Physiologic responses of competitive Canadian cross-country skiers with disabilities.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the acute cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses in competitive cross-country skiers with disabilities.


METHODS
Cross-sectional comparisons using a select group of Canadian athletes training for the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.


METHODS
Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park, Canmore, Alberta.


METHODS
Nine competitive cross-country skiers (4 with visual impairment, 1 with traumatic brain injury, 3 with spinal cord injury, and 1 with cerebral palsy).


METHODS
Three-minute and 12-minute exercise tests in the standing or sitting skiing position to voluntary fatigue.


METHODS
Cardiorespiratory responses using a telemetric system to compare the physiologic responses among the athletes with different disabilities. Heart rate (HR) and capillary lactate were measured at 2, 5, and 10 minutes of recovery.


RESULTS
The t test results indicated that the peak values of the absolute and relative oxygen uptake (VO2peak), HR, and ventilation rate were significantly higher during the 12-minute compared with the 3-minute protocol during standing skiing. However, the oxygen pulse and ventilatory equivalent for oxygen ratio were not significantly (P > 0.05) different between the 2 protocols. Analysis of variance revealed no significant (P > 0.05) differences among the 3 trials for these peak physiologic responses during sitting skiing. Cross-sectional comparisons of the peak physiologic responses between the standing and sitting skiers indicated significantly (P < 0.05) higher values in the standing compared with the sitting position. Cardiorespiratory respiratory efficiency was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the sitting compared with the standing position. HR during 10 minutes of recovery was significantly correlated with VO2peak. Pearson correlations were not significant between VO2peak and lactate removal during recovery.


CONCLUSIONS
These descriptive findings during the standing and sitting skiing protocols provide preliminary data that would be useful in testing, training, and classification of competitive skiers with disabilities.
Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. yagesh.bhambhani@ualberta.ca
Yagesh
Y
Bhambhani
Scott
S
Forbes
Janet
J
Forbes
Bruce
B
Craven
Cristiane
C
Matsuura
Carol
C
Rodgers
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002170:Canada; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010807:Physical Endurance; D011187:Posture; D012865:Skiing / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
D019344:Lactic Acid