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Validity of a Muscle Specific Method to Evaluate the Anaerobic Threshold in Exercised Muscles

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Abstract

The goal of this study was to describe and validate a muscle specific method to evaluate the anaerobic threshold in a working muscle based on the simultaneous measurement of EMG activity and the deoxyhemoglobin content (ATHHb-EMG). The study involved males with different fitness levels. During the cycling (n = 40) and ski double poling (n = 9) incremental ramp tests, blood lactate concentration, and muscle deoxyhemoglobin content and EMG activity were measured. Some participants were involved in the cycling test-retest study (n = 11). In cycling and double poling tests, close and significant correlations (r = 0.89 – 0.92, P < 0.002) were found between lactate threshold (a marker of the anaerobic threshold at the organism level) and the ATHHb-EMG (a marker of the AT at the working muscle level). The coefficient of variation of the ATHHb-EMG in the cycling test-retest was low (~3%). The muscle specific ATHHb-EMG demonstrates low variability and is appropriate to detect the fitness level and training-induced increase in aerobic performance in a working muscle. The emergence on the market of miniature EMG amplifiers and near-infrared spectrometers opens wide possibilities for using our method in laboratory studies and in field tests.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The study was performed according to the Plan for Fundamental Research of the SRC RF Institute of Biomedical Problems RAS and was funded by RFBR according to the research project no. 17-00-00308 (17-00-00242).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

    D. V. Popov, S. Yu. Kuznetsov, E. A. Orlova, A. P. Sharova, A. S. Borovik & O. L. Vinogradova

  2. Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia

    D. V. Popov & O. L. Vinogradova

Authors
  1. D. V. Popov
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  2. S. Yu. Kuznetsov
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  3. E. A. Orlova
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  4. A. P. Sharova
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  5. A. S. Borovik
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  6. O. L. Vinogradova
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Correspondence to D. V. Popov.

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Statement of compliance with standards of research involving humans as subjects. The study was approved by the Human Ethics Committee of the Institute of Biomedical Problems and complied with the guidelines set forth in the Declaration of Helsinki (World Medical Association). All participants gave their written consent to participate in this study.

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Popov, D.V., Kuznetsov, S.Y., Orlova, E.A. et al. Validity of a Muscle Specific Method to Evaluate the Anaerobic Threshold in Exercised Muscles. Hum Physiol 45, 174–179 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0362119719020087

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