Abstract
We devised a wheel-chair treadmill with variable speed and slope for evaluating physical fitness of paraplegic patients. We tested 15 paraplegic patients and 9 able-bodied with it.
Then we compared with the method of load speed and load slope, and discussed the relation between physical fitness performance and them. As a result, we get followings; 1) There was a significant correlation between heart rate and oxgen consumption of the subjects in both of load speed and load slope methods (VO2: P<0.01). This means they are useful method of testing the physical fitness of person with wheel chair. 2) According to the data of “all out” subjects of able bodied showed significant low values in the test of load speed method. 3) VO2 max varied from 28.9 to 32.4ml/kg/min in the subjects of able bodied and the lower lesion paraplegic patients, while in the upper lesion paraplegic patients, it varied from 25.5 to 25.6ml/kg/min. 4) There was a significant correlation between VO2 and the result of 5-minute wheel-chair run test, and VO2 and the result of 60m wheel-chair dush test, in lower lesion paraplegic patients
