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JOURNAL
OF
SPORTS SCIENCE &
MEDICINE
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Research
article
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PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF ELDERLY RECREATIONAL ALPINE SKIERS OF DIFFERENT FITNESS AND SKIING ABILITIES |
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Sabine Krautgasser, Peter Scheiber, Serge P. von Duvillard 
and Erich Müller |
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Christian Doppler Laboratory, Biomechanics in Skiing, Department of Sport Science and Kinesiology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria |
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© Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (2011) 10, 748 - 753 |
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| ABSTRACT | |||
| We measured physiological responses of elderly recreational skiers
of different fitness and skiing abilities. Six subjects (mean age: 61.2
± 4.6 yrs; Wt: 76.8 ± 15.6 kg; Ht: 1.69 ± 0.10 m; BMI: 26.9 ± 5.0) were
tested in a laboratory and during 30 and 75 min of recreational downhill
skiing. Oxygen uptake (VO2), heart rate (HR), blood lactate (LA)
concentration, and diastolic (DBP) and systolic (SBP) blood pressure were
used to estimate energy demands while skiing. During maximal testing in
a laboratory, subjects achieved a mean maximal VO2max of 28.2
± 7.5 ml.kg-1.min-1 and a mean HRpeak of 165 ± 4 bpm (98 ± 1% of
HRmax). Mean maximal workload measured on a cycle ergometer was 2.2 ± 0.7
W.kg-1 with a mean LApeak of 7.4 ± 1 mmol.l-1. During field testing, mean
VO2 during skiing was 12 ± 2 ml.kg-1.min-1 (45 ± 16%
of VO2max). Skiing VO2peak was 19 ± 5 ml. kg-1.min-1
(72 ± 23% of VO2max) was lower than VO2max in the
lab (p = 0.04). Mean HR during skiing was 126 ± 2 bpm (77 ± 1% of HRmax
from lab tests). Skiing HRpeak was 162 ± 2 bpm. This was not different from
HRmax in the lab (p = 0.68). Mean LA after 30 and 75 min of skiing was not
different (2.2 ± 0.8 mmol.l-1 and 2.0 ± 0.8, respectively, p = 0.71). Both
LA samples during skiing were lower than lab tests (p < 0.0001). There
was no difference for DBP between field and laboratory tests; however, SBP
increased after 30 min of skiing to 171 ± 20 (p < 0.009) and 165 ± 17
(p < 0.003) after 75 min. These remained below the mean peak SBP determined
in lab tests (218+31). Mean oxygen demand during 30 and 75 min of recreational
skiing is only 45% of VO2max while mean HR is 77% of HRmax. This
departure from linearity not often seen in typical aerobic activities suggests
that alpine skiing requires a combination of aerobic and anaerobic activity.
Blood LA remained low during skiing suggesting that elderly skiers may govern
their intensity via signals closer to VO2 and LA compared to
HR or BP. Key words: Elderly, physiological responses, blood lactate, blood pressure. |
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