Maximal oxygen uptake, total metabolic energy expenditure, and energy cost in swimmers with physical disabilities

The purpose of this study was to assess the maximum oxygen uptake (V̇O 2max ), the total metabolic energy expenditure ( ), and the energy cost (C) measured as the speed of V̇O 2max in swimmers with physical impairments. Eleven swimmers performed an Nx200-m front crawl test from a low to all-out speed and data were obtained at maximum aerobic power. The oxygen uptake was measured breath-by-breath by a telemetric gas exchange system. The was calculated from the aerobic and anaerobic pathways at maximal intensity. The C was obtained by the ratio of the and the mean swimming speed. The V̇O 2max was 38.2 ± 8.3 mL.kg.min −1 , the was 191.9 ± 51.7 kJ, and the C was 0.8 ± 0.2 kJ.m −1 . The energy contribution of the aerobic pathway was higher (p 0.05). There was no gender effect on the results of the energy contributions (p > 0.05). The anaerobic lactic pathway contribution was higher in male than in female swimmers (p