(A) research on oxygen uptake and heart rate in static working postures

Abstract

As in dynamic muscular activity, to support one``s body may be regarded as the static workload. An examination is made of the relationship between heart rate and oxygen uptake of three male graduate students in static working postures (sitting, squatting and standing). Though it has been believed that there exists a linear relationship between heart rate and oxygen uptake, this thesis shows that both have no relationship in the case of static postures, and that they may depend upon the characteristics of postures rather than the static workload. These results are discussed analytically. The additivity between static body postures and holding up one``s hands at his maximum height is tested. Compared with the sum of energy expenditure in balancing one``s body and holding up hands, the net rate of energy expenditure of performing them simultaneously is equivalent. In the case of static postures, the importance of the awareness of the characteristics and relevance of the measures is discussed.