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Fatigue associated with prolonged graded running

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Abstract

Scientific experiments on running mainly consider level running. However, the magnitude and etiology of fatigue depend on the exercise under consideration, particularly the predominant type of contraction, which differs between level, uphill, and downhill running. The purpose of this review is to comprehensively summarize the neurophysiological and biomechanical changes due to fatigue in graded running. When comparing prolonged hilly running (i.e., a combination of uphill and downhill running) to level running, it is found that (1) the general shape of the neuromuscular fatigue-exercise duration curve as well as the etiology of fatigue in knee extensor and plantar flexor muscles are similar and (2) the biomechanical consequences are also relatively comparable, suggesting that duration rather than elevation changes affects neuromuscular function and running patterns. However, ‘pure’ uphill or downhill running has several fatigue-related intrinsic features compared with the level running. Downhill running induces severe lower limb tissue damage, indirectly evidenced by massive increases in plasma creatine kinase/myoglobin concentration or inflammatory markers. In addition, low-frequency fatigue (i.e., excitation–contraction coupling failure) is systematically observed after downhill running, although it has also been found in high-intensity uphill running for different reasons. Indeed, low-frequency fatigue in downhill running is attributed to mechanical stress at the interface sarcoplasmic reticulum/T-tubule, while the inorganic phosphate accumulation probably plays a central role in intense uphill running. Other fatigue-related specificities of graded running such as strategies to minimize the deleterious effects of downhill running on muscle function, the difference of energy cost versus heat storage or muscle activity changes in downhill, level, and uphill running are also discussed.

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Fig. 1

Adapted from Millet (2011)

Fig. 2

Based on data from Saugy et al. (2013), Millet et al. (2011a, b), Temesi et al. (2015), Martin et al. (2010), Millet et al. (2003), Giandolini et al. (2015), and Lattier et al. (2004), respectively

Fig. 3

Adapted from Millet et al. (2011a, b)

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Abbreviations

\({\dot{\text{V}}\text{O}}_{ 2}\) :

Oxygen uptake

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Salomon SAS, Amer Sports Innovation and Sport Sciences Laboratory, 74996, Annecy, France

    Marlene Giandolini & Nicolas Horvais

  2. Inter-universitary Laboratory of Human Movement Biology (EA 7424), University Savoie Mont Blanc, 73376, Le Bourget-du-Lac, France

    Marlene Giandolini, Pierre Samozino & Nicolas Horvais

  3. Human Performance Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada

    Gianluca Vernillo, W. Brent Edwards & Guillaume Y. Millet

  4. CeRiSM, Research Center for Sport, Mountain and Health, University of Verona, Rovereto, TN, Italy

    Gianluca Vernillo

  5. LAMHESS, Université Côte d’Azur, Nice, France

    Jean-Benoît Morin

Authors
  1. Marlene Giandolini
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  2. Gianluca Vernillo
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  3. Pierre Samozino
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  4. Nicolas Horvais
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  5. W. Brent Edwards
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  6. Jean-Benoît Morin
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  7. Guillaume Y. Millet
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Guillaume Y. Millet.

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Communicated by Michael Lindinger.

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Giandolini, M., Vernillo, G., Samozino, P. et al. Fatigue associated with prolonged graded running. Eur J Appl Physiol 116, 1859–1873 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3437-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3437-4

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