Summary
To determine adaptation to prolonged exercise in paraplegics, maximal O2 uptake (\(\dot V_{O_{2max} } \)) and lactate threshold (LT) were evaluated during an arm cranking exercise in nine patients (P) and nine able-bodied (AB) subjects.
Mean \(\dot V_{O_{2max} } \) averaged 25.1 and 31.6 ml · min−1 · kg−1 in P and AB groups respectively. \(\dot V_{O_{2max} } \) in P was found to be directly related to the level of spinal injury: the higher the lesion the lower the uptake. Lactate threshold expressed as a percentage of \(\dot V_{O_{2max} } \) was higher in P (59%) than in AB (43%), and close to that observed in armtrained athletes.
Since training has less effect on \(\dot V_{O_{2max} } \) in paraplegics than in able-bodied subjects, attributable to a deficiency in the circulatory adaptation of paraplegics to exercise, the observed differences between AB and P in lactate threshold and submaximal exercise indicate that the possible effect of training in paraplegics is located at the level of intracellular chemistry, with a diminution in glycogenolysis (higher LT) and a higher rate of lipid utilization (lower RQ).
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Flandrois, R., Grandmontagne, M., Gerin, H. et al. Aerobic performance capacity in paraplegic subjects. Europ. J. Appl. Physiol. 55, 604–609 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00423204
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00423204