The purpose of the present investigation was to study the effects of an arm ergometer training programme on several physiological variables of recreational wheelchair subjects. Ten paraplegics (5 experimental, 5 control) were tested prior to and immediately after a 2 month exercise regimen at 80% of peak heart rate (30 min per day, 5 days per week, for 8 consecutive weeks at 50 rev/min). The results demonstrated significant increases (p < 0.05) in VO2max (l/min and ml/kg/min) and workload but only mild improvements in maximal heart rate and post exercise blood lactates. Body fat, vital capacity and forced expiratory volume did not change with training. Triceps lateralis fibre distribution and fast twitch (FT) fibre area were unaffected by the endurance training programme. However, slow twitch (ST) fibre area increased (p < 0.05) with training. The results indicate that physiological variables of paraplegic subjects following an arm ergometer endurance training programme react similarly to changes previously observed in non-handicapped subjects. The values when compared with normals are low as a result of the relative inactivity of the subjects due to the lack of available exercise programmes for wheelchair people.
Reprinted by permission from Spinal Cord, Macmillan Publishers Ltd.

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