Vrednotenje kardiorespiratorne zmogljivosti pri osebah s poškodbo hrbtenjače

slovenian

2024

volume 72, issue 3/4

cardio-respiratory fitness   endurance testing   individuals with spinal cord injury   peak oxygen consumpition   reliability   sport   validity

Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za šport

Individuals with spinal cord injury are less physically active compared to the general population, which exposes them to a higher risk of chronic non-communicable diseases and mortality associated with them. Assessing cardio-respiratory fitness is crucial for prescribing effective aerobic exercise programs and monitoring the impact of rehabilitation. For this purpose, measuring peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) using arm ergometry is well-established in individuals with spinal cord injury. This method is reliable and valid, but has some limitations, warranting consideration of alternative VO2peak testing methods. These methods should be reliable and valid. VO2peak can be indirectly assessed using results from field tests (multi-stage and 6-minute push tests), which allow for a comprehensive evaluation of wheelchair mobility and are less demanding in terms of cost, time, and resources compared to laboratory testing. Regarding the latter, valid and reliable methods for determining VO2peak include wheelchair ergometry (where subjects perform a familiar and functional movement pattern), water ergometry (which enables activation of all innervated muscle groups), and, for individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury, testing during robotics-assisted gait with bodyweight support on a treadmill. When a person is unwilling or unable to perform maximal testing, VO2peak can be reasonably well predicted using simple anthropometric and musculoskeletal fitness variables, or through submaximal testing.

20.03.2025