Abstract

There are few reports concerning the alterations in the percent of haemoglobin saturated with oxygen (S02) during non-steady state incremental exercise. Further, no data exist to describe the S02 changes during arm exercise. Therefore, the purpose of this study was made to assess the dynamic changes in S02 during incremental arm and leg work. Nine trained subjects (7 males and 2 females) performed incremental arm and leg exercise to exhaustion on an arm crank ergometer and a cycle ergometer, respectively. Ventilation and gas exchange measurements were obtained minute by minute via open circuit spirometry and changes in SO2 were recorded via an ear oximeter. No significant difference existed between arm and leg work in end-tidal oxygen (PETO2), end-tidal carbon dioxide (PETCO2), or S02 when compared as a function of percent VO2 max. These results provide evidence that arterial 02 desaturation occurs in a similar fashion in both incremental arm leg work with the greatest changes in S02 occurring at work rates greater than 70 V02 max. Verf.-Referat