Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026
Experimental Protocol of a Three-minute, All-out Arm Crank Exercise Test in Spinal-cord Injured and Able-bodied Individuals
Published on: June 8, 2017
One-leg cycling versus arm cranking: which is most appropriate for physical conditioning after knee surgery?
Nicolas Olivier1, Renaud Legrand, Jacques Rogez
1Polyclinique de Riaumont, Liévin, France. oliviern@neuf.fr
Objective:
To compare the cardiorespiratory responses, blood lactate concentration and perceived exertion between 1-leg cycling and arm cranking.
Design:
Comparison of exercise modalities.
Setting:
Hospital.
Participants:
Fourteen men who had undergone knee surgery were evaluated during rehabilitation.
Interventions:
Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures:
Each patient performed 2 maximal graded tests: 1-leg cycling and arm cranking exercise, with a 7-day interval. Respiratory gas exchange, heart rate, blood lactate concentration, and the ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured.
Results:
Peak power output, peak minute ventilation, peak oxygen uptake (Vo(2)peak), and peak heart rate did not differ significantly between 1-leg cycling and arm cranking. The first and second ventilatory thresholds occurred at above 40% and 72% of Vo(2)peak, respectively, in both tests. The maximal lactate concentrations and the RPE values were significantly higher during arm cranking (+10%, +12%, respectively, P<.05) compared with corresponding 1-leg cycling values.
Conclusions:
The maximal cardiorespiratory values were not different between arm cranking and 1-leg cycling. However, the RPE and blood lactate concentration were lower when the exercise was performed with the lower limb. Thus 1-leg cycling may be more easily tolerated than arm cranking by patients participating in aerobic conditioning after knee surgery.
