Metabolic Cost of Stair Climbing

Abstract

Metabolic energy costs were determined on sixteen male firefighters ascending a stairmill in an unladen and a laden condition at a vertical velocity of 12.2 m/min. In the unladen condition they wore shorts and tennis shoes, while lagen they wore full protective clothing, including a SCBA, and carried a hose pack. Mean mass of the load was 39.2 kg. Caloric costs were compared with selected equations from the literature. All of the equations overpredicted for the unladen condition. One continued to overpredict, one underestimated, and a third was very close for the cost for the laden condition. An equation derived from data for eight of the subjects, yielded better predictions for the remaining eight, under both conditions, than any of the equations from the literature. Limitations and the need for further research are discussed.