Impact of Lower Body Weight Support Treadmill on Cardiopulmonary Exercise Capacity and Trainability

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The AlterG®-anti-gravity treadmill provides lower body weight support which enables individuals to exercise without feeling their full body weight. How this body weight support influences cardiovascular, respiratory, vascular and metabolic parameters is currently unclear. Further, whether body weight support influences the trainability in response to moderate continuous exercise is unknown. This investigation has two main goals. First, we explore the direct influence of lower body weight support on cardiometabolic parameters during maximal exercise testing. Second, we aim to compare changes in cardiorespiratory fitness in response to a structured exercise protocol using moderate intensity with and without lower body weight support.

Official Title
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Einfluss Der Körpergewichtsunterstützung Auf Einem AlterG®-Antigravitationslaufband Auf Die Kardiopulmonale Leistungsfähigkeit Und Trainierbarkeit

Conditions
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Healthy Volunteers

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: AlterG Anti-gravity treadmill


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: maximal oxygen consumption below age-sex specific standard Exclusion Criteria: acute infection within the last four weeks anemia (males: Hb < 8.1 mmol/L; females Hb < 7.4 mmol/L) previous reports of myo-, endo, or pericarditis previous stroke or acute myocardial infarction heart failure (NYHA > 1) aortic valve stenosis congenital heart disease cardiomyopathy severe left ventricular hypertrophy cardiac arrythmias hypertension diabetes BMI > 35 cancer pregnancy aneurysm of aorta or cerebral arteries

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 45 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: AlterG Anti-gravity treadmill<br>cont. aerobic exercise training with lower body weight support | Other: AlterG Anti-gravity treadmill<br>* Participants in this group will complete a 12 week aerobic exercise training protocol with 40% lower body weight support on an AlterG Anti-gravity treadmill<br>|
| No Intervention: Exercise without body weight support<br>cont. aerobic exercise training without lower body weight support | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Maximal oxygen consumption | VO2peak [ml/min] | 12 weeks | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Oxygen consumption at anaerobic threshold | VO2@AT | 12 weeks | 
| Pulse wave velocity |  | 12 weeks |