[Various aspects of determining physical work capacity of humans in hyperbaric environment].

Physical work capacity of man during real and stimulated dives is discussed in view of the reported data. The parameter is known to decrease as the breathing gas density and immersion depth increase. The factors limiting the work capacity growth are as follows: greater respiration resistance, higher energy cost of ventilation, CO2 retention, dyspnea, adverse circulation changes. During exposure hyperbaric bradycardia occurs both at rest and upon a work load. This precludes prediction of physical work capacity on the basis of the heart rate alone as a parameter used in a normobaric environment. The paper contains tabulated data on the work capacity of divers at various depths obtained by different authors.