ORIGINAL ARTICLE  EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOMECHANICS 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2019 June;59(6):925-33

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.18.08531-6

Copyright © 2018 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Predictive factors of peak aerobic capacity using simple measurements of anthropometry and musculoskeletal fitness in paraplegic men

Jae S. CHANG ^{1, 2}, Young H. LEE ^{2, 3}, In D. KONG ^{1, 2} ✉

¹ Department of Physiology, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, South Korea; ² Yonsei Institute of Sports Science and Exercise Medicine, Wonju, South Korea; ³ Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, South Korea

BACKGROUND: Protocols for evaluating cardiovascular fitness for wheelchair-dependent persons are still scarcely accessible due to the requirements such as specialized equipment and expertise in community or public healthcare settings. This study aimed to assess the potential of secondary utilization of musculoskeletal fitness components for estimating peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) in paraplegic men.
METHODS: Thirty-three paraplegic men (T1-L3) aged 23-63 years underwent anthropometry (height, weight and calculated body mass index and body surface area) and upper-body musculoskeletal fitness tests (back-scratch, arm-curls and handgrip strength tests) and performed a graded exercise test with an arm-crank ergometer on two non-consecutive days. To determine the relationship between VO2peak and various kinanthropometric parameters and derive a regression model that predicts the VO2peak, uni- and multivariate analyses were conducted, respectively.
RESULTS: Maximal numbers of arm curls on either arm (r=0.486, P=0.004) and the back-scratch distance (r=0.426, P=0.013) were moderately correlated with VO2peak. Moreover, among the indices of handgrip strength, average handgrip strength of both hands divided by the body surface area showed a strong correlation coefficient with VO2peak (r=0.674, P<0.001). Multivariate linear regression analysis indicated that muscular endurance and strength were the main predictors for estimating VO2peak. Considering shoulder flexibility, age, and anthropometric variables, the regression model showed the highest adjusted R2 of 0.811 and lowest standard error of estimate of 3.54 mL·kg-1·min-1 (P<0.001). The Bland-Altman plots indicated good agreement between actual and estimated VO2peak. The mean absolute prediction error was 11.9%.
CONCLUSIONS: Musculoskeletal fitness and anthropometric components may be predictive factors of a new conceptual modality estimating concomitant cardiorespiratory fitness beyond their traditional health-related indications.

KEY WORDS: Paraplegia; Anthropometry; Exercise test; Physical fitness; Hand strength; Range of motion, articular