Intersegmental Coordination in Stair Climbing

Stair climbing has become a popular form of training for athletes as well as non-athletes. Considering that there are a plethora of devices for stair climbing, how does a person decide which apparatus to use? Aside from issues of practicality, much of the decision could be based on the principles of specificity of training. That is, for maximum transfer of benefits from one activity to another, the activities should be compatible in the usage of energy systems, muscle groups, and patterns of coordination. As for the first two criteria of specificity, the choice is simple: Almost all stair climbing devices are beneficial to the aerobic energy system and the leg extensor muscles. However, for the criterion of coordination, the choice may be more difficult. First, the reasons for exercising on stairs are diverse: They can range from cross-training for the serious athlete who wishes to gain a competitive advantage to reconditioning for the injured or elderly person who wishes to safely negotiate the staircase at home. Second, little is known about the patterns of coordination that are employed in leg extensor activities. To date, only jumping (Bobbert & van Ingen Schenau, 1988; Hudson, 1986) and speed skating (Koning et al., 1991) have been analyzed in terms of intersegmental coordination. From the data depicted in these studies, it appears that the thigh and shank operate with predominant simultaneity in both these tasks. That is, the thigh and shank both begin and end their propulsive phases at approximately the same times. Presuming a volleyball player wanted to reinforce a simultaneous pattern of coordination, do either stair machines or staircases afford this opportunity? Presuming a person with a hip replacement wanted to rehabilitate with a stair machine, do certain stair machines compare more favorably with staircases in terms of coordination? To gain insight into these and similar questions, the purpose of this study was to investigate patterns of intersegmental coordination in different modes of stair climbing.