Energy Expenditure In Children During Rock Climbing Activity

Submitted by Dave on Tue, 10/06/2009 - 04:39

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise:
May 2009 - Volume 41 - Issue 5 - p 176
doi: 10.1249/01.MSS.0000355094.59677.cf

Watts, Phillip B. FACSM; Ostrowski, Megan L.

C-30 Free Communication/Poster - Children and Adolescents: MAY 28, 2009 7:30 AM - 12:30 PM ROOM: Hall 4F

The activity of rock climbing has been implemented in some school physical education programs however there have been no published studies on the physiological demands and energy costs of climbing in children.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to measure energy expenditure in children during climbing activities typical of school-based programs.

METHODS: Twenty-nine children (18 male, 11 female; mean age = 10.9±1.7 yr) participated in the study. All subjects had some recreational climbing experience. Prior to participation, each subject and his/her parent read and signed informed consent. Subjects were familiarized with the climbing terrain and instrumentation employed prior to data collection. A commercially available climbing structure (ht = 2.44 m; circumference = 8.20 m) fit with modular hand and foot holds provided continuous climbing terrain. The specific pattern of hand and foot hold placement was designed to ensure that the exertion level was submaximal during the trials of this study. Subjects were instructed to climb at a comfortable pace.

Following an initial 5-min rest each child climbed one sustained 5-min bout followed by a 5-min rest for a total of 10 min (SUS). This period was immediately followed by five 1-min climbing + 1-min rest intervals for a second total of 10 min (INT). Expired air was analyzed continuously via a portable system (Viasys/Jaeger Oxycon Mobile). Energy expenditure (EE) in kcal was determined from the expired air data via the Weir method for averaged 10-second intervals throughout climbing and rest periods.

RESULTS: Total EE (climbing + rest) was significantly higher for INT than for SUS (39.3±13.1 vs 34.3±11.3 kcal; p<.01). Elevated EE did not return to resting level between the 1-min intervals of climbing in INT. The mean total EE for the full 20-min protocol (SUS + INT) was 73.7±24.2 kcal. Total EE was significantly correlated with body mass; r=0.86. Mean average and peak metabolic equivalents (METs), calculated from oxygen consumption, were 6.4±1.3 and 9.1±2.1 METs respectively over the full 20-min protocol.

CONCLUSIONS: The rock climbing tasks employed in this study produced EE and MET levels similar to what have been reported in children for stair climbing, pickup basketball games, soccer, and easy jogging.

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