Download PDF
Int J Sports Med 2006; 27(12): 968-975
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-923893
Physiology & Biochemistry

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Specific Neuromuscular Responses of High Skilled Laser Sailors during a Multi-Joint Posture Sustained Until Exhaustion

O. Maïsetti1 , 2 , S. Boyas3 , A. Guével3
  • 1Institut de Myologie, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
  • 2UFR STAPS, Université de Paris XII - Val de Marne, Créteil, France
  • 3Laboratoire “Motricité, Interactions, Performance” J. E. 2438, UFR STAPS, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
Further Information

Publication History

Accepted after revision: December 5, 2005

Publication Date:
08 June 2006 (online)

Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the myoelectric manifestations of neuromuscular fatigue induced by a sustained bout of hiking with regard to training status, laterality and muscle. Nineteen subjects, separated into three different groups according to their training status in hiking, volunteered to take part in this study. Subjects performed a sustained hiking test until exhaustion at 50 % of the maximal hiking torque on a specially developed hiking ergometer. The electrical activity of two bilateral (left and right sides) muscular chains involved in hiking including the rectus abdominis (RA), rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL), and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles was explored using surface electromyography. Results indicated a higher endurance time (Tlim) for the highly trained group in hiking (45 %, p < 0.05). The mean electrical activity of the muscles studied reached a medium level at the end of the sustained hiking period (51 % of maximal values, p < 0.001), regardless of the training status. However, the increase in activation level was delayed in hikers (50 % Tlim) compared to non-hikers (25 % Tlim), especially for rectus abdominis and rectus femoris muscles. Furthermore, activation patterns of synergistic muscles differed among the groups so that electrical activity of knee extensors was higher than that of trunk flexors of hikers at the end of hiking task (e.g., left RA: 32 % vs. left VL: 54 % of maximal values, p < 0.001). Shifts in mean power frequency were more pronounced in rectus abdominis muscles (- 24 %, p < 0.001) than in rectus femoris (- 7 %, p < 0.001) and vastus lateralis (unchanged), regardless of the group. Hikers exhibited a lower and more delayed spectral compression (left side: - 1.3 %, right side: - 9.8 %) compared to non-hikers (left and right sides: - 15.1 %). These findings suggest that hikers prolonged endurance time by adjusting neural distribution of activity among synergists, thereby minimizing the contribution of the most fatigable muscles, such as the trunk flexors.

