Hand rim wheelchair training: Effects of intensity and duration on physical capacity

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of intensity and duration of training on physical capacity in a 7 weeks hand rim wheelchair training in able-bodied men. Thirty-six able-bodied men participated in three groups: a 30% heart rate reserve (HRR) 70 min training group (N = 14), a 70% HRR 30 minutes training group (N = 13) and a 30% HRR 30 minutes training group (N = 9). All groups trained 3 times per week for 7 weeks on a treadmill. Pre and post tests on a wheelchair ergometer comprised a submaximal test at 20% and 40% of the estimated peak power output , in which submaximal heart rate, oxygen uptake and mechanical efficiency were determined. In maximal exercise tests, maximal isometric strength, sprint power, peak power output and peak oxygen uptake were measured. No significant differences were found between the training groups on submaximal and maximal parameters. It can be concluded that, in persons new to wheelchair use, seven weeks of wheelchair endurance training at an intensity of 30% HRR for 30 minutes is as effective as a training at a higher intensity (70% HRR) or with a longer duration (70 min).

Effects of variable practice on the motor learning outcomes in manual wheelchair propulsion

“…As shown in Table 4, where the results of the variable practice group where statistically compared with previous literature, the relative increase in mechanical efficiency in the variable practice group is comparable to the improvements found by the historical studies, which used higher exercise doses [6, 24]. Nonetheless, it should be acknowledged that the increase in mechanical efficiency in the present study might not just be the effect of increased skill and underlying coordination, but also of improved physical capacity as response to exercise.…”

“…Another study, which also offered 80 min of low-intensity wheelchair training (within one day or 3-weeks), found 0% (5.5% → 5.5%) of relative improvement in slower learners and 20% improvement in faster learners (4.9% → 5.9%) [5]. A study that offered two training intensities across 630 min (3× per week across 7 weeks) found a relative improvement ranging from 17 to 24% [24]. The largest relative improvement in mechanical efficiency of 30% (5.37% → 6.99%) was found following a 7-week low intensity wheelchair practice program (3× per week, 70 min = total of 1470 min) [6].…”

“…Both, present study protocol for the variable practice group and natural learning protocols [4, 6–8, 24] led to improvement in mechanical efficiency and propulsion technique. The main difference between them is the course of variability, which increased in the variable practice group and either did not change or decreased in the natural learning protocols [5, 8], including the current control group.…”

Wheelchair-specific fitness of inactive people with long-term spinal cord injury

“…Although associations among the fitness components in the present study were weaker than in previous studies on people with ScI, they do appear to be stronger than what has been found in able-bodied groups (16,18,35). In these groups, no or weaker associations were apparent among upper-body and lower-body fitness components of able-bodied people (16,18,35).…”

“…In these groups, no or weaker associations were apparent among upper-body and lower-body fitness components of able-bodied people (16,18,35). A possible explanation for this difference is that, on a group level, wheelchair users with ScI are more homogenous in their development of upper-body aerobic, lactic and alactic metabolism compared with upper-body and lower-body metabolism of able-bodied people (36).…”