INFLUENCE OF POSTURE ON ARM EXERCISE TOLERANCE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL-RESPONSES IN PERSONS WITH SPINAL-CORD INJURED PARAPLEGIA

This study compared metabolic and cardiopulmonary responses to increme ntal supine and upright sitting arm crank ergometry (ACE) in nine men with spinal cord injured paraplegia ranging from T1-T5. Both tests con sisted of continuous graded ACE from rest to volitional fatigue on a m odified electronically braked cycle ergometer with the work rate incre ased by 8.2 W.min(-1). No significant differences (P>0.05) existed for peak ACE power output (W), oxygen uptake, pulmonary ventilation, resp iratory exchange ratio, and O-2 pulse between the two tests. Heart rat e and O-2 pulse responses at six submaximal work rates representing 0- 58% peak l;V were also not significantly different between postures. T hese data indicate that ACE tolerance in persons with high-lesion para plegia was not enhanced when ACE was performed in the supine posture.