Nowadays, race handbikes are built with lightweight materials and usually present an aerodynamic user-interface property. These features markedly affect the propulsion techniques, mechanical loading, mechanical efficiency and thus the metabolic cost (C). Then, the purpose of this study was to analyze the metabolic cost in disabled subjects during submaximal handcycling in an ecological condition. Ten disabled subjects (nine males and one female, age: 44.8±7.5 y, body mass: 62±11.8 kg, sport classes and lesion: four MH1 (two cervical lesion C6-C7; one polio; one pyramidal syndrome) four MH2 (four thoracic lesion Th1-Th8) one MH3 (lumbo-sacral plexus) and one WH1 (C6)) cycled at constant aerobic speeds (2.79 ÷ 8.42 m s-1) on a running track under metabolic measuring (K4b2 COSMED) with their own handbikes (bike weight: 16.9±3.1 kg, bike model: AP (Arm Power, recumbent seat). C was obtained from the ratio between steady state oxygen uptake (net VO2) and average speed. C during synchronous handcycling showed an exponential increase (y=0.4384e0.1642x R2=0.77) over the studied speeds (from 0.71 J.kg-1.m-1 to 1.86 J.kg-1.m-1). In brief, handcycling exercise presented higher C than Cycling (0.5 J.kg-1.m-1), which was expected because the exercise is performed with the arms. However, among other assisted locomotion types - crutch walking (7 J.kg-1.m-1) and wheelchair (2 J.kg-1.m-1) - it seems to be the most economic form. Future analysis on mechanical efficiency of handcycling can reveal the advantages of aerodynamic models in respect to the others.
Metabolic cost of handcycling
FISCHER, Gabriela;ARDIGO', Luca Paolo
2012-01-01
Abstract
Nowadays, race handbikes are built with lightweight materials and usually present an aerodynamic user-interface property. These features markedly affect the propulsion techniques, mechanical loading, mechanical efficiency and thus the metabolic cost (C). Then, the purpose of this study was to analyze the metabolic cost in disabled subjects during submaximal handcycling in an ecological condition. Ten disabled subjects (nine males and one female, age: 44.8±7.5 y, body mass: 62±11.8 kg, sport classes and lesion: four MH1 (two cervical lesion C6-C7; one polio; one pyramidal syndrome) four MH2 (four thoracic lesion Th1-Th8) one MH3 (lumbo-sacral plexus) and one WH1 (C6)) cycled at constant aerobic speeds (2.79 ÷ 8.42 m s-1) on a running track under metabolic measuring (K4b2 COSMED) with their own handbikes (bike weight: 16.9±3.1 kg, bike model: AP (Arm Power, recumbent seat). C was obtained from the ratio between steady state oxygen uptake (net VO2) and average speed. C during synchronous handcycling showed an exponential increase (y=0.4384e0.1642x R2=0.77) over the studied speeds (from 0.71 J.kg-1.m-1 to 1.86 J.kg-1.m-1). In brief, handcycling exercise presented higher C than Cycling (0.5 J.kg-1.m-1), which was expected because the exercise is performed with the arms. However, among other assisted locomotion types - crutch walking (7 J.kg-1.m-1) and wheelchair (2 J.kg-1.m-1) - it seems to be the most economic form. Future analysis on mechanical efficiency of handcycling can reveal the advantages of aerodynamic models in respect to the others.
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