Biomaterial Database

Physiological and perceptual responses to walking while swinging hand-held towels. 1994

T J Michaud

Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Houston, Texas.

The intent of this investigation was to determine the intensity of cardiovascular exercise produced by walking while swinging hand-held towels and its potential as a training method. Sixteen healthy college students were the volunteer subjects in this experiment. Each subject performed five randomly ordered trials in which they walked with: (1) a normal arm swing (NAS); (2) a vigorous arm swing (VAS); (3) a vigorous arm swing with hand-held towels (VAST); (4) a vigorous arm swing at NAS heart rate (VNH); and (5) a vigorous arm swing with hand-held towels at NAS heart rate (VTNH). Treadmill speed was 89 m.min-1 for VTNH, 103 for VNH, and 119 for NAS, VAS, and VAST trials. Each trial lasted 6 min and was separated by a 2 min walking recovery. Statistical analysis revealed (p < 0.05) that oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (HR), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were significantly greater for the VAST (27.8 +/- 3.9 ml.kg-1.min-1, 152 +/- 13.8 bpm, 4.2 +/- 1.4 Borg) vs. NAS (21.0 +/- 3.4, 125 +/- 14.7, 2.6 +/- 1.0) and VAS (24.7 +/- 3.7, 139 +/- 14.1, 3.4 +/- 1.1) vs. NAS trials, but were similar for NAS, VNH, and VTNH. Although not statistically significantly different, VO2, HR, and RPE were physiologically greater for the VAST than VAS trial. These results suggest that walking while swinging hand-held towels is a way to: (1) increase oxygen consumption without altering walking speed and (2) slow walking speed yet maintain exercise intensity.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D010101	Oxygen Consumption	The rate at which oxygen is used by a tissue; microliters of oxygen STPD used per milligram of tissue per hour; the rate at which oxygen enters the blood from alveolar gas, equal in the steady state to the consumption of oxygen by tissue metabolism throughout the body. (Stedman, 25th ed, p346)	Consumption, Oxygen,Consumptions, Oxygen,Oxygen Consumptions
D005260	Female		Females
D006339	Heart Rate	The number of times the HEART VENTRICLES contract per unit of time, usually per minute.	Cardiac Rate,Chronotropism, Cardiac,Heart Rate Control,Heartbeat,Pulse Rate,Cardiac Chronotropy,Cardiac Chronotropism,Cardiac Rates,Chronotropy, Cardiac,Control, Heart Rate,Heart Rates,Heartbeats,Pulse Rates,Rate Control, Heart,Rate, Cardiac,Rate, Heart,Rate, Pulse
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D015444	Exercise	Physical activity which is usually regular and done with the intention of improving or maintaining PHYSICAL FITNESS or HEALTH. Contrast with PHYSICAL EXERTION which is concerned largely with the physiologic and metabolic response to energy expenditure.	Aerobic Exercise,Exercise, Aerobic,Exercise, Isometric,Exercise, Physical,Isometric Exercise,Physical Activity,Acute Exercise,Exercise Training,Activities, Physical,Activity, Physical,Acute Exercises,Aerobic Exercises,Exercise Trainings,Exercise, Acute,Exercises,Exercises, Acute,Exercises, Aerobic,Exercises, Isometric,Exercises, Physical,Isometric Exercises,Physical Activities,Physical Exercise,Physical Exercises,Training, Exercise,Trainings, Exercise
D016138	Walking	An activity in which the body advances at a slow to moderate pace by moving the feet in a coordinated fashion. This includes recreational walking, walking for fitness, and competitive race-walking.	Ambulation