scholarly journals Acute Quadriceps Muscle Pain Reduces Isometric Endurance Performance of the Contralateral Limb

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Norbury ◽  
Samuel Smith ◽  
Mark Burnley ◽  
Megan Judge ◽  
Alexis Mauger

Intro: Non-local muscle pain may impair neuromuscular fatigue and endurance performance, but the mechanisms are unknown. This study examined the effects of muscle pain on neuromuscular performance of the contralateral limb. Methods: On separate visits, nine participants completed an isometric time to task failure (TTF) of the right knee extensors after intramuscular injection of isotonic saline (CTRL) or hypertonic saline (HYP) into the left vastus lateralis. Measures of neuromuscular fatigue were taken before, during and after the TTF using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and peripheral nerve stimulation. Results: Mean pain intensity was greater in the left leg in HYP (3.3 ± 1.9) compared to CTRL (0.4 ± 0.7) (P < 0.001) which reduced TTF by 9.8% in HYP (4.54 ± 0.56 min) compared to CTRL (5.07 ± 0.77 min) (P = 0.005). Maximum voluntary force was not different between conditions (all P > 0.05). Voluntary activation was lower at minute 3 of the TTF in HYP compared to CTRL (P = 0.016). No difference was identified between conditions for doublet amplitude (all P < 0.05). Furthermore, no difference in TMS responses between conditions was observed. Conclusion: Non-local pain impairs endurance performance of the contralateral limb. This impairment in performance is likely due to the faster attainment of the sensory tolerance limit from a greater amount of sensory feedback originating from the non-exercising, but painful, left leg.

Author(s):  
Ryan Norbury ◽  
Samuel A. Smith ◽  
Mark Burnley ◽  
Megan Judge ◽  
Alexis R. Mauger

Abstract Purpose Muscle pain can impair exercise performance but the mechanisms for this are unknown. This study examined the effects of muscle pain on neuromuscular fatigue during an endurance task. Methods On separate visits, twelve participants completed an isometric time-to-task failure (TTF) exercise of the right knee extensors at ~ 20% of maximum force following an intramuscular injection of isotonic saline (CTRL) or hypertonic saline (HYP) into the vastus lateralis. Measures of neuromuscular fatigue were taken before, during and after the TTF using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and peripheral nerve stimulation. Results The mean pain intensity was 57 ± 10 in HYP compared to 38 ± 18 in CTRL (P < 0.001). TTF was reduced in HYP (4.36 ± 0.88 min) compared to CTRL (5.20 ± 0.39 min) (P = 0.003). Maximum voluntary force was 12% lower at minute 1 (P = 0.003) and 11% lower at minute 2 in HYP (P = 0.013) compared to CTRL. Voluntary activation was 4% lower at minute 1 in HYP compared to CTRL (P = 0.006) but not at any other time point (all P > 0.05). The TMS silent period was 9% longer at 100 s during the TTF in HYP compared to CTRL (P = 0.026). Conclusion Muscle pain reduces exercise performance through the excacerbation of neuromuscular fatigue that is central in origin. This appears to be from inhibitory feedback from group III/IV nociceptors which acts to reduce central motor output.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Norbury ◽  
Samuel Smith ◽  
Mark Burnley ◽  
Megan Judge ◽  
Alexis Mauger

Purpose: Muscle pain can impair exercise performance but the mechanisms for this are unknown. This study examined the effects of muscle pain on neuromuscular fatigue during an endurance task. Methods: On separate visits, twelve participants completed an isometric time to task failure (TTF) of the right knee extensors at ~20% of maximum force following an intramuscular injection of isotonic saline (CTRL) or hypertonic saline (HYP) into the vastus lateralis. Measures of neuromuscular fatigue were taken before, during and after the TTF using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS). Results: The mean pain intensity was 57 ± 10 in HYP compared to 38 ± 18 in CTRL (P &lt; 0.001). TTF was reduced in HYP (4.36 ± 0.88 min) compared to CTRL (5.20 ± 0.39 min) (P = 0.003). Maximum voluntary force was 12 % lower at minute 1 (P = 0.003) and 11 % lower at minute 2 in HYP (P = 0.013) compared to CTRL. Voluntary activation was 4 % lower at minute 1 in HYP compared to CTRL (P = 0.006) but not at any other time point (all P &gt; 0.05). The TMS silent period was 9 % longer at 100 s during the TTF in HYP compared to CTRL (P = 0.026). Conclusion: Muscle pain reduces exercise performance through the excacerbation of neuromuscular fatigue that is central in origin. This appears to be from inhibitory feedback from group III/IV nociceptors which acts to reduce central motor output.


