Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Bailey
Bailey
Introduction
In the current climate of health care, where
assessment of cost and quality are paramount,
outcome measures used in clinical audit and
reeearcb assume considerable importance. Those
which have both ease of application and objectivity, and which are ale0 related to client function,
are of particular value.
Assessment of energy eqxmditure during walking
isanimportant parameterwhich eanbe d to
determine clinical and hnctional improvements
in patients with locomotor probleme. Energy
Studies have shown that heart rate (HR)is linearly related to oxygen consumption a t submaximal levels (Andrewe, 1967;h t r a n d and
Rodahl, 1986;Bradfieid et al, 1971;Waters et al,
1983).Waters et a1 (1983)have shown that HR
during walking ie significantly higher in children
compared with adolescents, which probably
reflects children's increased resting rate; and in
females compared with males.
Speed of walking can also be a useful indicator
and Waters et al(1988)have demonstrated that,
in normal subjects, s p e d increases from childhood to young adulthood, then declines with age.
With each age group, the rate of oxygen uptake
increases with gait velocity. The relationship has
been found to be linear in normal children and
adults up to a speed of 100 metres per minute
(Pearce et a2,1983;Waters et al, 19881,also in
cerebral palsied children (Roseet d,1989,1990).
Maximum efficiency, hence minimal energy
expenditure, occurs at the individual's optimal
or 'preferred' speed of walking (Wton, 1960).
Both speed and HR have been used as indicators
of efficiency and energy cost of locomotion (Stallard e# al,1978;Stallard and Rose, 1980),but
their combined use was first reported by MacGregor in 1979,who highlighted the problems of
factors other than workload which may cause HR
variability. Maffiregor (1979)p r o p o d the use of
a physiologicalcoat index (PCI). He suggested that
the effect of an activity was better represented
by the net HR (working HR resting HR)divided
by speed of walking, this yielding a PCI in net
beats per metre. He demonetsated that, for a variety of n o d and handicapped subjecte, PCI was
minimal at self-selected or preferred speeds of
walking, and that the relationship was reproducible. Nene and Jennings (1992)found a
Werence in PCI that waa l e a than 10% between
test and retest on a group of four paraplegic subjects, a very small sample. Rose et a1 (1991)also
combined HR and speed of walking in children
and adolescents to calculate their energy expenditure index, which like PCI also yields beats per
metre. They found that this index and oxygen
uptake were linearly related, thus demonstrating
validity of the measure, and, by implication,validity of PCI. Researchers at the Orthotic Research
and Locomotor Assessment Unit (ORLAU),
Oswestry, Shropshire, have routinely used PCI as
a measure since 1984 (ORLAU, 1992),and have
expressed considerable confidence in its use as a
clinicaltoo for monitoring changes in patient performance. PCI is calculated thus:
HR,or manual pulse readings to measure postexercise HR,may have to be used. The purpose
of this experiment is to establish whether PCI
remains a reliable measure under steady-state
and non-steady state conditions, and also when
post-exercise HR readings are used to calculate
PCI.
An electronic Powejog treadmill (Sports Engineering, model MEDL) was used,and a horizontal
walkway setting chosen. Speeds from 0-18
kmhour were available via the touch sensor control box. HR was monitored using a Tunturi
digital pulsemeter (model TPM 400). Marcelino
and Harms (1992)have previously demonstrated
instrument reliability for this monitor.
Before starting the protocol, each subject was
f d a r i s e d with tmadmili walking for a few minutes while the speed of the treadmill was slowly
increased and the subject waa asked to state when
the speed had reached her perceived comfortable
or preferred walking speed,which wa8 noted and
used for the subject during the experiment and
the repeat trial. Subjects were then allowed to
rest for five minutes, after which time they were
attached to the pulse meter u i a the ear-clip sensor
and, after allowing 30 seconds for the readings
to stabilise, HR was recorded every ten seconds for
two minutes, and the average calculated to give
resting HR.
Individually, subjeds then returned to the treadmill, still connected to the puhe meter, and the
speed was gradually increased until it reached
PCI can be used either to measure changes in 1motor efficiency over time, or changes as a result their previously chosen preferred speed.This was
of the use of different orthotic or prosthetic maintained for a total time of four minutes. All
devices, or as an indicator of handicap when com- subjects wore gym shoes. After the first 30 secpared with matched normative data (MacGregor, onds,to allow the pulse meter to a t a b i i , HR was
1979;Butler et al, 1984,Nene and Patrick, 1989; recorded every ten seconds for one minute and
Rose et al, 1989,1990;Nene and Jennings, 1992). averaged to give the non-steady-state HR reading.
In general, whatever the cause of disability, a After three minutes walking, steady-state was
assumed to have been reached (Kamath et al.
pathological gait yields a higher value for PCI.
