Relation between muscular strength and cardiorespiratory fitness in people with thoracic-level paraplegia.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relation between muscular strength, aerobic power (V O2 peak), submaximal blood lactate accumulation, and endurance performance in people with thoracic-level paraplegia.


METHODS
Participants performed tests of isokinetic strength, a graded exercise test, and 2 endurance performance tests. A Latin square counterbalanced design was used to determine the order of testing.


METHODS
Research laboratory in a university setting.


METHODS
Ten adult male volunteers with thoracic-level paraplegia.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
The relations between strength, V O2 peak, submaximal blood lactate accumulation, and endurance were determined by correlation analysis.


RESULTS
Shoulder flexion strength correlated with V O2 peak and power output at V O2 peak. Shoulder strength accounted for 68.4% of the variation in performance time. Greater isokinetic elbow flexion and extension strength was associated with higher V O2 and power output at a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol/L (flexion) and with a greater power output at V O2 peak (extension).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that in this population, greater muscular strength is associated with greater aerobic power and endurance. Greater muscular strength could exert a positive influence on exercise performance by enabling higher levels of cardiorespiratory stress as the result of reduced or delayed local muscle fatigue.
Department of Exercise Science and Health Promotion, Florida Atlantic University, Davie, FL 33314, USA. rzoeller@fau.edu
Robert F
RF
Zoeller
Steven E
SE
Riechman
Ibrahim M
IM
Dabayebeh
Fredric L
FL
Goss
Robert J
RJ
Robertson
Patrick L
PL
Jacobs
D000328:Adult; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D016552:Ergometry; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D012143:Respiratory Physiological Phenomena; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000502:physiology
D019344:Lactic Acid