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Conversion table for running on lower body positive pressure treadmills.
John R Kline1, Scot Raab, J Richard Coast
1Departments of 1Physical Therapy and Athletic Training; 2Biological Sciences; and 3Health Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona.
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
|August 28, 2014
Summary
Runners need to increase speed on lower body positive pressure (LBPP) treadmills to match metabolic costs. This study provides a conversion table for LBPP treadmill speeds to equivalent regular treadmill exertion levels.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Biomechanics
- Sports Science
Background:
- Lower body positive pressure (LBPP) treadmills reduce body weight (BW) during running, lowering metabolic cost.
- Increased running speed can offset reduced metabolic cost, but precise speed adjustments for LBPP treadmills are not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create a user-friendly conversion table for LBPP treadmill speeds to match metabolic output on conventional treadmills.
- To quantify the speed increases required on an LBPP treadmill across various body weight support levels.
Main Methods:
- Twenty recreational runners completed running intervals on both regular and LBPP treadmills.
- Metabolic outputs were measured and matched across different BW support percentages (50-100%) on the LBPP treadmill.
- Regression analyses were used to develop the speed conversion table.
Main Results:
- A conversion table was successfully developed for speeds ranging from 6.4 to 16.1 km/h (4-10 mph).
- Higher BW support on LBPP treadmills necessitated greater speed increases to match metabolic output.
- The proportional speed increase required was smaller at higher running speeds.
Conclusions:
- The developed conversion table aids coaches and practitioners in prescribing training on LBPP treadmills.
- Understanding these speed-metabolic relationships is crucial for effective training and rehabilitation using LBPP technology.
