CARDIOVASCULAR AND PERCEPTUAL RESPONSES TO ISOMETRIC-EXERCISE

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  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 63  (5) , 211-218
Abstract
The effects of 3 intensities of isometric handgrip contractions on selected cardiovascular parameters and perception of effort were investigated, and the relationship of these cardiovascular parameters to perception of effort was determined. Healthy subjects (7) were instructed to maintain 3-min contractions in a randomized sequence, at 15, 25 and 35% of their maximal voluntary contraction (% MVC), while heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and perception of effort were measured at 1-min intervals. All 4 parameters were significantly increased (P < 0.05) both as a function of contraction intensity (% MVC) and time. Correlation coefficients relating perception of effort to systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate were 0.76, 0.64 and 0.63, respectively, suggesting that perception of effort was a better predictor of systolic blood pressure than of diastolic blood pressure or heart rate. A 3-step multiple regression resulted in a cumulative r value of 0.82. Perception of effort should be further explored for clinical use during exercise prescription as an indicator of cardiovascular stress. By use of a technique of perception of effort, patients could be taught to restrict activity to within a safe range of cardiovascular variability, rather than totally refrain from all forms of isometric activity.