Metabolic and cardiopulmonary responses of older wheelchair-dependent and ambulatory patients during locomotion∗

Abstract

To determine preferred velocities and magnitudes of metabolic and cardiopulmonary responses of older wheelchair-dependent (WD) patients and ambulatory (AMB) psychiatric patients during locomotion, eight WD (mean age 62 years) and ten AMB (mean age 58 years) patients travelled over a level tiled circular course. During wheelchair locomotion and walking, respectively, mean results were: velocity, 2·0, 3·1 km hour⁻¹; oxygen uptake, 0·532, 0·8061min⁻¹; net locomotive energy cost, 0·574, 0·558netkcal kg⁻¹ km⁻¹; pulmonary ventilation, 19·6, 25·71 min⁻¹; heart rate, 94·6, 92·7 beats min⁻¹. Although walking at 3·1 km hour⁻¹ required greater absolute energy expenditure than for wheelchair locomotion at 2·0 km hour⁻¹, locomotive efficiency was approximately the same. When considering differences in exercise capability between arms and legs, relative stresses experienced by the WD and AMB subjects appeared to be similar. Locomotive efficiency was reduced when the AMB subjects reduced their walking speed to 20km hour⁻¹. This study suggests that self-selected velocities for wheelchair locomotion and walking are related to both maximal physical capability for each activity and locomotive efficiency.

Keywords:

• Energy expenditure
• Preferred locomotive velocities
• Efficiency of locomotion
• Wheelchairs

Notes

This work was presented in part at the 1981 fall meeting of the American Physiological Society and published in abstract form (1981, Physiologist, 24, 41).