The constant velocity translatoric dynamo ergometer. A new approach to investigate neuromuscular, metabolic, and cardiovascular parameters.

The goal of this study was to investigate with the new dynamo ergometer the forces produced within a defined range of motion at a constant velocity during concentric translatoric work as well as to investigate fatigue based on neuromuscular and metabolic parameters. We examined 11 male sports students with the "Motomir" device with the subjects in a sitting position. The test consisted of four times 1 min of concentric leg work with 1-min rest phases in between. The subjects were asked to do maximum effort push movements with one leg and maximum effort pull movements with the other leg. The translatoric form of movement did not reveal any significant differences in strength between the left and right legs. The strength of the extensors was significantly higher than that of the flexors during all exercise stages (p < 0.001). A significant decrease in strength was established for extensor muscles and no significant decrease for the flexor muscles. The quotient of flexor/extensor was 0.43 +/- 0.07 in the first exercise stage and increased in every stage till the fourth. There was a correlation (p < 0.001) between the difference in lactate of the first and fourth exercise stages and the percentage of force decrease from the 1st to the 4th min. The electric activity of the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and gastrocnemius muscles decreased from the first to the fourth exercise stage. This decrease was however not significant. The translatoric constant velocity dynamo ergometer allows both diagnosis and training at varying angles and varying speeds while avoiding unphysiological maximum loads.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)