RELIABILITY OF HEART-RATE RESPONSES TO NON-STEADY-STATE ACTIVITIES OFDAILY LIVING IN MEN WITH SPINAL-CORD INJURIES

The reliability of heart rate responses to non-steady-state tasks amon g 37 men with spinal cord injuries (lesion level: C4/5-L5) was examine d with a simple heart rate recording device (Sport Tester PE3000). Thr ee identical trials of 6 different transfers and an 8-cm curb ascent w ere performed on one day (Trial 1 and 2; n = 37) and one week later (T rial 3; n = 12). Pearson's r and intraclass correlations for the highe st and the mean heart rate provoked during Trial 1 and 2 ranged from 0 .73 to 0.97 for the transfers and from 0.92 to 0.97 for the curb ascen t. Correlations were somewhat lower for Trial 1 versus Trial 3. A pair ed t-test revealed lower heart rate responses to Trial 2 and 3, sugges ting a moderate learning effect and/or a reduction in psychological st ress. It was concluded that heart rate responses to non-steady-state t asks, as recorded by a Sport Tester PE3000, are reproducible in men wi th spinal cord injuries.