Development of Passive Leg Cycle Exercise for the elderly to improve the walking rhythm and enhance the autonomic nervous activity

我们调查了5名老年人和脊髓损伤患者的被动下肢自行车运动（PLE）是否会导致自主神经活动的调节。所有受试者均知情同意并自愿参加本研究。为了评估PLE期间自主神经活动的变化，我们使用了与R-R间期变异性和收缩压变异性（SPV）相对应的脉搏间期变异性（PIV）的自回归（AR）功率谱。结果表明，反映心交感神经、副交感神经张力及交感-迷走神经平衡的PIV的LF、HF功率及功率比（LF/HF）在PLE时无明显变化，但在PLE后即刻恢复期，PIV的LF、HF功率及总功率显著增加（p<0.05）。另一方面，反映血管交感神经张力的SPV的LF功率显著降低（p<0.05）。我们还评估了连续五天的PLE对步行节律的影响。PLE后步行速度为1。2-1.比PLE前高5倍。我们的结论是，PLE可以作为有用的运动，老年人谁需要一些治疗没有突然调节自主神经活动。

We investigated whether passive leg cycle exercise (PLE) for the elderly and patients with spinal cord injuries leads to the modulation of autonomic nervous activity in 5 elderly subjects. All subjects were informed consent and participate voluntarily in this study. To evaluate changes in autonomic nervous activity during PLE, we used autoregressive (AR) power spectra of pulse interval variability (PIV) corresponded to R-R interval variability and systolic blood pressure variability (SPV). Our results showed that LF and HF powers and the ratio power (LF/HF) of PIV reflecting cardiac sympathetic, parasympathetic tone and sympatho-vagal balance were not changed during PLE, but during recovery period immediately after PLE, LF and HF powers and total power of PIV was significantly (p<0.05) increased. On the pother side, LF power of SPV showing vasomotor sympathetic tone was significantly (p<0.05) decreased. We also evaluate the effect of PLE for five consecutive days to the walking rhythm. The velocity of walking after PLE was 1. 2-1. 5 times higher than that before PLE. We conclude that PLE may be used as the useful exercise for the elderly who need some therapeutics without the abrupt modulation of autonomic nervous activity.