Work efficiency of paraplegics during arm cranking exercise.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the level of spinal cord injury on work efficiencies of paraplegics during arm cranking exercise. Subjects were male paraplegics including seven high paraplegics (T3-T8) and seven low paraplegics (T10-L1, 2), and seven normal males. They performed arm cranking exercise at 0 and 30 watts. Work efficiencies of high paraplegics showed a little lower than others, although there were no significant differences among subject's groups. On the other hand, the pulmonary ventilation at a work load of 30 watts significantly increased in high paraplegics in comparison with low paraplegics and normal subjects. The somewhat low work efficiency of high paraplegics was attributable to the increased ventilation which yielded an increase in oxygen uptake.