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Responses of people with coronary artery disease to common lawn-care tasks
L M Sheldahl1, N A Wilke, R D Hanna
1VA Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI 53295, USA.
Insights
Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) can safely engage in lawn care activities. Lawn mowing intensity is often within recommended aerobic exercise training ranges, adjustable by equipment and pace.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Exercise Physiology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Coronary artery disease (CAD) necessitates careful management of physical exertion.
- Assessing the cardiovascular and metabolic demands of common activities is crucial for patient safety and exercise prescription.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify oxygen uptake (VO2) and heart rate (HR) responses during typical lawn-care tasks in patients with CAD.
- To determine the exercise intensity of lawn mowing and related activities relative to maximal capacity.
Main Methods:
- Three study phases involving men and women with and without CAD.
- Participants performed various lawn-care activities, including motorized and manual push mowing, trimming, and raking.
- Measurements included oxygen uptake (VO2) and heart rate (HR) during submaximal exercise.
Main Results:
- Lawn mowing intensity frequently aligns with recommended aerobic exercise training guidelines.
- VO2 demands varied, with push manual mowing showing higher uptake (22.2 ml.kg-1.min-1) and grass trimming lower (8.6 ml.kg-1.min-1).
- Self-propelled mowing at slow speeds represented 37%-62% of VO2max in CAD groups.
Conclusions:
- Lawn mowing can be a viable aerobic exercise for individuals with CAD, provided they can achieve 4 METs.
- Patients with CAD should be able to perform self-propelled mowing and trimming within safe exertion limits (<80% peak VO2).
- Equipment choice and pacing allow for modulation of the cardiovascular and metabolic demands of lawn care.
Abstract:
The primary purpose of the present study was to determine oxygen uptake (VO2) and heart rate (HR) responses of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) to common lawn-care activities. The study was conducted in three phases. In phase I, 8 men with CAD performed 30 min of push motorized lawn mowing at a self-paced rate. In phase II, 9 men with CAD performed push (no power) mowing, trimming (power and manual), and raking for 8 min each. In phase III, age-matched men and women with and without CAD (9-11 per group) performed self-propelled motorized mowing and push motorized mowing. In phase I, VO2 averaged 17.3 (SEM 3.8) ml.kg-1.min-1 during 30 min of mowing. Relative effort was 68 (SEM 1) and 76 (SEM 4)% of treadmill maximal VO2 (VO2max) and HR, respectively. In phase II, mean VO2 ranged from 8.6 (SEM 0.4) with grass trimming to 22.2 (SEM 1.6) ml.kg-1.min-1 with push manual mowing. With self-propelled mowing at three speeds in phase III, mean VO2 of the CAD groups ranged from 9.5 (SEM 0.3) to 13.8 (SEM 1.4) ml.kg-1.min-1 and represented 37%-62% VO2max. The results indicated that lawn mowing is often performed at an exercise intensity recommended for aerobic exercise training; patients who achieve a treadmill peak capacity of 4 times resting metabolic rate (4 METs) should be able to perform self-propelled motorized lawn mowing (slow speed) and grass trimming at less than 80% peak VO2; and VO2 demands of lawn mowing can be adjusted by equipment selection and/or pace.