Abstract
The purposes of this study are to clarify cardiopulmonary responses to bedside activities in the hemiplegics, to obtain a widely applicable testing protocol, and to compare the exercise responses of the hemiplegics to normal controls.
Methods:
1) Preliminary study: 15 hemiplegics performed various bedside activities at their comfortable speeds. Oxygen uptake (VO2) and heart rate (HR) were measured and stress level of each activity was determined.
2) Comparison between the hemiplegics and controls: 52 hemiplegics (61.5±11.4yrs, 33 males, 19 females) and 10 normal controls (64.4±7.3 yrs, 5 males, 5 females, ) performed the activities at a pace predetermined from the preliminary study.
3) Reproducibility of the testing was examined in 17 hemiplegics within 2 weeks from the first testing.
4) Changes of exercise parameters after more than 4 weeks of rehabilitation were tested in 13 hemiplegics.
Results:
1) A bedside exercise testing protocol applicable to most hemiplegics was determined consisting of supine lying, sitting, standing, elevation of bilateral arms (10rpm), rolling over (7rpm), bridging (13rpm), sit ups (5rpm), stepping (60steps/min) and stand ups (10rpm).
2) Absolute HR and HR increase from the resting level was significantly higher in the hemiplegics in sitting, standing, stepping and stand ups.
3) VO2 was not significantly different between the two groups in most activities, but relative increase in VO2 from the resting level was higher in the hemiplegics in sitting, standing, rolling over, stepping and stand ups.
4) Relationship between HR and VO2 was linear with this protocol, and the slope of the regression line (HR-VO2 coefficient), predicted maximal VO2 and VO2 at HR 100 (VO2 100) as indices of fitness were lower in the hemiplegics.
5) Reproducibility of VO2 and HR for each activity was satisfactory.
6) After more than 4 weeks of rehabilitation, decrease of HR for the same activities and improvement in the indices of fitness were observed.
Conclusions:
According to the level of cardiopulmonary stress for the bedside activities, we determined an exercise testing protocol in the hemiplegics. The linearity between HR and VO2 observed with this protocol enabled us to use the indices of fitness obtained from this relationship.