Key words

Hiking - electromyography - fatigue - endurance time

References

  • 1 Aagaard P, Beyer N, Simonsen E B, Larsson B, Magnusson S P, Kjaer M. Isokinetic muscle strength and hiking performance in elite sailors.  Scand J Med Sci Sports. 1998;  8 138-144
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Arendt-Nielsen L, Mills K R, Forster A. Changes in muscle fiber conduction velocity, mean power frequency, and mean EMG voltage during prolonged submaximal contractions.  Muscle Nerve. 1989;  12 493-497
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Badier M, Guillot C, Lagier-Tessonier F, Burnet H, Jammes Y. EMG power spectrum of respiratory and skeletal muscles during static contraction in healthy man.  Muscle Nerve. 1993;  16 601-609
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Behm D G, St-Pierre D G. Effects of fatigue duration and muscle type on voluntary and evoked contractile properties.  J Appl Physiol. 1997;  82 1654-1661
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Blackburn M. Physiological responses to 90 min of simulated dinghy sailing.  J Sports Sci. 1994;  12 383-390
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Brody L R, Pollock M T, Roy S H, De Luca C J, Celli B. pH-induced effects on median frequency and conduction velocity of the myoelectric signal.  J Appl Physiol. 1991;  71 1878-1885
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Broman H, Bilotto G, De Luca C J. Myoelectric signal conduction velocity and spectral parameters: influence of force and time.  J Appl Physiol. 1985;  58 1428-1437
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Crenshaw A G, Karlsson S, Gerdle B, Friden J. Differential responses in intramuscular pressure and EMG fatigue indicators during low-vs. high-level isometric contraction to fatigue.  Acta Physiol Scand. 1997;  160 353-361
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Cresswell A G, Ovendal A H. Muscle activation and torque development during maximal unilateral and bilateral isokinetic knee extensions.  J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2002;  42 19-25
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Day S J, Hulliger M. Experimental simulation of cat electromyogram: evidence for algebraic summation of motor-unit action-potential trains.  J Neurophysiol. 2001;  86 2144-2158
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 De Luca C J. Myoelectrical manifestations of localized muscular fatigue in humans.  Crit Rev Biomed Eng. 1984;  11 251-279
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 De Vito G, Di Filippo L, Felici F, Marchetti M. Hiking mechanics in laser athletes.  Med Sci Res. 1993;  21 859-860
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Demura S, Yamaji S, Goshi F, Nagasawa Y. Lateral dominance of legs in maximal muscle power, muscular endurance and grading ability.  Percept Mot Skills. 2001;  93 11-23
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Fuglevand A J, Zackowski K M, Huey K A, Enoka R M. Impairment of neuromuscular propagation during human fatiguing contractions at submaximal forces.  J Physiol. 1993;  460 549-572
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Hagberg M. Muscular endurance and surface electromyogram in isometric and dynamic exercise.  J Appl Physiol. 1981;  51 1-7
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Hulten B, Thorstensson A, Sjodin B, Karlsson J. Relationship between isometric endurance and fibre types in human leg muscles.  Acta Physiol Scand. 1975;  93 135-138
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Hunter S K, Enoka R M. Changes in muscle activation can prolong the endurance time of a submaximal isometric contraction in humans.  J Appl Physiol. 2003;  94 108-118
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Kleine B U, Stegeman D F, Mund D, Anders C. Influence of motoneuron firing synchronization on SEMG characteristics in dependence of electrode position.  J Appl Physiol. 2001;  91 1588-1599
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Komi P V, Tesch P. EMG frequency spectrum, muscle structure, and fatigue during dynamic contractions in man.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1979;  42 41-50
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Kupa E J, Roy S H, Kandarian S C, De Luca C J. Effects of muscle fiber type and size on EMG median frequency and conduction velocity.  J Appl Physiol. 1995;  79 23-32
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Larsson B, Beyer N, Bay P, Biond L, Aagaard P, Kjaer M. Exercise performance in elite male and female sailors.  Int J Sports Med. 1996;  17 504-508
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 22 Li J L, Wang X N, Fraser S F, Carey M F, Wrigley T M, McKenna M J. Effects of fatigue and training on sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ regulation in human skeletal muscle.  J Appl Physiol. 2002;  92 912-922
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 23 Lindstrom L, Kadefors R, Petersen I. An electromyographic index for localized muscle fatigue.  J Appl Physiol. 1977;  43 750-754
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 24 Loscher W N, Cresswell A G, Thorstensson A. Central fatigue during a long-lasting submaximal contraction of the triceps surae.  Exp Brain Res. 1996;  108 305-314
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 25 Mackie H W, Legg S J. Preliminary assessment of force demands in laser racing.  J Sci Med Sport. 1999;  2 78-85
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 26 Maisetti O, Guevel A, Legros P, Hogrel J Y. Prediction of endurance capacity of quadriceps muscles in humans using surface electromyogram spectrum analysis during submaximal voluntary isometric contractions.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 2002;  87 509-519
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 27 Mannion A F, Dumas G A, Stevenson J M, Cooper R G. The influence of muscle fiber size and type distribution on electromyographic measures of back muscle fatigability.  Spine. 1998;  23 576-584
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 28 Mannion A F, Dolan P. Relationship between myoelectric and mechanical manifestations of fatigue in the quadriceps femoris muscle group.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1996;  74 411-419
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 29 Marchetti M, Figura F, Ricci B. Biomechanics of two fundamental sailing postures.  J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 1980;  20 325-332
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 30 Merletti R, Sabbahi M A, De Luca C J. Median frequency of the myoelectric signal. Effects of muscle ischemia and cooling.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1984;  52 258-265
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 31 Niinimaa V, Wright G, Shephard R J, Clarke J. Characteristics of the successful dinghy sailor.  J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 1977;  17 83-96
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 32 Pavol M J, Grabiner M D. Knee strength variability between individuals across ranges of motion and hip angles.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000;  32 985-992
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 33 Shephard R J. The biology and medicine of sailing.  Sports Med. 1990;  9 86-99
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 34 Taylor A D, Bronks R, Smith P, Humphries B. Myoelectric evidence of peripheral muscle fatigue during exercise in severe hypoxia: some references to m. vastus lateralis myosin heavy chain composition.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1997;  75 151-159
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 35 Tesch P P, Karlsson J. Muscle fiber types and size in trained and untrained muscles of elite athletes.  J Appl Physiol. 1985;  59 1716-1720
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 36 Vogiatzis I, Roach N, Trowbridge E A. Cardiovascular, muscular and blood lactate responses during dinghy “hiking”.  Med Sci Res. 1993;  21 861-863
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 37 Vogiatzis I, Spurway N C, Jennett S, Wilson J, Sinclair J. Changes in ventilation related to changes in electromyograph activity during repetitive bouts of isometric exercise in simulated sailing.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1996;  72 195-203
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 38 Vogiatzis I, Spurway N C, Wilson J, Boreham C. Assessment of aerobic and anaerobic demands of dinghy sailing at different wind velocities.  J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 1995;  35 103-107
    PubMedGoogle Scholar

Arnaud Guével

UFR STAPS Laboratoire “Motricité, Interactions, Performance”

25 bis Boulevard Guy Mollet

44322 Nantes Cédex 3

France

Phone: + 33251837249

Fax: + 33 251 83 72 10

Email: arnaud.guevel@univ-nantes.fr