Physiological responses to two wheelchair-racing exercise protocols.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the blood lactate accumulation during two wheelchair-racing protocols. During exercise, energy is required, which causes metabolism to increase and blood lactate to accumulate. Proper training can reduce the amount of blood lactate accumulation and increase tolerance to blood lactate accumulation during aerobic exercise.


METHODS
Eleven male wheelchair elite track athletes with a spinal cord injury were tested to determine their blood lactate response to speed and resistance workouts. A computer-monitored wheelchair dynamometer was used during all exercise tests. The order of the test (e.g., speed or resistance workout) was randomized. Blood pressure and blood samples were taken immediately before and after completion of each exercise test.


RESULTS
The difference between the blood lactate concentrations before and after testing were 8.56 +/- 4.42, and 11.67 +/- 4.69 mM for the resistance and speed tests, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results showed that the blood lactate responses were significantly different for the resistance and speed workouts.
Cooper
R A
RA
Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. rcooper@pitt.edu
Baldini
F D
FD
Boninger
M L
ML
Cooper
R
R
D000328:Adult; D015308:Anaerobic Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001810:Blood Volume / Q000502:physiology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013177:Sports; D014910:Wheelchairs
D019344:Lactic Acid