Effects of Two Types of Fatigue on the V·O₂ Slow Component

Abstract

The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis of the involvement of type II fibres in the V·O₂ slow component phenomenon by using two prior fatiguing protocols on the knee extensor muscles. Nine subjects performed three constant-load cycling exercises at a work rate corresponding to 80 % of their V·O₂ max: (i) preceded by a 20-min fatiguing protocol using electromyostimulation (EMS), (ii) preceded by a 20-min fatiguing protocol using voluntary contractions (VOL), and (iii) without fatiguing protocol (NFP). Voluntary and evoked neuromuscular properties of the knee extensor muscles were tested before (PRE) and after (POST) the two fatiguing protocols. Results show a significant reduction in voluntary force after both fatiguing protocols (- 19.9 % and - 11.8 %, in EMS and VOL, respectively p < 0.01). After EMS, this decrease was greater than after VOL (p < 0.05) and was combined with a slackening of muscle contractile properties which was absent after VOL (p < 0.05). Regarding the effects on oxygen uptake kinetics, the appearance of the slow component was delayed after EMS and its amplitude was lower than those obtained in VOL and NFP conditions (0.48 ± 0.07 vs. 0.75 ± 0.09 and 0.69 ± 0.08 L · min^-1, respectively; p < 0.05). It can thus be concluded that exercises dedicated to preferentially fatiguing type II fibres may alter V·O₂ kinetics.