2010 ◽  
Vol 108 (5) ◽  
pp. 1224-1233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Martin ◽  
Hugo Kerhervé ◽  
Laurent A. Messonnier ◽  
Jean-Claude Banfi ◽  
André Geyssant ◽  
...  

This experiment investigated the fatigue induced by a 24-h running exercise (24TR) and particularly aimed at testing the hypothesis that the central component would be the main mechanism responsible for neuromuscular fatigue. Neuromuscular function evaluation was performed before, every 4 h during, and at the end of the 24TR on 12 experienced ultramarathon runners. It consisted of a determination of the maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) of the knee extensors (KE) and plantar flexors (PF), the maximal voluntary activation (%VA) of the KE and PF, and the maximal compound muscle action potential amplitude (Mmax) on the soleus and vastus lateralis. Tetanic stimulations also were delivered to evaluate the presence of low-frequency fatigue and the KE maximal muscle force production ability. Strength loss occurred throughout the exercise, with large changes observed after 24TR in MVC for both the KE and PF muscles (−40.9 ± 17.0 and −30.3 ± 12.5%, respectively; P < 0.001) together with marked reductions of %VA (−33.0 ± 21.8 and −14.8 ± 18.9%, respectively; P < 0.001). A reduction of Mmax amplitude was observed only on soleus, and no low-frequency fatigue was observed for any muscle group. Finally, KE maximal force production ability was reduced to a moderate extent at the end of the 24TR (−10.2%; P < 0.001), but these alterations were highly variable ( ± 15.7%). These results suggest that central factors are mainly responsible for the large maximal muscle torque reduction after ultraendurance running, especially on the KE muscles. Neural drive reduction may have contributed to the relative preservation of peripheral function and also affected the evolution of the running speed during the 24TR.


Author(s):  
Samuel Andrew Smith ◽  
Dominic Micklewright ◽  
Samantha Lee Winter ◽  
Alexis R. Mauger

Purpose: The intensity of exercise-induced pain (EIP) reflects the metabolic environment in the exercising muscle, so during endurance exercise this may inform the intelligent regulation of work rate. Conversely, the acute debilitating effects of EIP on motor unit recruitment could impair the estimation of force produced by the muscle and impair judgement of current exercise intensity. This study investigated whether muscle pain that feels like EIP, administered via intramuscular injection of hypertonic saline, interferes with the ability to accurately reproduce torque in a muscle group relevant to locomotive exercise. Methods: On separate days, fourteen participants completed an isometric torque reproduction task of the knee extensors. Participants were required to produce torque at 15 and 20% maximal voluntary torque (MVIT), without visual feedback before (Baseline), during (Pain/No Pain), and after (Recovery) an injection of 0.9% isotonic saline (Control) or 5.8% hypertonic saline (Experimental) into the vastus lateralis of the right leg. Results: An elevated reported intensity of pain, and a significantly increased variance in mean contraction torque at both 15% (P=0.049) and 20% (P=0.002) MVIT was observed in the Experimental compared to the Control condition. Both 15 and 20% target torques were performed at a similar pain intensity in the Experimental condition (15% MVIT, 4.2 ± 1.9; 20% MVIT, 4.5 ± 2.2; P>0.05). Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that the increased muscle pain from the injection of hypertonic saline impeded accurate reproduction of knee extensor torque. These findings have implications for the detrimental impact of EIP on exercise regulation and endurance performance.


2003 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 434-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillaume Y. Millet ◽  
Vincent Martin ◽  
Nicola A. Maffiuletti ◽  
Alain Martin

The aim of this study was to characterize neuromuscular fatigue in knee extensor muscles after a marathon skiing race (mean ± SD duration = 159.7 ± 17.9 min). During the 2 days preceding the event and immediately after, maximal percutaneous electrical stimulations (single twitch, 0.5-s tetanus at 20 and 80 Hz) were applied to the femoral nerve of 11 trained skiers. Superimposed twitches were also delivered during maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) to determine maximal voluntary activation (%VA). EMG was recorded from the vastus lateralis muscle. MVC decreased with fatigue from 171.7 ± 33.7 to 157.3 ± 35.2 Nm (-8.4%; p < 0.005) while %VA did not change significantly. The RMS measured during MVC and peak-to-peak amplitude of the compound muscle action potential (PPA) from the vastus lateralis decreased with fatigue by about 30% (p < 0.01), but RMS•PPA−1was similar before and after the ski marathon. Peak tetanus tension at 20 Hz and 80 Hz (P020 and P080, respectively) did not change significantly, but P020•P080−1 increased (p < 0.05) after the ski marathon. Data from electrically evoked single twitches showed greater peak mechanical response, faster rate of force development, and shorter contraction time in the fatigued state. From these results it can be concluded that a ski skating marathon (a) alters slightly but significantly maximal voluntary strength of the knee extensors without affecting central activation, and (b) induces both potentiation and fatigue. Key words: low- and high-frequency electrical stimulation, central activation, potentiation


