| Background:The analysis of the kinetic responses of heart rate (HR) and oxygen consumption (VO 2 ) are an important tool for the evaluation of exercise performance and health status. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of aging on the HR and VO 2 kinetics during the rest-exercise transition (on-transient) and the exercise-recovery transition (off-transient), in addition to investigating the influence of exercise intensity (mild and moderate) on these variables. Method: A total of 14 young (23±3 years) and 14 elderly (70±4 years) healthy men performed an incremental exercise testing (ramp protocol) on a cycle-ergometer to determine the maximal power (MP). Discontinuous exercise testing was initiated at 10% of the MP with subsequent increases of 10% until exhaustion. The measurement of HR, ventilatory and metabolic variables and blood lactate were obtained at rest and during the discontinuous exercise. Results: The lactate threshold was determined in each subject and was similar between the groups (30±7% of MP in the young group and 29±5% of MP in the elderly group, p>0.05). The HR and VO 2 kinetics (on-and off-transient) were slower in the elderly group compared to the young group (p<0.05). Additionally, in the young group, the values of HR and VO 2 kinetics were higher in the moderate compared to the mild exercise intensity. Conclusion: We concluded that the elderly group presented with slower HR and VO 2 kinetics in relation to the young group for both on-and off-transients of the dynamic exercise. Moreover, in the young group, the kinetic responses were slower in the moderate intensity in relation to the mild intensity.Keywords: aging; exercise; kinetics; blood lactate; physical therapy; rehabilitation.
HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLESimões RP, Bonjorno Júnior JC, Beltrame T, Catai AM, Arena R, Borghi-Silva A. Slower heart rate and oxygen consumption kinetic responses in the on-and off-transient during a discontinuous incremental exercise: effects of aging. Braz J Phys Ther. 2013 17(1): 69-76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1413-35552012005000056 RESUMO | Contextualização: A análise da resposta cinética da frequência cardíaca (FC) e do consumo de oxigênio (VO2) é uma importante ferramenta para avaliar a performance ao exercício e a condição de saúde. Objetivos: Investigar o efeito do envelhecimento na resposta cinética da FC e do VO2 durante as transições repouso-exercício (fase-on) e exercício-recuperação (fase-off), além de verificar a influência da intensidade do exercício (leve e moderada) sobre os parâmetros cinéticos dessas variáveis. Método: Catorze homens jovens (23±3 anos) e 14 homens idosos (70±4 anos) aparentemente saudáveis realizaram um teste de esforço incremental tipo rampa em cicloergômetro para determinar a potência máxima (PM) e um teste de exercício descontínuo, iniciado a 10% da PM com aumentos subsequentes de 10% até a exaustão. Foram registradas a FC, as variáveis ventilatórias e metabólicas e da lactacidemia em repouso e durante o exercício descontínuo. R...