Effects of Aerobic Threshold Training on Aerobic Work Capacity in Hemiplegics

Abstract

Twenty-six male hemiplegic patients participated in a 3-day/week, 16-week training program. Subjects were assigned to 3 groups of different training regimes. One group was assigned to walking, badminton, and table tennis playing at below the anaerobic threshold (<AT, n = 10). Another group was assigned to treadmill walking at the AT for 10 min in addition to playing badminton and table tennis (=AT, n = 7). The last was a control group which received no training (C, n = 9). Subjects were assessed for AT and V̇O_2peak before and after training, using a 30-s incremental protocol on a treadmill. After 16 weeks of training, significant improvement was observed in the AT (P < 0.01) and V̇O_2peak (P < 0.05) among the =AT after training compared with before training. The only significant change observed among the <AT was the increase in V̇O_2peak (P < 0.05). No significant change was seen in the C group. These results suggest that AT training in hemiplegic patients is effective in improving aerobic work capacity.