The Effect of Pedaling Cadence on Skeletal Muscle Oxygenation During Cycling at Moderate Exercise Intensity

Federico Formenti; Cameron Dockerill; Lasitha Kankanange; Luyu Zhang; Tetsuo Takaishi; Koji Ishida

doi:10.1055/a-0835-6286

International Journal of Sports Medicine, Table of Contents

Int J Sports Med 2019; 40(05): 305-311
DOI: 10.1055/a-0835-6286

Physiology & Biochemistry

The Effect of Pedaling Cadence on Skeletal Muscle Oxygenation During Cycling at Moderate Exercise Intensity

Federico Formenti

¹Centre of Human and Applied Physiological Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

²Nuffield Division of Anaesthetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

³Department of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, United States

,

Cameron Dockerill

¹Centre of Human and Applied Physiological Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

,

Lasitha Kankanange

¹Centre of Human and Applied Physiological Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

,

Luyu Zhang

⁴Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan

,

Tetsuo Takaishi

⁵Graduate School of Natural Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Japan

,

Koji Ishida

⁴Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan

⁶Research Centre of Health, Physical Fitness and Sport, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the changes determined by increased cadence on skeletal muscle oxygenation during cycling at an exercise intensity equal to the ventilatory threshold (T_vent).

Nine healthy, active individuals with different levels of cycling experience exercised at a power output equal to T_vent, pedaling at cadences of 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90 rpm, each for 4 min. Cadences were tested in a randomized counterbalanced sequence. Cardiopulmonary and metabolic responses were studied using an ECG for heart rate, and gas calorimetry for pulmonary oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide production. NIRS was used to determine the tissue saturation index (TSI), a measure of vastus lateralis oxygenation.

TSI decreased from rest to exercise; the magnitude of this TSI reduction was significantly greater when pedaling at 90 rpm (−14±4%), compared to pedaling at 40 (−12±3%) and 50 (−12±3%) rpm (P=0.027 and 0.017, respectively). Albeit small, the significant decrease in ΔTSI at increased cadence recorded in this study suggests that skeletal muscle oxygenation is relatively more affected by high cadence when exercise intensity is close to T_vent.

Key words

exercise - cycling - cadence - near-infrared spectroscopy - tissue saturation index - muscle - oxygen

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References

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