The effect of treadmill speed on ventilation at the start of exercise in man

1. The change in ventilation at the start of exercise was determined during both hyperoxic rebreathing and air breathing in four volunteers. 2. In order to differentiate between the effects of limb-movement frequency and exercise load in terms of oxygen uptake, three treadmill exercises were tested: E1, at an oxygen uptake of 1 l/min on a level treadmill; E2, at 2 l/min on an inclined treadmill at the same speed as E1; E3, at 2 l/min on a level treadmill at a higher speed. All of the exercises were performed at a walking pace. 3. Prior to rebreathing, hyperventilation for 5 min to 20 mmHg was used to reduce carbon dioxide to below the central chemoreceptor threshold. From eleven to fourteen rebreathing experiments were done on each volunteer for each of the three exercises, with the treadmill started at carbon dioxide levels which ranged from 36 (below threshold) to 58 mmHg (above threshold). 4. Ten experiments were performed on each volunteer for each of the three exercises during air breathing, with the treadmill started after 5 min of rest. 5. In both the rebreathing experiments and the air breathing experiments it was found that the change in ventilation at the start of exercise was the same for exercises E1 and E2, and significantly greater for exercise E3. 6. It was concluded that the frequency of limb movement, rather than exercise load (oxygen consumption) is a determinant of the change in ventilation at the start of exercise.