Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Muscle tissue oxygenation, pressure, electrical, and mechanical responses during dynamic and static voluntary contractions

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Dynamic muscle contractions have been shown to cause greater energy turnover and fatigue than static contractions performed at a corresponding force level. Therefore, we hypothesized that: (1) electro- (EMG) and mechanomyography (MMG), intramuscular pressure (IMP), and reduction in muscle oxygen tension (rTO2) would be larger during dynamic (DYN) than intermittent static (IST) low force contractions; and that (2) oxygen tension would remain lower in the resting periods subsequent to DYN as compared to those following IST. Eight subjects performed elbow flexions with identical time-tension products: (1) DYN as a 20° elbow movement of 2 s concentric and 2 s eccentric followed by a 4 s rest; and (2) IST with a 4 s contraction followed by a 4 s rest. Each session was performed for 1 min at 10 and 20% of the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). The force, bipolar surface EMG, MMG, IMP, rTO2 were measured simultaneously from the biceps brachii, and the data presented as the mean values together with the standard error of the means. Comparison of the corresponding time periods showed the EMGrms and MMGrms values to be larger during DYN than IST (concentric phase: DYN vs IST were 14.2 vs 9.4, and 22.0 vs 15.9%max−EMGrms; eccentric phase: in DYN, the MMG was ~1.5 and ~2.0-fold IST at 10 and 20%MVC, respectively). In contrast, the IMP of the concentric phase in DYN was lower than in IST (2.3 vs 29.5 and 10.9 vs 42.0 mmHg at 10 and 20%MVC, respectively), and a similar picture was seen for the eccentric phase. However, no differences were seen in rTO2 in either the contraction or the rest periods. In a prolonged rest period (8 s) after the sessions, DYN but not IST showed rTO2 above baseline level. In conclusion, rTO2 in DYN and IST were similar in spite of major differences in the MMG and EMG responses of the muscle during contraction periods. This may relate to the surprisingly lower IMP in DYN than IST.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen DG, Lannergren J, Westerblad H (1995) Muscle cell function during prolonged activity: cellular mechanisms of fatigue. Exp Physiol 80:497–527

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ameredes BT, Brechue WF, Andrew GM, Stainsby WN (1992) Force-velocity shifts with repetitive isometric and isotonic contractions of canine gastrocnemius in situ. J Appl Physiol 73:2105–2111

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aratow M, Ballard RE, Crenshaw AG, Styf J, Watenpaugh DE, Kahan NJ, Hargens AR (1993) Intramuscular pressure and electromyography as indexes of force during isokinetic exercise. J Appl Physiol 74:2634–2640

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barry DT, Gordon KE, Hinton GG (1990) Acoustic and surface EMG diagnosis of pediatric muscle disease. Muscle Nerve 13:286–290

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Basmajian JV, De Luca CJ (1985) Muscles alive. Their functions revealed by electromyography. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore

  • Bernard B (1997) Musculoskeletal disorders and workplace factors. A critical review of epidemiologic evidence for work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the neck, upper extremity, and low back. US Department of Health and Human Services, Cincinnati, USA, vol 141

  • Blatter BM, Bongers PM (2002) Duration of computer use and mouse use in relation to musculoskeletal disorders of neck or upper limb. Int J Ind Ergon 30:295–306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bridges CR, Clark BJ, Hammond RL, Stephenson LW (1991) Skeletal muscle bioenergetics during frequency-dependent fatigue. Am J Physiol 260:C643–C651

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Byström S, Mathiassen SE, Fransson-Hall C (1991) Physiological effects of micropauses in isometric handgrip exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 63:405–411

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cescon C, Gazzoni M, Gobbo M, Orizio C, Farina D (2004) Non-invasive assessment of single motor unit mechanomyographic response and twitch force by spike triggered averaging. Med Biol Eng Comput 42:496–501

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clamann HP (1970) Activity of single motor units during isometric tension. Neurology 20:254–260

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins ME, Soomal RS, Curtin NA (1989) Fatigue of isolated mouse muscle due to isometric tetani and tetani with high power output. Q J Exp Physiol 74:951–953

