A STUDY OF ORTHOSTATIC INSUFFICIENCY BY THE TILTBOARD METHOD

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Abstract
Approx. 20% of 111 young healthy men tested on a tiltboard at 70 degrees with hip suspension and about the same % of such men standing quietly after running to exhaustion on a treadmill fainted in 20 min. or less. Circulatory responses of fainters and nonfainters was not significantly different until 4 min. before collapse. Circulatory data taken while resting, after standard exercise or on tiltboard previous to onset of collapse afford no reliable sign for predicting fainting. No significant difference between fainters and nonfainters in avg. score in a maximum exercise tolerance test on a treadmill appeared, indicating that the ability to meet the stress of vigorous exercise and of prolonged quiet standing are 2 distinct aspects of physical fitness. Fainters may develop ability to withstand gravitational stress by means of a program of abdominal exercises lasting several wks. The authors do not consider such a tiltboard test a valid measure of fitness to withstand centrifugal forces.