0.23
0.22
Discussion
~ ~ + X W C & L ~ H R
These results indicate that X I is a reliable measure when calculated on a test-retest basis, using
SD
non-steady-state, steady-state and 10-second
post-exercise HR values, on this group of healthy
'SlgniRCant at p < 0.01, tfcrit) 0.76,dl 13. two-tailed
young women. It must be emphasised that these
PCI values calculated under non-steady-state convalues are relative and therefore whichever
ditions give a test-retest correlation of r = 773
method is used, the protocol should be strictly
(p < 0.01).PCI values calculated under steadyadhered to on subsequent occasions. Also, if PCI
state conditions give a test-retest correlation
values are required for research purposes, when
coefficient of r = 868 (p < 0.01),and PCI values
comparisons may be made with data from other
calculated using poet-exercise H R give a correlexperimenters, then steady-state conditions
ation coefficient of r = 796 (p < 0.01).
should be obtained where possible, and accurate
This demonstrates reliability of the measure, continuous HR monitoring during exercise should
whether H R is measured in steady-state or non- ideally be used. For best results, such conditions
steady-state conditions, and when post-exercise should also be adhered to for clinical measurement.
measurements are used in the calculation.
Ranas
0.38
0.2-0.86
0.25
0.34
0.1-0.78
0.18
0.796
Group mean HR for non-steady-state conditions However, on the level of individual clinical meawas 94 bpm (SD 7.96)for week 1 and 93 bpm (SD surement as opposed t o group monitoring of
12.7) for week 2. For steady-state conditions, patients, in a physiotherapy department for
,-
oaokr 1-
v d 81. no 10
lol n
12
2
0
sub)eds 1-15
0 week1
a week2
l2
'Oi
rl
v)
!?6
2
0
S u m 1-15
0 SSWkl
rn s s W 2
B
7
05
:4
3
2
1
Conclusion
This study demonstrates reliability of PCI measurement in a test-retest situation, in normal
women walking at preferred speed on a treadmill,
whether HR is measured in non-steady-state,
steady-state or 10 seconds post-exercise condition~.Ae XI is an easy-to-uee, valid and reliable
measure of ansrgy expenditure, it may be a useful
tool for physiotherapists in the assessment and
evaluation of locomotor disability, functional
performance,and effectivenessof orthotic or p m thetic devices. This study shows that, for best
repeatability, steady-state conditions should id*
ally be achieved for the walking HR measure. It is
suggested that more accurate resting HR may be
recorded during the recovery period rather than
at the beghing of the walk test. If a treadmill is
to be used, the subjects ebould be fully familiarised with the apparatus in order to assess
accurately their own preferred speed of walking.
If only a stopwatch ia available, a flat circular or
flgumof-eight walkway of known distance could
be used and past-exercise (10 seconds)HR taken
manually. A flat walkway test would also remove
some of the difficulties experienced with a
treadmill. The poet-exercise HR method, as
demonstrated here, gives lower repeatability
values for X I . However, such relatively small
testretestdifferencesmay be of little consequence
in relation to the large PCI values seen in patients
with locomotor disability. Further study is needed
to assess the reliability of such a minimal cost
field method, particularly if steady-state conditions are not achievable. Teabredeat repeatability
of the measure also requires further investigation
related to patients with locomotor disability. For
purposes of research, and to calculate accurate
absolute values of PCI which can be compared
with data from other workers, continuous telemetered HR monitoring would be needed and
steady-state heart rate conditions should be
attained by subjecte.
623
Authors
Maggie Bailey MSc &4 MCSP DipTP is a lecturer in the Department of Physiotherapy Studies at the University of K W .
Claire RatcliffeBSc MCSPis a physiotherapist at Dewsbury District Hospital, West Yorkshire.
This article was received on October 5,
March 3.1995.
and accepted on
Address for ComsponMrs M J Bailey BA M S c MCSP DipTP, Departmentof Physiotherapy Studies, Universityof Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 586.
References
Andrews. R B (1967). 'Estimation of values of energy expandnure
rate from observed values of heart rate', Human Factom, B, 6,
581-586.
Astrand, P 0 and Rodahl, K (1986). T e m &of Work Physiology, McGraw Hill, London. (3rdedn) page 364.
Bassett, D R, Giese, M D, Nagle, F J, Ward, A, Raab, D M and
Balke, B (1985). 'Aerobic requirementsof overground wmus
treadmill running', Medicine and Science in spohr and Exercise.
17,4,47741.
Jwmelolperrdlebfc~11,5,!57ldTB.
stallard. J, Ross. (3 K,T& J H a d Devks, J B (1978)'ment afoflhosa by means d speed and heart rate', Jwmdoi
h W k A EngbmMng end T d m d ~ ~2,22-24.
y,
Waters, R L, Hidop, H J. Thomas, Landcampbe#.J (l@83).
'ElwgyoostdrmlWlghn*and~',~
q w n e n b d m s n d c l r p l d ~ , , , 104-188.
Watenr. R 1LunslordBR, WIY,J and M,R (I=).
'Energyspeed relationship of walking: standard taMc&, J o u N of
orlhopeedlcfwcmtch, 62,215-222.
Zingraf, S, Squiree, W 0 and Manewel. M (1983). 'On measurhrghsattrstedurlng0xt3fCi&,~/nUldSporlsMedldna#.
210-212.