title: Metabolic and hemodynamic responses to walking with shoulder-worn exercise weights: a brief report.
abstract: This study examined the acute physiological responses to steady-rate walking with additional weight carried at shoulder level. Sixteen healthy subjects completed two treadmill walking bouts with and without a 4.54-kg shoulder-worn load carriage system in place. Addition of the external shoulder weights resulted in small increases in level walking oxygen uptake (+0.44 ml.kg-1.min-1; +0.03 L.min-1) and minute ventilation volumes (+0.81 L.min-1) (p < 0.05). RER values, heart rate (+3 beats.min-1), and blood pressure responses [systolic blood pressure (SBP) + 4.5 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) + 1.3 mm Hg] were not significantly changed (p > 0.05). These findings indicate that the efficacy of shoulder-worn exercise weights to augment the physiological demand of walking exercise is marginal at best.
authors.affiliation: Exercise Science Laboratory, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, USA.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Engels
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wirth
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange; D012119:Respiration; D012782:Shoulder; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology*