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Immersion is considered to facilitate exercise-based rehabilitation. However, the drag effect of moving limbs in water, likely to increase the respiratory requirements at exercise, is not mentioned in many reports. The energetic and ventilatory requirements of 30 min steady state cycling exercise performed by healthy male subjects in air and during immersion up to the xiphoid in 33 degrees C water were compared. In the first experimental series nine subjects exercised at the same 60% maximal oxygen consumption (V'O2,max) in air and water. In the two ambient conditions, ventilatory variables had similar values, but the ergometric setting had to be reduced during water immersion so that the workload rated only 69+/-20 W (mean+/-SD) in water versus 121+/-32 W (p<0.001) in air. In the second experimental series, the same ergometric work load (122 W) was achieved by nine subjects with an average V'O2 of 2,210+/-300 mL x min(-1) in air versus 2,868+/-268 mL x min(-1) in water (p<0.001). Resting water immersion caused a marked trend for decreasing vital capacity (p=0.06), but no modification of other ventilatory variables. During exercise at similar V'O2, the average values of minute ventilation (V'E), tidal volume (VT), respiratory frequency (fR), tidal inspiratory time (VT/tI) were not different between water and air. However, at similar ergometric workload, V'E, VT, fR, VT/tI and plasma lactate levels were significantly higher in water than in air. Such consequences of the drag effect of water upon limb movements have not been reported in previous studies relying on shorter exercise bouts. Thus, maintaining steady exercise levels in water either led to a decrease in the workload or required a 25% higher oxygen consumption than in air. These findings may be relevant to the prescription of water immersion rehabilitation programmes.

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of water immersion to the chest on cardio-vascular adaptation to exercise. Upright or sitting immersion causes an increase in central blood volume, but it remains controversial whether central blood volume remains elevated during dynamic exercise in water and facilitates cardiac adaptation, depending particularly on the intensity of exercise which can be matched for O2 consumption (metabolic range) or for mechanical intensity (work load). We have compared hemodynamic variables measured during two cycling exercises at the same mechanical intensity, performed both in ambiant air and during immersion up to the chest.

Summary: Aim: To assess the effects of water immersion on cardiovascular requirements, 30min immersed versus air steady exercises at neutral temperature were compared in two settings:similar energy expenditure (60% maximal oxygen consumption; series 1) and similar ergometric workload (120W; series 2). For 15 healthy male subjects, the arterial blood pressure, heart rate, thoracic fluid conductivity (TFC), cardiac index (CI) and stroke index (SI) were monitored at rest, during the exercise period and during 30min of post-exercise recovery in two conditions. Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) was also measured. Results: Resting water immersion increased TFC, CI, SI, and systolic arterial pressure (SAP). During exercise the average CI, SI and SAP were not different in water and air in series 1, but in series 2 CI, SI, heart rate, systolic and diastolic arterial pressures were higher in water. Plasma ANP was higher after immersed exercises. During recovery, CI was similar after either exercise, while SI was lower and heart rate higher following immersion, consistent with a lower effective circulatory volume than after exercise in air. TFC was high, as reflecting an increased interstitial fluid content in the lung. Conclusions: Cardiovascular requirements for exercising in water were markedly higher than in air and straining of lung parenchyma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]