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Degens H, Salmons S, Jarvis JC (1998) Intramuscular pressure, force and blood flow in rabbit tibialis anterior muscles during single and repetitive contractions. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 78:13–19

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dodd SL, Powers SK, Crawford MP (1994) Tension development and duty cycle affect Qpeak and VO2peak in contracting muscle. Med Sci Sports Exerc 26:997–1002

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fenn WA (1923) A quantitative comparison between the energy liberated and the work performed by the isolated sartorius muscle of the frog. J Physiol (Lond) 58:175–203

    Google Scholar 

  • Feveile H, Jensen C, Burr H (2002) Risk factors for neck-shoulder and wrist-hand symptoms in a 5-year follow-up study of 3,990 employees in Denmark. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 75:243–251

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Forsman M, Taoda K, Thorn S, Zhang Q (2002) Motor-unit recruitment during long-term isometric and wrist motion contractions: a study concerning muscular pain development in computer operators. Int J Ind Ergon 30:237–250

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon G, Holbourn HS (1948) The sounds from single motor units in a contracting muscle. J Physiol (Lond) 107:456–464

    Google Scholar 

  • Hermens HJ, Freriks B (1997) The state of the art on sensors and sensor placement procedures for surface electromyography: A proposal for sensor placement procedures. SENIAM Project, Roessingh Research and Development, Enschede

    Google Scholar 

  • Hogan MC, Grassi B, Samaja M, Stary CM, Gladden LB (2003) Effect of contraction frequency on the contractile and noncontractile phases of muscle venous blood flow. J Appl Physiol 95:1139–1144

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kilbom A, Persson J (1987) Work technique and its consequences for musculoskeletal disorders. Ergonomics 30:273–279

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lash JM (1996) Regulation of skeletal muscle blood flow during contractions. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 211:218–235

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lindinger MI, Sjøgaard G (1991) Potassium regulation during exercise and recovery. Sports Med 11:382–401

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Linnamo V, Moritani T, Nicol C, Komi PV (2003) Motor unit activation patterns during isometric, concentric and eccentric actions at different force levels. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 13:93–101

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Madeleine P, Bajaj P, Søgaard K, Arendt-Nielsen L (2001) Mechanomyography and electromyography force relation ships during concentric, isometric and eccentric contractions. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 11:113–121

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Madeleine P, Jørgensen LV, Søgaard K, Arendt-Nielsen L, Sjøgaard G (2002) Development of muscle fatigue as assessed by electromyography and mechanomyography during continuous and intermittent low-force contractions: effects of the feedback mode. Eur J Appl Physiol 87:28–37

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Malchaire JB, Roquelaure Y, Cock N, Piette A, Vergracht S, Chiron H (2001) Musculoskeletal complaints, functional capacity, personality and psychosocial factors. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 74:549–557

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Orizio C, Solomonow M, Baratta R, Veicsteinas A (1993) Influence of motor units recruitment and firing rate on the sound myogram and EMG characteristics in cat gastrocnemius. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2:232–241

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orizio C, Liberati D, Locatelli C, De Grandis D, Veicsteinas A (1996) Surface mechanomyogram reflects muscle fibre twitches summation. J Biomech 29:475–481

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Orizio C, Gobbo M, Diemont B, Esposito F, Veicsteinas A (2003) The surface mechanomyogram as a tool to describe the influence of fatigue on biceps brachii motor unit activation strategy. Historical basis and novel evidence. Eur J Appl Physiol 90:326–336

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oster G, Jaffe JS (1980) Low frequency sounds from sustained contractions of human skeletal muscle. Biophys J 30:119–128

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Petitjean M, Maton B (1995) Phonomyogram from single motor units during voluntary isometric contraction. Eur J Appl Physiol 71:215–222

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Praagman M, Veeger HE, Chadwick EK, Colier WN, van der Helm FC (2003) Muscle oxygen consumption, determined by NIRS, in relation to external force and EMG. J Biomech 36:905–912

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Punnett L, Bergqvist U (1999) Musculoskeletal disorders in visual display unit work: gender and work demands. Occup Med 14:113–124

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rådegran G, Saltin B (1998) Muscle blood flow at onset of dynamic exercise in humans. Am J Physiol 274:H314–H22

