Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) is the internationally recognized measure of a person's cardiorespiratory fitness. Currently the most accurate way of assessing one's true VO2max involves the use of maximal exercise tests, which require the use of specialized equipment, and are time consuming and costly. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of the submaximal Siconolfi step test to estimate VO2max. A second purpose was to determine if body fat percentage improved the validity. Thirty-six individuals underwent a maximal treadmill test, in which VO2max was directly measured, and the step test. Results indicate that, although VO2max estimates generated by the Siconolfi step test are highly correlated to true VO2max (r =.887; p<.01), the values consistently underestimated a person's aerobic fitness. It was also determined that body fat percentage did not contribute to the prediction of VO2max.

O domínio da locomoção é essencial para a execução adequada de diferentes atividades da vida diária. Atualmente, utiliza-se de vários instrumentos de treinamento para o retorno às atividades funcionais, como a esteira rolante e o elíptico. O problema desta pesquisa está baseado na pergunta: Qual é o padrão de ativação dos músculos do membro durante o exercício no elíptico? O objetivo principal é analisar e descrever as características biomecânicas da aceleração e da atividade eletromiográfica do andar em um elíptico. Participaram 42 adultos divididos em três grupos: grupo adulto jovem, constituído por 20 adultos jovens, grupo adulto idoso, constituído por 12 adultos idosos, ambos praticantes de atividade física regular e sem lesões ou problemas no aparelho locomotor, e grupo de adultos pós acidente vascular encefálico, constituído por 10 indivíduos. O questionário internacional de atividade física e os testes para a avaliação qualitativa da marcha, o teste de categoria de ambulação funcional e teste de equilíbrio em pé foram aplicados. Foram utilizados um acelerômetro tridimensional e um eletromiógrafo de superfície com 16 canais, além de uma esteira ergométrica e um elíptico. Após a familiarização com os equipamentos, os sujeitos andaram no elíptico e na esteira enquanto que a atividade miolétrica e a aceleração tibial foram coletadas. O tempo de coleta foi de 20s e a frequência de aquisição foi 2kHz. As curvas do envoltório linear foram geradas e normalizadas pela base do tempo. Resultados: A amplitude da ativação muscular foi maior durante a marcha na esteira, na fase de propulsão, no grupo de pessoas com AVE e idosos e nos músculos tibial anterior e bíceps femoral (p<0,0001). A menor ativação muscular foi observada no músculo reto abdominal, no grupo de adultos jovens, na fase pré-balanço (p<0,0001). Na análise qualitativa a aceleração da tíbia foi menor para o equipamento elíptico em comparação com a esteira. Os resultados favorecem a indicação do elíptico para o processo de recuperação da locomoção de pessoas com dificuldade para andar com limitações neurológicas ou ortopédicas / The achievement of the locomotion is essential for the adequate performance of different daily life activities. Several training instruments for the return to the functional activities exist, such as the treadmill and the elliptical. The research problem is: What is the lower limb muscle activation pattern during exercising in an elliptical trainer? The aim of this study is to analyze and describe the biomechanical characteristics of the acceleration and myoeletrical activity during walking in an elliptical trainer. The participants were 42 adults divided into three groups: young adult group (n=20), old adult group (n=12), both physically active and without any chronic pain or orthopedic conditions that could alter gait patterning, and chronic stroke adults (n=10). The international questionnaire of physical activity, the gait functional test and balance test were applied. We used one accelerometer and 16-channels electromyography system, a treadmill and an elliptical trainer. They walked on the elliptical and on the treadmill while the myoelectrical activity of 8 muscles and the tibial acceleration were recorded. The recording time was 20 s and sampling frequency was 2 kHz. The ensemble average was calculated for each variable. Results: The muscle activation was the highest at the treadmill, for propulsion phase, for the people with stroke and elderly and for the muscles Tibialis Anterior and Biceps Femoris (p<0.0001). The smallest muscle activity was observed on the Rectus Abdominus muscle, for the young adults, for pre contact phase (p<0.0001). The tibial acceleration was smaller for the elliptical than the treadmill. The results support the use of the elliptical for the rehabilitation of gait impairments related to neurological or orthopedic limitations

