Abstract
BackgroundLeg-press machines are widely employed for musculoskeletal conditioning of the lower-limbs and they provide cardiovascular benefits for resistance training in cardiac patients. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of a dynamic leg press (DLP) for incremental cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and to compare the results with those obtained using a cycle ergometer (CE).MethodsTwelve healthy participants aged 27±4 years (mean ± standard deviation) performed incremental cardiopulmonary exercise tests on a DLP and on a CE. To facilitate CPET, the DLP was augmented with force and angle sensors, a work rate estimation algorithm, and a visual feedback system. Gas exchange variables and heart rate were recorded breath-by-breath using a cardiopulmonary monitoring system.ResultsPeak oxygen uptake and peak heart rate were significantly lower for the DLP than for the CE: peak oxygen uptake was 3.2±0.5 vs. 4.1±0.5 L/min (DLP vs. CE, p=6.7×10−6); peak heart rate was 174±14 vs. 182±13 bpm (DLP vs. CE, p=0.0016). Likewise, the sub-maximal cardiopulmonary parameters, viz. the first and second ventilatory thresholds, and ramp duration were significantly lower for the DLP.ConclusionsThe dynamic leg press was found to be feasible for CPET: the approach was technically implementable and all peak and sub-maximal cardiopulmonary parameters were able to be identified. The lower outcome values observed with the DLP can be attributed to a peripheral factor, namely the earlier onset of muscular fatigue.
Highlights
Leg-press machines are widely employed for musculoskeletal conditioning of the lower-limbs and they provide cardiovascular benefits for resistance training in cardiac patients
All cardiopulmonary outcome measures could be successfully estimated for all participants for both the dynamic leg press (DLP) and the cycle ergometer (CE), except that second ventilatory threshold (VT2) could not be identified for two participants on the DLP
CE outcomes across all participants is provided (Table 1): the mean values of five of the six outcomes were significantly lower for the DLP than for the CE; only Peak respiratory exchange ratio (RERpeak) did not show a significant difference
Summary
Leg-press machines are widely employed for musculoskeletal conditioning of the lower-limbs and they provide cardiovascular benefits for resistance training in cardiac patients. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of a dynamic leg press (DLP) for incremental cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and to compare the results with those obtained using a cycle ergometer (CE). Peak aerobic capacity in humans can be estimated using the highest value of the rate of oxygen uptake (V O2) obtained from incremental cardiopulmonary exercise testing [1,2,3]. Any proposal for testing using new or modified devices should include a comparative assessment using one of these standard devices. In this vein, Orr et al [8] compared the cardiopulmonary outcomes of an arm-crank device with those obtained with a cycle ergometer. Saengsuwan et al [9] compared peak cardiopulmonary performance parameters from a robotics-assisted tilt table
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