Abstract
[Purpose] Employing a comfortable posture and with the trunk leaning forward with the upper limbs supported in bicycle ergometer exercise, we clarified the effects and characteristics of posture from the respiratory responses. [Subjects] The subjects were 9 healthy young adults, average age 23.1 ± 0.8. [Method] Two groups, the TF group (trunk inclined forward with the upper limbs supported) and the HH group (gripping the handlebar), performed automatically regulated fixed heart rate load exercise for 20 min, and we compared the respiratory responses. [Result] The TF group respirated less as a result of prolonged expiration, and had superior ventilation efficiency. [Conclusion] The TF group's pedaling posture was found to have physical characteristics similar to a comfortable posture, suggesting it would be beneficial for chronic respiratory failure patients, who characteristically display shallow, rapid breathing in continuous exercise on a bicycle ergometer.
