VENTILATION AND ACID-BASE-EQUILIBRIUM FOR UPPER BODY AND LOWER BODY EXERCISE

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 53  (4) , 354-359
Abstract
Pulmonary ventilation and blood acid-base responses for upper and lower body exercise at a variety of metabolic intensities were compared. Nine men completed a progressive intensity, discontinuous test for arm crank (AC) and cycle (CY) ergometry. During submaximal exercise, O2 uptake (.ovrhdot.VO2), pulmonary ventilation (.ovrhdot.VE), .ovrhdot.VE/.ovrhdot.VO2, alveolar ventilation (.ovrhdot.VA) and blood lactate (LA) values were increased; arterial CO2 partial pressure (PCO2) and arterial pH values decreased with increasing power output for both modes of ergometry. Generally, for a given submaximal power output level, .ovrhdot.VO2, .ovrhdot.VE, .ovrhdot.VE/.ovrhdot.VO2, .ovrhdot.VA and LA values were higher but PCO2 and pH values were lower than for AC compared to CY exercise. During maximal exercise, .ovrhdot.VO2, .ovrhdot.VE, .ovrhdot.VA, LA and PCO2 values were lower for AC than CY exercise. When .ovrhdot.VE, .ovrhdot.VA, LA, PCO2 and pH were expressed in relation to percent of peak .ovrhdot.VO2 (ergometer specific), nearly identical response patterns were found for both modes of exercise. Pulmonary ventilation and blood acid-base responses are dependent upon relative exercise intensity rather than the muscle groups employed.