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (13) ◽  
pp. 929-935
Author(s):  
Denis César Leite Vieira ◽  
Marco Aurélio Araujo Dourado ◽  
Lucas Ugliara ◽  
Joao Luiz Quagliotti Durigan ◽  
Brad J. Schoenfeld ◽  
...  

AbstractThis study investigated the acute effects of seated and supine knee extension exercise on muscle swelling, torque, and work output. Twelve resistance-trained men performed two isokinetic concentric-only knee-extension training protocols at different hip positions in a counter-balanced order. They completed the knee extension exercise in the seated (hip angle at 85°) and supine (hip angle at 180°) positions. The torque and work output were assessed during each set. Moreover, muscle thickness of the middle and proximal vastus lateralis and rectus femoris were evaluated before and after each protocol and used as an indicator of muscle swelling. Middle rectus femoris and proximal vastus lateralis thickness increased significantly (p=0.01) with no difference between exercise variations. However, the middle vastus lateralis thickness increased (p=0.01) only after the seated knee extension exercise (~7%). Knee extensors’ peak torque and work output were approximately 8% higher (p=0.04) in the seated when compared to the supine hip position. There was a similar decrease in torque and work output throughout both protocols (p=0.98). In conclusion, seated knee extension exercises produced greater torque, work output, and muscle swelling in the vastus lateralis when compared to the supine knee extension exercise.


2020 ◽  
Vol 100 (12) ◽  
pp. 2134-2143
Author(s):  
Lance M Bollinger ◽  
Amanda L Ransom

Abstract Objective Obesity reduces voluntary recruitment of quadriceps during single-joint exercises, but the effects of obesity on quadriceps femoris muscle activation during dynamic daily living tasks, such as sit-to-stand (STS), are largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine how obesity affects quadriceps muscle recruitment during STS. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 10 women who were lean and 17 women who were obese completed STS from a chair with arms crossed over the chest. Three-dimensional motion analysis was used to define 3 distinct phases (I–III) of the STS cycle. The electromyographic (EMG) activity of the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and semitendinosus was measured. Results STS duration was greater (3.02 [SD = 0.75] seconds vs 1.67 [SD = 0.28] seconds) and peak trunk flexion angle was lower (28.9 degrees [SD = 10.4 degrees] vs 35.8 degrees [SD = 10.1 degrees]) in the women who were obese than in the women who were lean. The mean EMG activity of the knee extensors increased from phase I to phase II in both groups; however, the mean EMG activities of both the vastus medialis (32.1% [SD = 16.6%] vs 47.3% [SD = 19.6%] maximal voluntary isometric contraction) and the vastus lateralis (31.8% [SD = 19.4%] vs 47.5% [SD = 19.6%] maximal voluntary isometric contraction) were significantly lower during phase II in the women who were obese. The mean EMG activity of the semitendinosus increased throughout STS but was not significantly different between the 2 groups. Coactivation of the semitendinosus and knee extensors tended to be greater in the women who were obese but failed to reach statistical significance. Conclusions Knee extensor EMG amplitude was reduced in women who were obese during STS, despite reduced trunk flexion. Impact Reduced knee extensor recruitment during STS in obesity may redistribute forces needed to complete this task to other joints. Functional movement training may help improve knee extensor recruitment during STS in people who are obese. Lay Summary People with obesity often have low quadriceps muscle strength and impaired mobility during daily activities. This study shows that women who are obese have lower voluntary recruitment of quadriceps when rising from a chair than women who are lean do, which could increase workload on hip or ankle muscles during this important daily task. Quadriceps strengthening exercises might improve the ability to rise from sitting to standing.


