Exercise loading for cardiopulmonary assessment and evaluation of endurance in amputee football players

[Purpose] It is difficult for amputees to perform conventional cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Values were determined for two-legged, one-legged, and two-armed exercise testing in healthy adult males (Study 1), for comparison with preliminary measurements of endurance in amputee football players (Study 2). [Participants and Methods] In Study 1, cardiopulmonary exercise testing was performed in healthy adult males. Correlations between oxygen uptake in two-legged and one-legged/two-armed exercise were calculated and a comparison was made between one-legged exercise and two-armed exercise for each measured value. In Study 2, cardiopulmonary exercise testing was performed on male amputee football players using a two-arm-driven ergometer. The measured values obtained for healthy adult males and amputee football players were compared. [Results] In Study 1, peak work rate and peak heart rate values of healthy participants were significantly higher in two-armed exercise than in one-legged exercise. The correlation between peak oxygen uptake values for two-legged and one-legged exercise was decreased. In Study 2, peak work rate of two-armed exercise was significantly higher in amputee football players than in healthy participants. [Conclusion] Study 1 suggested that musculoskeletal factors might have greater significance for one-legged exercise than for two-armed exercise. Study 2 suggested that para-sports, including amputee football, may contribute to physical strength and health maintenance in lower leg amputees.