Effects of different patterns of stairclimbing on physiological cost and motor efficiency

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of different motion patterns of ascending and descending stairs on oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (HR) and efficiency. Five healthy males performed ascending and descending by two motion patterns; climbing foot over foot (usual climb) and climbing with both feet on each step (stepping climb), at the stepping rates of 25, 37, 50, and 62 steps.min-1. The results showed that VO2 and HR were significantly higher (on average 10%) with the stepping climb than the usual climb, and the difference between them tended to increase in proportion to the stepping rates. HR values to VO2 in the stepping climb significantly higher than those in the usual climb at each stepping rate during stair ascent and descent. In terms of motor efficiency and efficiency of locomotion (kcal.step-1.kg-1) the usual climb was more efficient than the stepping climb during stair descent and ascent. These results suggested that usual climb has the advantages of lower physiological cost and higher efficiency than the stepping climb with increasing the stepping rate. Furthermore, the effects of motion patterns during stair descent were less than those during ascent.