2018 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 427-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Souron ◽  
Thibault Besson ◽  
Thomas Lapole ◽  
Guillaume Y. Millet

This study investigated the effects of a 4-week local vibration training (LVT) on the function of the knee extensors and corticospinal properties in healthy young and older subjects. Seventeen subjects (9 young and 8 older) performed 3 testing sessions: before (PRE1) and after (PRE2) a 4-week resting period to control the repeatability of the data as well as after the LVT (POST). Jump performance, maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and electromyographic (EMG) activity on vastus lateralis and rectus femoris muscles were assessed. Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) allowed evaluation of cortical voluntary activation (VATMS), motor evoked potential (MEP) area, and silent period (SP) duration. All training adaptations were similar between young and older subjects (p > 0.05) and the following results reflect the pooled sample of subjects. MVC (+11.9% ± 8.0%, p < 0.001) and VATMS (+3.6% ± 5.2%, p = 0.004) were significantly increased at POST compared with PRE2. Maximal vastus lateralis EMG was significantly increased at POST (+21.9% ± 33.7%, p = 0.03). No changes were reported for MEPs on both muscles (p > 0.05). SPs recorded during maximal and submaximal contractions decreased in both muscles at POST (p < 0.05). Vertical jump performance was increased at POST (p < 0.05). LVT seems as effective in young as in older subjects to improve maximal functional capacities through neural modulations occurring at least partly at the supra-spinal level. Local vibration may be used as an efficient alternative training method to improve muscular performance in both healthy young and older subjects.


2001 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther Suter ◽  
Walter Herzog ◽  
Robert Bray

This study assessed muscle inhibition in patients with chronic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficiency or ACL reconstruction. A series of protocols were tested for their effectiveness in increasing activity of the individual knee extensor muscles and decreasing muscle inhibition of the whole quadriceps group. Quadriceps muscle inhibition was measured by superimposing an electrical twitch onto the quadriceps muscle during a maximal voluntary knee extension. The level of activation of the individual knee extensor and knee flexor muscles was assessed via electromyography (EMG). Patients with ACL pathologies showed strength deficits and muscle inhibition in the knee extensors of the involved leg and the contralateral leg. Muscle inhibition was statistically significantly greater in ACL-deficient patients compared to ACL-reconstructed patients. When a knee extension was performed in combination with a hip extension, there was a significant increase,p< 0.05, in activation of the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis muscles compared to isolated knee extension. The use of an anti-shear device, designed to help stabilize the ACL-deficient knee, resulted in increased inhibition in the quadriceps muscle. Furthermore, a relatively more complete activation of the vasti compared to the rectus femoris was achieved during a fatiguing isometric contraction. Based on the results of this study, it is concluded that performing knee extension in combination with hip extension, or performing fatiguing knee extensor contractions, may be more effective in fully activating the vasti muscles than an isolated knee extensor contraction. Training interventions are needed to establish whether these exercise protocols are more effective than traditional rehabilitation approaches in decreasing muscle inhibition and achieving better functional recovery, including equal muscle strength in the injured and the contralateral leg.


2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 878-885 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katja Tomazin ◽  
Jean-Benoit Morin ◽  
Guillaume Y. Millet

Purpose:To compare neuromuscular fatigue induced by repeated-sprint running vs cycling.Methods:Eleven active male participants performed 2 repeated-maximal-sprint protocols (5×6 s, 24-s rest periods, 4 sets, 3 min between sets), 1 in running (treadmill) and 1 in cycling (cycle ergometer). Neuromuscular function, evaluated before (PRE); 30 s after the first (S1), the second (S2), and the last set (LAST); and 5 min after the last set (POST5) determined the knee-extensor maximal voluntary torque (MVC); voluntary activation (VA); single-twitch (Tw), high- (Db100), and low- (Db10) frequency torque; and maximal muscle compound action potential (M-wave) amplitude and duration of vastus lateralis.Results:Peak power output decreased from 14.6 ± 2.2 to 12.4 ± 2.5 W/kg in cycling (P < .01) and from 21.4 ± 2.6 to 15.2 ± 2.6 W/kg in running (P < .001). MVC declined significantly from S1 in running but only from LAST in cycling. VA decreased after S2 (~–7%, P < .05) and LAST (~–9%, P < .01) set in repeated-sprint running and did not change in cycling. Tw, Db100, and Db10/Db100 decreased to a similar extent in both protocols (all P < .001 post-LAST). Both protocols induced a similar level of peripheral fatigue (ie, low-frequency peripheral fatigue, no changes in M-wave characteristics), while underlying mechanisms probably differed. Central fatigue was found only after running.Conclusion:Findings about neuromuscular fatigue resulting from RS cycling cannot be transferred to RS running.


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