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sadamoto T, Bonde-Petersen F, Suzuki Y (1983) Skeletal muscle tension, flow, pressure, and EMG during sustained isometric contractions in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 51:395–408

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sejersted OM, Hargens AR (1995) Intramuscular pressures for monitoring different tasks and muscle conditions. Adv Exp Med Biol 384:339–350

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seow CY, Stephens NL (1988) Fatigue of mouse diaphragm muscle in isometric and isotonic contractions. J Appl Physiol 64:2388–2393

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sjøgaard G, Jensen BR (1999) Low-level static exertions. In: Karwowski W, Marras WS (eds) The occupational ergonomics handbook. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla., pp 247–259

  • Sjøgaard G, Jensen BR, Hargens AR, Søgaard K (2004) Intramuscular pressure and EMG relate during static contractions but dissociate with movement and fatigue. J Appl Physiol 96:1522–1429

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smith DB, Housh TJ, Johnson GO, Evetovich TK, Ebersole KT, Perry SR (1998) Mechanomyographic and electromyographic responses to eccentric and concentric isokinetic muscle actions of the biceps brachii. Muscle Nerve 21:1438–1444

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Søgaard K, Christensen H, Jensen BR, Finsen L, Sjøgaard G (1996) Motor control and kinetics during low level concentric and eccentric contractions in man. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 101:453–460

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Søgaard K, Blangsted AK, Jørgensen LV, Madeleine P, Sjøgaard G (2003) Evidence of long term muscle fatigue following prolonged intermittent contractions based on mechano- and electromyograms. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 13:441–450

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Søgaard K, Orizio C, Sjøgaard G (2004) Surface mechanomyogram amplitude is not attenuated by intramuscular pressure. Eur J Appl Physiol (in press)

  • Stainsby WN (1982) Energetic patterns of normally circulated mammalian muscle in situ. Fed Proc 41:185–188

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stebbins CL, Walser B, Jafarzadeh M (2002) Cardiovascular responses to static and dynamic contraction during comparable workloads in humans. Am J Physiol 283:R568–R575

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stokes MJ, Blythe M (2001) Muscle sounds in physiology, sports science and clinical investigation. Applications and history of mechanomyography. Medintel Monographs, Oxford

  • Stokes M, Cooper RG (1992) Muscle sounds during voluntary and stimulated contractions of the human adductor pollicis muscle. J Appl Physiol 72:1908–1913

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Styf J (1990) The venous pump of the human foot. Clin Physiol 10:77–84

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Takala EP (2002) Static muscular load, an increasing hazard in modern information technology. Scand J Work Environ Health 28:211–213

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vedsted P, Larsen AH, Madsen K, Sjøgaard G (2003) Muscle performance following fatigue induced by isotonic and quasi-isometric contractions of rat extensor digitorum longus and soleus muscles in vitro. Acta Physiol Scand 178:175–186

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yoshitake Y, Moritani T (1999) The muscle sound properties of different muscle fibre types during voluntary and electrically induced contractions. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 9:209–217

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Q, Andersson G, Lindberg LG, Styf J (2004) Muscle blood flow in response to concentric muscular activity versus passive venous compression. Acta Physiol Scand 180:57–62

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Henrik B. Olsen for technical assistance in analyzing data. This work was undertaken within the project ‘Neuromuscular Assessment of the Elderly Worker’ (NEW), with partial financial support from the EC within the RTD action QRLT 2000 00139.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, National Institute of Occupational Health, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Pernille Vedsted, Anne Katrine Blangsted, Karen Søgaard & Gisela Sjøgaard

  2. Dipartimento Scienze Biomediche e Biotecnologie, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123, Brescia, Italy

    Claudio Orizio

Authors
  1. Pernille Vedsted
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anne Katrine Blangsted
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Karen Søgaard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Claudio Orizio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Gisela Sjøgaard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pernille Vedsted.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vedsted, P., Blangsted, A.K., Søgaard, K. et al. Muscle tissue oxygenation, pressure, electrical, and mechanical responses during dynamic and static voluntary contractions. Eur J Appl Physiol 96, 165–177 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-004-1216-0

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-004-1216-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation