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JOURNAL
OF
SPORTS SCIENCE &
MEDICINE
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Research
article
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EXERTION DURING UPHILL, LEVEL AND DOWNHILL WALKING WITH AND WITHOUT HIKING POLES |
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Stephane Perrey1 
and Nicolas Fabre2 |
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1Motor Efficiency and Deficiency, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Montpellier, France 2Laboratoire d'Analyse de la Performance Sportive, Université de Pau, Département STAPS, Tarbes, France |
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© Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (2008) 7, 32 - 38 Search Google Scholar for Citing Articles |
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| ABSTRACT | |||
| This study examined the effects of poles when walking on the rate
of perceived exertion (RPE), physiological and kinematics parameters, and
upon the mean ratio between locomotor and respiratory rhythms. Twelve healthy
male and female volunteers, aged 22 to 49 years old, completed on a motorized
treadmill in a counterbalanced randomized order 12 walking trials for 10
min at an individually preferred walking speed, with three grades (horizontal
level, uphill or downhill with a slope of 15%), with and without hiking
poles and a load carriage of 15% of body mass. During all testing sessions,
heart rate (HR), oxygen consumption (VO2), ventilation (VE),
tidal volume (VT), breathing frequency (Bf), and stride frequency were recorded
continuously during the last 5-min of each trial. At the end of each trial,
subjects were asked to give RPE. Energy cost (EC) and VE increased significantly
with the grade (-15% < 0% < +15%) and with the carrying load. VT was
significantly less important with hiking poles, while Bf was significantly
more elevated. VO2 and EC increased (p < 0.05) with the use
of the hiking poles only during the downhill trials. No significant effect
of poles was observed on HR, RPE, and preferred walking speed. The average
ratio between the locomotor and respiratory frequencies was significantly
influenced by the three experimental factors tested. There was a significant
relationship between average ratio of leg movement per breath and EC of
walking among all conditions (r = 0.83, n = 12). These results suggest that
the use of the hiking poles had a significant influence on the respiratory
and energetic responses only during downhill walking.
Key words: Energy cost, grades, hiking poles, respiration, nordic-walking. |
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