A comparison between three different submaximal walking conditions

Abstract

The 3 walking conditions compared in this research were: walking with no weights (NW), walking with walking sticks (WS) and walking with 2 lbs hand weights (HW). Active males from 20-31 yrs old volunteered for the study (N-21). Each S was randomly assigned the order in which they would take the tests. The physiological variables compared between the 3 groups were: ventilation (VE), absolute oxygen consumption (AOC), relative oxygen consumption (ROC), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion - general (RPEg) and arms (RPEa), systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). A one way analysis of variance with repeated measures was performed on the data. The physiological variables that resulted in sig F-ratios (E< .05) were analysed using a Scheffe' post-hoc test. The Scheffe' post-hoc test identified where the diffs were between the 3 test groups. The Scheffe' post-hoc test revealed that the following variables were sig higher (E < .05) when NW was compared to WS: VE, AOC, ROC, RER, HR, RPEa and SBP. The Scheffe' post-hoc test further revealed that the following variables were sig lower (2 < .05) when Nl; was compared to HW: VE, AOC, ROC, RER, HR, RPEa, SBP and DBP. The Scheffe' post-hoc test also revealed that the RPEa was sig higher (E < .05) with WS than when they walked with HW.