Abstract
Background: Running performance is widely understood interms of the Joyner model (VO2max, %VO2max at ventilatorythreshold (VT), running economy (often measured as cost ofrunning (CR) as VO2 in ml.kg‑1.km‑1).Objective: To test the Joyner model by evaluating a runner inwhom one element of the Joyner model is systematically abnormal.Methods: The case of a two-time Paralympian with cerebral palsy(CP), 2nd place in the Sydney 2000 Paralympic 1500 m (T37) isreported. Incremental and steady state treadmill runs as well assimulated competitions were completed. Incremental and steadystate (50% PPO) cycling with two legs (2L), the non-affected leg(NL), and the affected leg (AL) were also completed.Results: His silver medal (2000 Sydney OG) performance for1500 m was 269 s (4:29) (77.2% of velocity in contemporary ablebodiedworld record (WR). At the time of study, his VO2maxwas 64.2 ml.min‑1.kg‑1. His cost of running (CR) (1% grade) washigher, at 257 vs 228, 211 and 188 ml.kg‑1.km‑1 (for ACSM norms,elite Europeans, elite East Africans). During cycling, his VO2maxwith 2L, NL and AL was 3.74, 3.78 and 3.71 l.min‑1, and his grossefficiency (GE) was 18.4, 12.2 and 9.3%, respectively.Conclusions: In a former elite runner with CP, there is littleevidence of a central oxygen transport limitation. The higherCR (plausibly reflected by the reduced GE of his AL) appears toaccount for much of the difference in performance compared toable-bodied runners. The results provide both insight into thephysiological limitations of runners with CP and support for theJoyner model of competitive running performance.Keywords: biomechanics, athletic training, exercise performance,exercise physiology
Highlights
Running performance is widely understood in terms of the Joyner model (VO2max, %VO2max at ventilatory threshold (VT), running economy (often measured as cost of running (CR) as VO2 in ml.kg‐1.km‐1)
The main finding of this case study was that an elite runner with cerebral palsy (CP) was characterised by increased CR, which seems to define the mechanism of his reduced performance ability more than other variables in the Joyner model of running
This finding was supported by a decrease in GE during cycling in his AL
Summary
Running performance is widely understood in terms of the Joyner model (VO2max, %VO2max at ventilatory threshold (VT), running economy (often measured as cost of running (CR) as VO2 in ml.kg‐1.km‐1). At the time of study, his VO2max was 64.2 ml.min‐1.kg‐1 His cost of running (CR) (1% grade) was higher, at 257 vs 228, 211 and 188 ml.kg‐1.km‐1 (for ACSM norms, elite Europeans, elite East Africans). During cycling, his VO2max with 2L, NL and AL was 3.74, 3.78 and 3.71 l.min‐1, and his gross efficiency (GE) was 18.4, 12.2 and 9.3%, respectively. The higher CR (plausibly reflected by the reduced GE of his AL) appears to account for much of the difference in performance compared to able-bodied runners The results provide both insight into the physiological limitations of runners with CP and support for the Joyner model of competitive running performance.
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