The Monark bicycle ergometer in screening arterial patients

Abstract

Abstract In patients with peripheral arterial disease, maximum walking distance on a treadmill is commonly used for studying the effect of exercise on ankle systolic pressure. Exercise on the Monark bicycle ergometer for 1 min at a workload of 1 kp and cycling at 20 kph has been compared with treadmill walking in 30 patients presenting with calf pain on exercise at the vascular clinic and in 6 normal volunteers. The bicycle test produced a significant fall in ankle systolic pressure in all patients with advanced arterial disease. There was no statistical difference in the results obtained on the bicycle compared with the treadmill. There was better patient compliance with the bicycle test. The Monark bicycle ergometer, a simple inexpensive instrument, is a viable alternative to the treadmill for exercising arterial patients.