Cardiovascular and metabolic costs of forward, backward, and lateral motion.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the metabolic and cardiovascular responses of movement in forward (FM), backward (BM), and lateral (LM) directions. Thirteen athletes with the following characteristics (mean +/- SD) were evaluated: age 21+/-3 yr, height 172.0+/-9.0 cm, weight 62.92+/-9.05 kg, and VO2max 54.13+/-7.42 mL x kg(-1) x min(-1). Subjects were evaluated at 80.45 and 134.08 m x min(-1). A repeated measures ANOVA was used for statistical analysis (P < 0.05). At 80.45 m x min(-1), the following respective VO2 mL x kg(-1) x min(-1) and heart rate (HR) beats x min(-1) responses were: FM = 12.42+/-2.29, 113+/-10; BM = 15.95+/-2.45, 132+/-16; and LM = 22.10+/-4.76, 140+/-15. Both VO2 and HR were significantly different between conditions: LM > BM > FM. At 134.08 m x min(-1), the following respective VO2 and HR responses were: FM = 27.15+/-2.51, 146+/-7; BM = 31.33+/-5.77, 168+/-11; and LM = 32.58+/-5.74, 169+/-10. At 134.08 m x min(-1) neither HR or VO2 were significantly different between LM or BM (LM, BM, > FM). Stride length and stride frequency were also significantly different between conditions. These results indicate the variation in the energy cost of FM, BM, and LM.