Peak V̇O2 during handcycling in spinal cord injured athletes: incremental versus verification testing.

Abstract

The present study aimed to compare peak oxygen uptake (V̇O2peak), peak heart rate (HRpeak) and peak O2 pulse during an incremental and a verification test performed on the same day in hand-cyclists with spinal cord injury (SCI). Eight competitive SCI hand-cyclists (age: 23 ± 2.7 years; V̇O2peak: 2.24 ± 0.79 l.min-1 or 36.3 ± 14.0 ml.kg-1.min-1) performed a maximal incremental handcycling test and a verification test to exhaustion at 100% of V̇O2peak speed on an oversized treadmill. The V̇O2peak, HRpeak and peak O2pulse (i.e. VO2/HR) were compared between incremental and verification tests. V̇O2peak obtained in the verification test (2.51 ± 0.96 l.min-1) was significantly higher than values obtained in the incremental test (2.24 ± 0.79 l.min-1; P = 0.018). There was no difference in HRpeak (Incremental: 169 ± 24 bpm; Verification 167 ± 25 bpm; P = 0.130). Peak O2pulse from the verification test (14.6 ± 4.7 ml.beat-1) was higher than incremental test (13.0 ± 3.8 ml.beat-1; P = 0.007). Six subjects presented variability greater than ± 4% in verification test compared with the incremental exercise. In conclusion, the verification test elicited higher V̇O2peak than the incremental test despite the similar HR, suggesting the relevance of verification phase to determine V̇O2peak of hand-cyclists with spinal cord injuries.