Differences in Cardiopulmonary Response Between Set-Paced and Self-Paced Submaximal Endurance Activities in Older Adults

In home health practice, clinicians may utilize set-pace or self-pace exercise to assess cardiorespiratory health. This study investigated cardiorespiratory responses between two self-paced and two set-paced submaximal activities. A prospective, observational, cross-sectional study included a convenience sample of 40 community-dwelling older adults (18 males and 22 females). Participants completed four submaximal endurance activities during a single session: 3-minute self-paced seated marching, 3-minute self-paced standing marching, 3-minute set-paced seated marching, and 3-minute set-paced standing marching. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and oxygen consumption (VO2) were measured before and after each activity. Differences were analyzed using within-subjects repeated-measures analysis of variance with Bonferroni adjustments. Significant differences were observed between the four activities for post-exercise HR, SBP, RPE, and VO2 (all p < .001). The mean cadence during self-paced standing marching and self-paced seated marching were 130.39 and 109.50 steps per minute respectively, compared with a standardized cadence of 88 steps per minute for set-paced activities. Cardiorespiratory responses are influenced by pacing strategy. Self-paced activities elicited greater cardiorespiratory responses than set-paced activities due to faster movement cadences. Clinicians must appreciate that when given autonomy, older adults may self-select higher movement cadences, that result in increased physiological stress.