Cardiorespiratory endurance in people with cerebral palsy measured using an arm ergometer.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether cardiorespiratory endurance, a component of physical fitness, in people with cerebral palsy (CP) is lower than that in able-bodied people, and whether the difference in locomotion of CP patients affects their cardiorespiratory endurance.


METHODS
Nonrandomized control trial.


METHODS
Referred care center.


METHODS
Twelve men with CP who were independent in daily life and 7 able-bodied control volunteers.


METHODS
Cardiorespiratory endurance of the subjects was measured with an arm ergometer.


METHODS
Oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (HR), and physical working capacity (PWC) measured during arm ergometer rotation.


RESULTS
The 75%VO2max and 75%HRmax did not differ significantly between CP subjects and control subjects, or between ambulatory CP subjects and wheelchair-bound CP subjects. However, the PWC at 75%HRmax of the CP subjects was significantly lower than that of the control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Cardiorespiratory endurance does not differ significantly between people with CP and able-bodied people. Type of locomotion does not affect cardiorespiratory endurance. However, the highest PWC performed by the CP subjects was significantly lower than that of the control subjects.
Tobimatsu
Y
Y
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, National Rehabilitation Center for the Disabled, Tokorozawa City, Japan.
Nakamura
R
R
Kusano
S
S
Iwasaki
Y
Y
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D012044:Regression Analysis