title: Relation between aerobic capacity and walking ability in older adults with a lower-limb amputation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the relative aerobic load, walking speed, and walking economy of older adults with a lower-limb prosthesis, and to predict the effect of an increased aerobic capacity on their walking ability.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human motion laboratory at a rehabilitation center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Convenience sample of older adults (n=36) who underwent lower-limb amputation because of vascular deficiency or trauma and able-bodied controls (n=21).
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peak aerobic capacity and oxygen consumption while walking were determined. The relative aerobic load and walking economy were assessed as a function of walking speed, and a data-based model was constructed to predict the effect of an increased aerobic capacity on walking ability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  People with a vascular amputation walked at a substantially higher (45.2%) relative aerobic load than people with an amputation because of trauma. The preferred walking speed in both groups of amputees was slower than that of able-bodied controls and below their most economical walking speed. We predicted that a 10% increase in peak aerobic capacity could potentially result in a reduction in the relative aerobic load of 9.1%, an increase in walking speed of 17.3% and 13.9%, and an improvement in the walking economy of 6.8% and 2.9%, for people after a vascular or traumatic amputation, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current findings corroborate the notion that, especially in people with a vascular amputation, the peak aerobic capacity is an important determinant for walking ability. The data provide quantitative predictions on the effect of aerobic training; however, future research is needed to experimentally confirm these predictions.
authors: MOVE Research Institute Amsterdam, Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. d.wezenberg@vu.nl
authors: Daphne
authors: D
authors: Wezenberg
authors: Lucas H
authors: LH
authors: van der Woude
authors: Willemijn X
authors: WX
authors: Faber
authors: Arnold
authors: A
authors: de Haan
authors: Han
authors: H
authors: Houdijk
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000674:Amputees / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001186:Artificial Limbs; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Amputation; Artificial limbs; C(pws); PWS; Physical exertion; Physical fitness; Rehabilitation; Walking; energy expenditure while walking (ml·kg(−1)·min(−1)); o(2)peak; o(2rel); o(2walking); oxygen cost (ie, the oxygen consumption per distance traveled at preferred walking speed) (ml·kg(−1)·m(−1)); peak oxygen consumption (ml·kg(−1)·min(−1)); preferred walking speed (m/s); relative aerobic load (eg, as the percentage of available peak oxygen consumption that was used when walking)