Background: The end-product of glycolysis is lactate, which is subsequently oxidised to produce more energy. With increasing intensity, the rate of lactate production exceeds the capacity to eliminate lactate, leading to an exponential accumulation of blood lactate. Clinicians use incremental graded exercise tests to induce this blood lactate curve. Two distinct thresholds can then be determined from the curve, of which the second threshold is highly correlated with competitive endurance performance. The exact threshold intensities depend on the threshold concept used as well as on variations in the test protocol. Aim: To evaluate how the Finnish lactate threshold concept is affected by using stage durations of 5 minutes instead of the recommended 3, and to determine how this affects the maximal oxygen uptake. Methods: Seven well-trained adults were recruited to perform two separate incremental graded exercise tests with 3- and 5-minute stages, respectively. Lactate thresholds were determined directly by blood lactate measurements and according to the instructions of the Finnish Society of Sport Sciences. Breath-by-breath gas exchange was measured throughout the tests.  Results: No significant differences occurred at the first lactate threshold. At the second lactate threshold, heart rate, oxygen uptake and blood lactate remained unchanged, while speed dropped (-0.81 ±0.81 km/h; p=0.037) when comparing the 5-minute protocol with the 3-minute protocol. Both protocols resulted in similar peak oxygen uptakes, while speed at peak oxygen uptake decreased (-1.07 ±0.89 km/h; p=0.015) for the 5-minute protocol. Conclusion: This study showed that the chosen stage duration does not affect the blood lactate at the first or second lactate threshold, while a longer stage duration does affect the work intensity corresponding to the second lactate threshold of the Finnish lactate threshold concept. As the work intensity at LT2 is often used to prescribe endurance training and to predict competitive endurance performance, these findings can be of interest to the endurance testing community. It enables an extended understanding when designing test protocols and when analysing the results of a lactate threshold test. This might in turn contribute to more accurate exercise intensity prescriptions and thereby faster development among endurance athletes. Further research with more subjects as well as research into the validity of the Finnish lactate threshold concept is recommended. / Bakgrund: Vid glykolys bildas laktat som biprodukt som sedan oxideras för att producera mera energi. Vid högre träningsintensitet produceras mer laktat i kroppen än kroppen hinner oxidera och därmed börjar laktat ackumuleras i blodet. Kliniskt används inkrementella träningstester för att framkalla en blodlaktatkurva. Vanligtvis bestäms två distinkta trösklar ur kurvan, av vilka den andra laktattröskeln är starkt korrelerad med uthållighetsprestation i tävlingssammanhang. Den exakta träningsintensiteten vid trösklarna beror på metoden som använts för att bestämma trösklarna ur blodlaktatkurvan samt variationer i testprotokollet. Syfte: Att bedöma hur den finska metoden för att bestämma laktattrösklarna påverkas då ett testprotokoll med 5-minutersnivåer används istället för de rekommenderade 3-minutersnivåerna, samt att bedöma hur detta påverkar den maximala syreupptagningsförmågan. Metoder: Sju vältränade vuxna utförde två separata inkrementella träningstester, med 3-minuters- respektive 5-minutersnivåer. Laktattrösklarna bestämdes med hjälp av blodlaktatmätningar och enligt instruktionerna av the Finnish Society of Sport Sciences. Försökspersonernas gasutbyte loggades under hela testernas gång.  Resultat: Inga signifikanta skillnader fanns vid första laktattröskeln. Vid den andra laktattröskeln var puls, syreupptagning och laktatnivå samma för båda protokollen, medan löphastigheten var lägre (-0.81 ±0.81 km/h; p=0.037) för 5-minutersprotokollet jämfört med 3-minutersprotokollet. Båda protokollen resulterade i liknande maximalt syreupptag, men löphastigheten vid maximalt syreupptag var lägre (-1.07 ±0.89 km/h; p=0.015) vid 5-minutersprotokollet.  Slutsatser: Studien visade att nivåernas varaktighet inte påverkade laktatvärdet vid första eller andra laktattröskeln, men att en längre nivålängd påverkar arbetsintensiteten vid den andra laktattröskeln då den finska metoden för att bestämma trösklarna används. Eftersom arbetsintensiteten vid den andra laktattröskeln ofta används för att förutse uthållighetsprestation i tävlingssammanhang samt för att ordinera arbetsintensitet för uthållighetsträning kan studien bidra med en värdefull förståelse för individer som jobbar med uthållighetstester. De kan utnyttja denna förståelse både då de utvecklar testprotokoll och då de analyserar resultat från tröskeltester. I längden kan detta leda till noggrannare ordineringar vad gäller arbetsintensitet och därmed en snabbare utveckling bland uthållighetsidrottare. Ytterligare forskning med fler försökspersoner samt forskning för att validera den finska metoden för att bestämma laktattrösklar behövs.

The diploma thesis concerns with the design of the vac- uum treadmill. The aim was to create a vision of this machine for the near future. As the final result we en- counter a brand new conception, consisting of the outer stable base, inner tilting base, upper frame with steel handle, control panel and airtight bellows. The design includes 3 different colour schemes. The first part of the thesis analyses the historical de- velopment and construction and design solutions. The second part describes this particular design project in detail, including its development.

