The Canadian Off-Highway Vehicle Distributors Council (COHV) reviewed the published results of the final phase of York University's study on the "Fitness and Health Benefits of Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) Riding," and has confirmed once more that these findings support what all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and off-road motorcycle (ORM) clubs have been saying all along-that being out on the trails on your ATV or ORM is not only fun but contributes to individual and family emotional and physical well-being.
In order to characterize the health, fitness and quality of life of people who ride recreational off-road vehicles, Jamie F. Burr and his team at York University's Physical Activity and Chronic Disease Unit, in its final phase of the study, evaluated the fitness and health of individuals who participated in a six- or eight-week training program that involved riding all-terrain vehicles (ATV) and off-road motorcycles (ORM) as the exercise stimulus.
The primary purpose of this investigation on the "Physiological fitness and health adaptations from purposeful training using off-road vehicles" was to determine the fitness and health effects resulting from a structured program of off-road vehicle riding in non-habituated riders using all-terrain vehicles (ATV) and off-road motorcycles (ORM). A second purpose was to determine if differences would occur in the training response by vehicle type or riding frequency. The study's scientific results were published in the January 2011 issue of the European Journal of Applied Physiology.
Bob Ramsay, President of the COHV said, "The positive results reported in the study prove important health benefits can be achieved by this type of non-traditional physical activity. The fact that this type of physical activity can be used to target higher risk rural communities where exercise opportunities are limited, off-road riding certainly represents an attractive unconventional physical activity to help combat preventable disease and premature aging that put a burden on Canada's health care system."
Facts
- Vehicle riding took place under the supervision of instructors at a professional off-road riding school. Within vehicle type and riding volume group divisions, riders were further sub-divided into smaller training groups of 4-8 riders based on riding ability. As participants improved their riding skills, groups were adjusted so that the speed and difficulty of terrain were maintained throughout the program at a safe and appropriate level for all participants.
- Participants in this study experienced a decrease in both the percentage of body fat and a reduction in waist circumference, even though there was a small decrease in body mass. This suggests that 6 weeks of off-road riding not only leads to healthy changes in body fat stores but also increases lean muscle mass to offset the weight loss associated with body fat reductions.
- Conclusion: Consistent participation in off-road riding is an effective mode of alternative physical activity for decreasing adiposity (storage of fat), increasing muscle mass and improving endurance in the lower body. Off-road riding is effective for lowering blood pressure and may be a useful physical activity modality to improve metabolic regulation.
ATV & ORM Health Benefit Study Fact Sheet
- Study conducted by York University Physical Activity and Chronic Disease Unit, Faculty of Health, and supported by the Canadian Off-Highway Vehicle Distributors Council, the All Terrain Quad Council of Canada, The Motorcyclists Confederation of Canada and the Government of Nova Scotia.
- Jamie F. Burr, Veronica K. Jamnik, Jim A. Shaw and Professor Norman Gledhill at York University's Physical Activity and Chronic Disease Unit, Faculty of Health, agreed to conduct the study and for Jamie Burr, a kinesiologist and exercise physiologist at York, the research would be part of his PhD. The purpose of the research-to characterize the physiological demands of recreational ORV riding under typical ORV riding conditions using habitual recreation off-road vehicle riders.
- This published report (July 2010 issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the Official Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine [ACSM], "Physiological Demands of Off-Road Vehicle Riding") on one component of the research focuses specifically on the physiological demands of off-road vehicle (ORV) riding, compares them to the demands of other recreational activities, and explores the health and fitness benefits that ORV participation can provide to Canadians.
- Subsequent publications will examine the fitness and health of habitual recreational off-road riders; their own health perceptions, lifestyle behaviours and quality of life; and fitness and health training adaptations from six to eight weeks of ORV riding (i.e. how much ORV riding is required for health and fitness benefits to be derived).
- Study began in 2007 with a nationwide survey involving 310 participants to determine the characteristics of a "typical" rider and of a "typical" ride (Phase I). This information was then used as the basis to determine the health and fitness impacts of off-road riding (Phase II).
- Phase II involved 128 riders-male and female divided between the age groups of 16-29, 30-49 and 50-plus. Riders were first familiarized with the trail for safety reasons. All riders used their own riding gear and vehicles to avoid the necessity of having to adjust to new equipment. Riders wore specially designed helmets and equipment that allowed researchers to monitor and measure the physical demands of off-road riding (heart rate, oxygen consumption, muscular involvement [fatigue], and rate of exertion).
- Off-road vehicle riding was found to require "a true physiological demand that would be expected to have a beneficial effect on health and fitness according to Canada's current physical activity recommendations."
- Off-road vehicle riding was determined to be a recreational activity associated with moderate-intensity cardiovascular demand and fatigue-inducing muscular strength challenges, similar to other self-paced recreational sports such as golf, rock-climbing and alpine skiing.
- Oxygen consumption, which is an indicator of physical work, increased by 3.5 and 6 times the resting values for ATV and ORM riding, respectively-which falls within moderate intensity activity according to the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines and is in line with Canadian physical activity recommendations.
- The duration of a typical ride (2-3 hours for ATV, 1-2 hours for ORM) and the frequency of the rides (1-2 times a week) create sufficient opportunity to stimulate changes in aerobic fitness which falls within the physical activity guidelines (American College of Sports Medicine recommends between 450-720 MET minutes per week).
- "More health and fitness benefits could likely be realized if the frequency of riding were increased to a level compatible with the recommended Canadian guideline for physical activity."
- Using heart rate measurements alone, the demands of riding belong to the category of "hard" exercise-this increase of intensity may be linked to heightened psycho emotional responses (i.e. adrenalin), an effect of heat stress while riding, or a response to repeated isometric squeezing of the handlebars.
- When considering muscular force and power involvement, study results indicate a greater impact on muscular endurance as opposed to an increase in strength (NB: this is in reference to hand grip specifically).
- "Off-road vehicle riders perform considerable physical work using their arms and upper body." This upper body strength requirement "could lead to beneficial training increases in musculoskeletal fitness."
- Study findings also picked up on the psycho-social effects of riding - the "enhanced quality of life and stress reduction effects of off-road riding."
- Findings also reflect the "importance of alternative physical activity such as off-road riding to promote physical activity in a group who might otherwise forego exercise altogether" (habitual ATV riders in the study were not avid exercisers) and all physical activity is beneficial.