Key words

Fiber recruitment - oxygen uptake kinetics - fatiguing exercise

References

• 1 Allen D G, Westerblad H, Lee J A, Lannergren J. Role of excitation-contraction coupling in muscle fatigue.  Sports Med. 1992;  13 116-126
• 2 Barstow T J, Mole P A. Linear and nonlinear characteristics of oxygen uptake kinetics during heavy exercise.  J Appl Physiol. 1991;  71 2099-2106
• 3 Barstow T J, Jones A M, Nguyen P H, Casaburi R. Influence of muscle fiber type and pedal frequency on oxygen uptake kinetics of heavy exercise.  J Appl Physiol. 1996;  81 1642-1450
• 4 Bearden S E, Moffatt R J. VO(2) kinetics and the O(2) deficit in heavy exercise.  J Appl Physiol. 2000;  88 1407-1412
• 5 Borrani F, Candau R, Millet G Y, Perrey S, Fuchslocher J, Rouillon J D. Is the V·O₂ slow component dependent on progressive recruitment of fast-twitch fibers in trained runners?.  J Appl Physiol. 2001;  90 2212-2220
• 6 Candau R, Belli A, Millet G Y, Georges D, Barbier B, Rouillon J D. Energy cost and running mechanics during a treadmill run to voluntary exhaustion in humans.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1998;  77 479-485
• 7 Carter H, Williams C A, Jones A M, Doust J H. Oxygen uptake kinetics during treadmill running in children and adults.  J Physiol. 2000;  523 243P-244P
• 8 Carter H, Pringle J S, Boobis L, Jones A M, Doust J H. Muscle glycogen depletion alters oxygen uptake kinetics during heavy exercise.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004;  36 965-972
• 9 Efron B, Tibshirani B J. An Introduction to the Bootstrap. New York; Chapman and Hall 1993
• 10 Enoka R M. Muscle strength and its development. New perspectives.  Sports Med. 1988;  6 146-168
• 11 Enoka R M, Robinson G A, Kossev A R. Task and fatigue effects on low-threshold motor units in human hand muscle.  J Neurophysiol. 1989;  62 1344-1359
• 12 Eriksson E, Haggmark T, Kiessling K H, Karlsson J. Effect of electrical stimulation on human skeletal muscle.  Int J Sports Med. 1981;  2 18-22
• 13 Feiereisen P, Duchateau J, Hainaut K. Motor unit recruitment order during voluntary and electrically induced contractions in the tibialis anterior.  Exp Brain Res. 1997;  114 117-123
• 14 Gaesser G A. Influence of endurance training and catecholamines on exercise V·O₂ response.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1994;  26 1341-1346
• 15 Gaesser G A, Poole D C. The slow component of oxygen uptake kinetics in humans.  Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 1996;  24 35-71
• 16 Gandevia S C. Spinal and supraspinal factors in human muscle fatigue.  Physiol Rev. 2001;  81 1725-1789
• 17 Henneman E, Somjen G, Carpenter D O. Excitability and inhabitability of motoneurons of different sizes.  J Neurophysiol. 1965;  28 599-620
• 18 Heyters M, Carpentier A, Duchateau J, Hainaut K. Twitch analysis as an approach to motor unit activation during electrical stimulation.  Can J Appl Physiol. 1994;  19 451-461
• 19 Koga S, Shiojiri T, Kondo N, Barstow T J. Effect of increased muscle temperature on oxygen uptake kinetics during exercise.  J Appl Physiol. 1997;  83 1333-1338
• 20 Lexell J, Henriksson-Larsen K, Sjostrom M. Distribution of different fibre types in human skeletal muscles. A study of cross-sections of whole m. vastus lateralis.  Acta Physiol Scand. 1983;  117 115-122
• 21 Linnarson D. Dynamics of pulmonary gas exchange and heart rate changes at start and end of exercise.  Acta Physiol Scand. 1974;  415 1-68
• 22 Merton P A. Voluntary strength and fatigue.  J Physiol. 1954;  123 553-564
• 23 Obert P, Cleuziou C, Candau R, Courteix D, Lecoq A M, Guenon P. The slow component of O2 uptake kinetics during high-intensity exercise in trained and untrained prepubertal children.  Int J Sports Med. 2000;  21 31-36
• 24 Paterson D H, Whipp B J. Asymmetries of oxygen uptake transients at the on- and offset of heavy exercise in humans.  J Physiol. 1991;  443 575-586
• 25 Poole D C. Role of exercising muscle in slow component of V·O₂.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1994;  26 1335-1340
• 26 Poole D C, Gladden L B, Kurdak S, Hogan M C. L-(+)-lactate infusion into working dog gastrocnemius: no evidence lactate per se mediates V·O₂ slow component.  J Appl Physiol. 1994;  76 787-792
• 27 Poole D C, Schaffartzik W, Knight D R, Derion T, Kennedy B, Guy H J, Prediletto R, Wagner P D. Contribution of exercising legs to the slow component of oxygen uptake kinetics in humans.  J Appl Physiol. 1991;  71 1245-1260
• 28 Roston W L, Whipp B J, Davis J A, Cunningham D A, Effros R M, Wasserman K. Oxygen uptake kinetics and lactate concentration during exercise in humans.  Am Rev Respir Dis. 1987;  135 1080-1084
• 29 Scheuermann B W, Hoelting B D, Noble M L, Barstow T J. The slow component of O(2) uptake is not accompanied by changes in muscle EMG during repeated bouts of heavy exercise in humans.  J Physiol. 2001;  531 245-256
• 30 Sjostrom L, Schutz Y, Gudinchet F, Hegnell L, Pittet P G, Jequier E. Epinephrine sensitivity with respect to metabolic rate and other variables in women.  Am J Physiol. 1983;  24 E431-E442
• 31 Shinohara M, Moritani T. Increase in neuromuscular activity and oxygen uptake during heavy exercise.  Ann Physiol Anthropol. 1992;  11 257-262
• 32 Vanderthommen M, Depresseux J C, Bauvir P, Degueldre C, Delfiore G, Peters J M, Sluse F, Crielaard J M. A positron emission tomography study of voluntarily and electrically contracted human quadriceps.  Muscle Nerve. 1997;  20 505-507
• 33 Vanderthommen M, Duteil S, Wary C, Raynaud J S, Leroy-Willig A, Crielaard J M, Carlier P G. A comparison of voluntary and electrically induced contractions by interleaved ¹H- and ³¹P-NRMS in humans.  J Appl Physiol. 2003;  94 1012-1024
• 34 Vollestad N K, Vaage O, Hermansen L. Muscle glycogen depletion patterns in type I and subgroups of type II fibers during prolonged severe exercise in man.  Acta Physiol Scand. 1984;  122 433-441
• 35 Westerblad H, Allen D G, Lannergren J. Muscle fatigue: lactic acid or inorganic phosphate the major cause?.  News Physiol Sci. 2002;  17 17-21
• 36 Whipp B J, Ward S A, Lamarra N, Davis J A, Wassermann K. Parameters of ventilatory and gas exchange dynamics during exercise.  J Appl Physiol. 1982;  52 1506-1513
• 37 Whipp B J. The slow component of O₂ uptake kinetics during heavy exercise.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1994;  26 1319-1326
• 38 Zoladz J, Duda K, Majerczak J, Emmerich J, Domanski J. Pre-exercise acidification induced by ingestion of NH4Cl increases the magnitude of the slow component of VO₂ kinetics in humans.  J Physiol Pharmacol. 1998;  49 443-455