METABOLIC AND HEMODYNAMIC-RESPONSES TO WALKING WITH HAND WEIGHTS IN OLDER INDIVIDUALS

The purpose of this study was to examine metabolic and hemodynamic res ponses of older adults (age = 66.2 +/- 5.6 yr) to walking with hand-he ld weights (HHW). Nineteen volunteers participated in eight randomly a ssigned, 10-min, submaximal, self-selected constant speed (CSP) or con stant heart rate (CHR) exercise bouts using the following HHW conditio ns: no weight, W0; 0.45 kg, W1; 1.36 kg, W3; 2.27 kg, W5. Oxygen uptak e (VO2) was recorded every 30 s, heart rate (HR) each minute, and bloo d pressure (BP) every 2 min. Mean values for the last 5 min of exercis e were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. Contrast comparison tes ts were used to determine differences among means. During CS, signific ant differences between means (P less than or equal to 0.05) existed f or: VO, (W0,W1 < W3,W5); HR, SBP, DBP, SBPmax, DBPmax (W0 < W1,W3,W5); HR, rate pressure product (RPP), DBPmax (W1 < W5); SBP, DBP, SBPmax, RPP (W3 < W5). During CHR, significant differences (P less than or equ al to 0.05) between means existed for: SBP, DBP, RPP (W0,W1,W3 < W5); DBP (W0 < W3; W1,W3 < W5). These results indicate that the use of HHW significantly increases metabolic responses at W3 and W5 during CS exe rcise in older adults, while hemodynamic responses increase significan tly across HHW for both CS and CHR. Due to the increases in hemodynami c responses, the use of HHW may be contraindicated for older individua ls with suspected or diagnosed cardiovascular disease.