Abstract
Purpose
The most commonly used propulsion method for handcycling is moving the arms symmetrically. Previous studies indicated that during outdoor handcycling symmetrical arm movements are more efficient. During locomotor movements, however, arm movements are performed asymmetrically in combination with leg movements. We questioned which combination of arm and leg movements is more efficient during combined arm and leg cycling for stationary use.
Methods
Twenty-five able-bodied adults performed eight submaximal tests of 6 min on a hybrid handcycle at three incremental gears during four different conditions (‘arms only’ and ‘arms & legs’ with arms symmetrical and asymmetrical). Oxygen uptake (VO2), heart rate (HR) and Borg score (Borg) were assessed.
Results
Increasing workload resulted in significant increases in VO2 (16 W: 13.0 ± 2.4 ml kg−1 min−1, 31 W: 14.5 ± 2.9, 49 W: 15.5 ± 2.8; p < 0.001) and Borg (16 W: 7.7 ± 1.7 points, 31 W: 8.6 ± 1.9, 49 W: 9.5 ± 1.9; p < 0.001). During ‘arms only’, no differences were found in exercise intensity between symmetrical and asymmetrical movements. Contrarily, during ‘arms & legs’, both VO2 (p < 0.001) and Borg (p = 0.001) were significantly lower for the asymmetrical (VO2: 13.8 ± 2.6 ml kg−1 min−1, Borg: 8.1 ± 1.6 points) compared to the symmetrical condition (VO2: 14.9 ± 2.8, Borg: 9.1 ± 2.0).
Conclusions
Results indicated that asymmetrical arm movements, especially in combination with leg movements, represented the most efficient condition on a stationary hybrid handcycle. The current results suggest that neural energy costs are lower when moving in the preferred (asymmetrical) coordination when no steering is required. These findings may have implications for stationary arm & leg cycling rehabilitation and tricycle adaptations in patients with spinal cord injury.
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Abbreviations
- ANOVA:
-
Analysis of variance
- HR:
-
Heart rate
- RER:
-
Respiratory exchange ratio
- SCI:
-
Spinal cord injury
- VO2 :
-
Oxygen uptake
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Acknowledgments
PM and JD were supported by a grant from ‘bijzonder onderzoeksfonds’ KU Leuven [grant number OT/08/034, PDMK/12/180], and by FWO (Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen; scientific research funding Flanders) [grant number G.0901.11]. WH was supported by FWO [grant number G.0756.10]. R. Berkelmans is gratefully acknowledged for providing a special prototype of BerkelBike, allowing to study arm movements in different modes. We thank the physical therapists of the SCI unit at the Rehabilitation Centre Pellenberg (UZ Leuven) for their assistance and clinical expertise during the measurements. Special thanks are also due to Sarah Langendries and Celine Maisin for assistance with data acquisition and analysis. Furthermore, we would like to acknowledge J. Verellen and Prof. Y. Vanlandewijck for their support concerning the experimental setup.
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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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Communicated by Jean-René Lacour.
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Meyns, P., Van de Walle, P., Hoogkamer, W. et al. Coordinating arms and legs on a hybrid rehabilitation tricycle: the metabolic benefit of asymmetrical compared to symmetrical arm movements. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 743–750 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-013-2814-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-013-2814-5