Purpose: The purposes of this study was to evaluate the effects of different gradient (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%) elliptical trainer exercise on the track of lower extremity and physiological response. Methods: Fifteen volunteer subjects underwent the trial of 60rpm, composed of five different gradient elliptical trainer exercises. Each exercise trail was three minutes and each exercise trail. Kinematics was calculated for twenty seconds. One-way ANOVA were employed to analyze these data. Results: Oxygen uptake, the various gradient did not reach significant difference (F=.429, p=.787>.05), but the averages for comparison and found the gradient of 10% (29.75±3.31ml/kg/min) and 15% (29.95±4.12ml/kg/min) had lower oxygen uptake value, exercise economy were better. In kinematics, with the gradient rise, the hip joint, knee joint of the angular velocity were appeared. The angular velocity variation of ankle joint appears inverse proportion with gradient. Conclusions: The adjustable gradient of elliptical did not showed the significant difference on the oxygen uptake of forward trial that with the increase of gradient, the first step on exercise economy would increase first than decrease. Middle-gradient exercise economy is much better and suitable for body's natural gait, even more for those with fitness.
Purpose: The purposes of this study was to evaluate the effects of different gradient (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%) elliptical trainer exercise on the track of lower extremity and physiological response. Methods: Fifteen volunteer subjects underwent the trial of 60rpm, composed of five different gradient elliptical trainer exercises. Each exercise trail was three minutes and each exercise trail. Kinematics was calculated for twenty seconds. One-way ANOVA were employed to analyze these data. Results: Oxygen uptake, the various gradient did not reach significant difference (F=.429, p=.787>.05), but the averages for comparison and found the gradient of 10% (29.75±3.31ml/kg/min) and 15% (29.95±4.12ml/kg/min) had lower oxygen uptake value, exercise economy were better. In kinematics, with the gradient rise, the hip joint, knee joint of the angular velocity were appeared. The angular velocity variation of ankle joint appears inverse proportion with gradient. Conclusions: The adjustable gradient of elliptical did not showed the significant difference on the oxygen uptake of forward trial that with the increase of gradient, the first step on exercise economy would increase first than decrease. Middle-gradient exercise economy is much better and suitable for body's natural gait, even more for those with fitness.