Objective: To investigate the effect of increasing effort on energy cost as measured by oxygen consumption (VO2) during cycling exercise in individuals early after acquired brain injury (ABI).
Design: An experimental correlation design.
Setting: Specialist neurorehabilitation centre.
Participants: Thirty-eight individuals were recruited early after acquired brain injury. Nine individuals had spasticity; Ashworth Scale >1 in either upper or lower limbs.
Intervention: The VO2 was measured in relation to workload during a graded exercise test.
Results: The VO2 increased in a linear fashion with increases in workload in 34 individuals. Only one individual with spasticity demonstrated a nonlinear relationship.
Conclusion: Increasing the workload during cycling exercise does not disproportionately increase energy cost in most individuals with spasticity early after ABI.