title: A comparison of 2 circuit exercise training techniques for eliciting matched metabolic responses in persons with paraplegia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test whether acute metabolic (VO(2)), chronotropic (heart rate), and perceptual (rating of perceived exertion; RPE) responses to exercise by persons with paraplegia differ when the exercise is on a multistation isoinertial exercise system (MultiGym) or on a customized system of Thera-Band resistance bands (ElasticGym).
  
  
  METHODS
  Within-subjects comparison of 2 treatments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen men and 1 woman with complete paraplegia (T4-L1), as defined by the American Spinal Injury Association.
  
  
  METHODS
  A circuit resistance training (CRT) program for persons with paraplegia was adapted to both a MultiGym and a customized ElasticGym. Exercises used for training and testing used 6 resistance maneuvers at 50% of the 1-repetition maximum (1-RM), with interposed rapid arm spinning. Subjects were habituated to both conditions for 2 weeks before testing on randomized nonconsecutive days.
  
  
  METHODS
  VO(2) (L/min) was measured by portable spirometry, heart rate (beats/min) by a chest strap monitor, and RPE by the Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion (6-20).
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant effects of test condition on average VO(2) or heart rate were observed, with differences between conditions reflecting only .08L/min and 6.4 beats/min, respectively. Average RPE was significantly higher in testing under the ElasticGym condition (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CRT on a customized ElasticGym system elicited acute metabolic and chronotropic responses that did not differ from responses to exercise on a MultiGym, though RPE was greater with the ElasticGym.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation, Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA. msnash@miami.edu
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Nash
authors.forename: Patrick L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Jeffrey M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Tanya A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Pray
authors.forename: Alex E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Pumarejo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology; D019876:Sports Equipment