Gait, pain, and self-efficacy alterations in osteoarthritis (OA) patients may be precursors for pathological alterations and are important variables to examine in an aquatic therapy study aimed at improving mobility. A greater understanding of these alterations will be useful for the treatment of OA and the prevention of OA progression. The purpose of this thesis was twofold: to review the effects of certain land and aquatic therapies on gait kinematics and mobility of people with osteoarthritis, and to examine the effects of short-term aquatic treadmill exercise on gait kinematics, perception of pain, and mobility in OA patients. A direct comparison of water versus land treadmill exercise was used to determine the acute effectiveness of aquatic therapy on gait kinematics, pain, and self-efficacy. Fourteen participants diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knee performed three consecutive exercise sessions for each mode of exercise. Gait kinematics, pain, and self-efficacy were measured before and after each intervention. Angular velocity gain score during stance for left knee extension was significantly higher for aquatic treadmill exercise compared to land treadmill exercise by 38.1% (p = 0.004). Similarly, during swing, the gain scores for angular velocity were also greater for left knee internal rotation and extension by 65% and 20%, respectively (p = 0.004, p = 0.008). During stance, the joint angle gain score for left hip flexion was greater for land exercise by 7.23% (p = 0.007). Similarly, during swing, the angular velocity gain score for right hip extension was significantly greater for aquatic exercise by 28% (p = 0.01). Only the joint angle gain score for left ankle abduction during stance was significantly higher for land exercise by 4.72% (p = 0.003). No other joint angle gain scores for either stance or swing were significantly different for either aquatic or land treadmill exercise (p = 0.06-0.96). Perceived pain was 100% greater for land than aquatic treadmill exercise (p = 0.02) and self-efficacy gain scores were not different between conditions (p = 0.37). The present study demonstrated that an acute training period on an aquatic treadmill did influence joint angular velocity and arthritis-related joint pain. Although acute effects of training (i.e., pain, angular velocity) improve after aquatic rather than land training, it is unclear whether or not aquatic exercise is a better long-term alternative to land exercise, and further longitudinal research is needed to examine gait kinematic changes after an increased training period of aquatic exercise.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第18946号 / 工博第3988号 / 新制||工||1614(附属図書館) / 31897 / 京都大学大学院工学研究科航空宇宙工学専攻 / (主査)教授 泉田 啓, 教授 藤本 健治, 教授 松野 文俊 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DFAM

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(農学) / 甲第19042号 / 農博第2120号 / 新制||農||1032(附属図書館) / 学位論文||H27||N4924(農学部図書室) / 31993 / 京都大学大学院農学研究科食品生物科学専攻 / (主査)教授 伏木 亨, 教授 保川 清, 教授 金本 龍平 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Agricultural Science / Kyoto University / DGAM

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Objective: To determine if water treadmill running with (WTR-S) or without water shoes (WTR-NS) could produce similar cardiorespiratory responses as land treadmill running (LTR). Design and Setting: A repeated measures design was used to assess the differences between LTR and WTR-S and WTR-NS. All testing was done in either a research laboratory or an athletic training hydro-therapy room. Subjects: Eighteen trained runners (9 men and 9 women) volunteered for this study. All 18 subjects participated in three running conditions. Measurements: Treadmill speed, HR, and SF were assessed at four exercise intensities representing 50%, 60%, 70%, and 80% of land VO2max for all three running conditions. Results: WTR with and without water shoes produces similar cardiorespiratory responses to LTR. The VO2/HR relationship showed that at a HR of 150 bpm, VO2 was significantly less (p < 0.0001) when running on a land treadmill (34.66 ml/kg/min) compared to a water treadmill with shoes (37.51 ml/kg/min) and without shoes (37.21 ml/kg/min) were nearly identical. At a HR 150 of bpm, the VO2 in males (40.52 ml/kg/min) was 8.12 ml/kg/min higher than that of their female (32.40 ml/kg/min) counterparts. At a treadmill speed of 6 mph, stride frequency during LTR was 23.6 steps/min greater (p < 0.0001) than WTR-S and 21.8 strides/min greater than WTR-NS. VO2 was on the average 4.12 ml/kg/min higher (p < 0.0001) during WTR-S compared to WTR-NS running condition at the same treadmill speed. Conclusion: Statistical analysis indicated that 50%, 60%, 70%, and 80% of land VO2max was achieved in the water. Therefore, WTR can be used during rehabilitation of athletes unable to fully weight bear to prevent deconditioning. Wearing the AQinc water running shoe increases the metabolic demand by 4.12 ml/kg/min at any given water treadmill speed. Gender differences existed in the absolute HR/VO2 relationship but not in the relative HR/VO2 relationship among the three running conditions.

Boost Treadmills™, a company specializing in the use of differential air-pressure (DAP) technology in the realm of exercise and rehabilitation, is developing their second-generation micro-gravity treadmill™ named the Boost 2. This machine will allow individuals in all types of fitness environments to move and exercise at a fraction of their normal body weight, reducing the impact forces on lower body extremities and allowing for accelerated returns to activity. The purpose of this thesis was to create an algorithm to be implemented on the Boost 2 that related the percentage of body weight reduction of a user to a required pressure value within the Boost 2 pressure differential space created by the enclosure. This algorithm, when implemented, would allow a Boost 2 user to simply operate the machine at the appropriate pressure(s) automatically by entering their Boost shorts size, approximate height, and desired percentage of body weight reduction from a previously developed user interface screen. The calibration algorithm was developed using collected data and a regression analysis model created in Microsoft Excel®. This analysis creates an equation for a linear fit of predictor variables resulting in a line representing the body weight reduction pattern of a user as pressure is increased within the enclosure. On average, the difference between measured and predicted body weight percentages at measured pressure values was found to be less than 3%.