Office of Aerospace Medicine Technical Reports
FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-82/4
Title and Subtitle: Effects of prior physical exertion on tolerance to hypoxia, orthostatic stress, and physical fatigue
Report Date: March 1982
Authors: Lategola MT, Lyne PJ, Burr MJ
Abstract: Ten healthy men, 20-35 years old, were tested for tolerance to hypoxia, orthostatic stress, and physical fatigue after a period of rest, and, on another occasion, after a period of physical exertion. Exertion consisted of four 10-min periods of pedal ergometry; each period consisted of a 30-watt (W) load imposed for 2 min, 60 W for 4 min, and 100 W for 4 min. Testing included a 100-min exposure to an oxygen/nitrogen gas mixture equivalent to 3658 m of altitude, 2 min of lower body negative pressure (LBNP) at -40 torr differential pressure, and 6 min of 50 W pedal ergometry. Psychomotor testing was conducted during hypoxic exposure.
Although some statistically significant (p or = 0.05) physiological decrements were associated with prior physical exertion, psychomotor performance and mentation were not significantly affected. In this study, prior physical exertion produced no adverse effects on physiological tolerances, mentation, or psychomotor performance.
Key Words: Private pilots, Physical exertion, Cardiorespiratory functions, Psychomotor performance, Hypoxia tolerance, Orthostatic tolerance, Physical fatigue tolerance
No. of Pages: 12
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-82/4
Title and Subtitle: Effects of prior physical exertion on tolerance to hypoxia, orthostatic stress, and physical fatigue
Report Date: March 1982
Authors: Lategola MT, Lyne PJ, Burr MJ
Abstract: Ten healthy men, 20-35 years old, were tested for tolerance to hypoxia, orthostatic stress, and physical fatigue after a period of rest, and, on another occasion, after a period of physical exertion. Exertion consisted of four 10-min periods of pedal ergometry; each period consisted of a 30-watt (W) load imposed for 2 min, 60 W for 4 min, and 100 W for 4 min. Testing included a 100-min exposure to an oxygen/nitrogen gas mixture equivalent to 3658 m of altitude, 2 min of lower body negative pressure (LBNP) at -40 torr differential pressure, and 6 min of 50 W pedal ergometry. Psychomotor testing was conducted during hypoxic exposure.
Although some statistically significant (p or = 0.05) physiological decrements were associated with prior physical exertion, psychomotor performance and mentation were not significantly affected. In this study, prior physical exertion produced no adverse effects on physiological tolerances, mentation, or psychomotor performance.
Key Words: Private pilots, Physical exertion, Cardiorespiratory functions, Psychomotor performance, Hypoxia tolerance, Orthostatic tolerance, Physical fatigue tolerance
No. of Pages: 12
Last updated: Friday, June 1, 2012