This enhancement in the metabolic economy may have been mediated by a reduction in the co-contraction from upper limb muscles. Trial registration: ClinicalTrails.gov NCT03096964

show abstract

“…By contrast, pole weight does not appear to have a signi cant effect on energy consumption [21]. As a result of comparing W and four different types of NW, muscle activity and metabolic response were different according to the type of NW, but all types of NW showed higher metabolic response and muscle activity than W [22].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

Estimation of Energy Expenditure of Nordic Walking: A Crossover Trial

Baek

2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Nordic walking (NW) requires more energy compared with conventional walking (W). However, the metabolic equation for NW has not been reported. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize responses in oxygen uptake (V̇O2), minute ventilation (V̇E), heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and surface electromyography (sEMG) of the upper and lower limb muscles during NW and W and to develop a metabolic equation for energy expenditure (E) of NW.Methods: Fifty healthy young men constituted our sample (aged 23.7 ± 3.0 years). Two randomly assigned walking tests (NW and W) on a treadmill at a predetermined stepwise incremental walking speed (3–5 km·h-1) and grade (0%–7%). The V̇O2, V̇E, HR, and SBP were measured. The sEMG signals of the three upper limb muscles and three lower limb muscles in their right body were recorded. Linear regression analysis was used to draw estimation of EE during W and NW.Results: V̇O2 (+15.8%), V̇E (+17.0%), RR (+18.2%), HR (+8.4%), and SBP (+7.7%) were higher in NW than in W. NW resulted in increased muscle activity in all of the upper limb muscles (P<.05). In the lower limb, sEMG activities in two of the three lower limb muscles were increased in NW than in W only during level walking (P<.05). EE during W and NW was estimated as follows: EW = 4.4 + 0.09 × speed + 1.20 × speed × grade; ENW = 6.1 + 0.09 × speed + 1.19 × speed × grade.Conclusion: NW showed higher work intensity than W, with an oxygen consumption difference of 1.7 mL·kg-1·min-1. The coefficients were not different between the two walking methods. NW involved more muscles of the upper body than W.

show abstract

Muscular and metabolic responses to different Nordic walking techniques, when style matters

Cited by 37 publications

References 37 publications

Proficiency in pole handling during Nordic walking influences exercise effectiveness in middle-aged and older adults

Proficiency in pole handling during Nordic walking influences exercise effectiveness in middle-aged and older adults

Nordic walking training in elderly, a randomized clinical trial. Part II: Biomechanical and metabolic adaptations

Estimation of Energy Expenditure of Nordic Walking: A Crossover Trial

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About