ENERGY-COST AND LOCOMOTIVE ECONOMY OF HANDBIKE AND ROWCYCLE PROPULSION BY PERSONS WITH SPINAL-CORD INJURY

Seven subjects with chronic paralysis due to spinal cord injury comple ted a series of experiments to 1) determine and compare the metabolic cost of propelling the Handbike and Rowcycle, and 2) evaluate the pote ntial of these upper body-powered devices for improving the cardioresp iratory fitness of persons with lower limb disabilities. Mean intrasub ject differences between the Handbike and Rowcycle rides for heart rat e, minute ventilation, oxygen uptake, and net locomotive energy cost w ere small and did not reach statistical significance for any of the ri de conditions. Lower net locomotive energy cost (greater economy) duri ng a 5.5 mi-hr(-1) ride condition predicted vehicle preference in all cases (P=0.008). The range of values for percent peak oxygen uptake su ggests that all but one of the subjects were able to utilize either ve hicle at an intensity sufficient for improving and maintaining cardior espiratory fitness without undue fatigue.