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Faster \(\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{ 2}\) kinetics after eccentric contractions is explained by better matching of O2 delivery to O2 utilization

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Abstract

Purpose

This study examined the impact of eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage on the rate of adjustment in muscle deoxygenation and pulmonary O2 uptake (\(\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{{2{\text{p}}}}\)) kinetics during moderate exercise.

Methods

Fourteen males (25 ± 3 year; mean ± SD) completed three step transitions to 90 % θL before (Pre), 24 h (Post24) and 48 h after (Post48) eccentric exercise (100 eccentric leg-press repetitions with a load corresponding to 110 % of the participant’s concentric 1RM). Participants were separated into two groups: phase II \(\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{{2{\text{p}}}}\) time constant (τ\(\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{{2{\text{p}}}}\)) ≤ 25 s (fast group; n = 7) or τ\(\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{{2{\text{p}}}}\) > 25 s (slow group; n = 7). \(\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{{2{\text{p}}}}\) and [HHb] responses were modeled as a mono-exponential.

Results

In both groups, isometric peak torque (0°/s) at Post24 was decreased compared to Pre (p < 0.05) and remained depressed at Post48 (p < 0.05). τ\(\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{{2{\text{p}}}}\) was designed to be different (p < 0.05) at Pre between the Fast (τ\(\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{{2{\text{p}}}}\); 19 ± 4 s) and Slow (32 ± 6 s) groups. There were no differences among time points (τ\(\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{{2{\text{p}}}}\): Pre, 19 ± 4 s; Post24, 22 ± 3 s; Post48, 20 ± 4 s) in the Fast group. In Slow, there was a speeding (p < 0.05) from the Pre (32 ± 6 s) to the Post24 (25 ± 6) but not Post48 (31 ± 6), resulting in no difference (p > 0.05) between groups at Post24. This reduction of τ\(\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{{2{\text{p}}}} \,\) was concomitant with the abolishment (p < 0.05) of an overshoot in the [HHb]/\(\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{{2{\text{p}}}}\) ratio.

Conclusion

We propose that the sped \(\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{{2{\text{p}}}}\) kinetics observed in the Slow group coupled with an improved [HHb]/\(\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{{2{\text{p}}}}\) ratio suggest a better matching of local muscle O2 delivery to O2 utilization following eccentric contractions.

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Abbreviations

1RM:

Repetition maximum

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

CI95:

95 % confidence interval

CO2 :

Carbon dioxide

CTD:

Calculated time delay

DOMS:

Delayed-onset muscle soreness

[HHb]:

Deoxyhemoglobin—measure of muscle deoxygenation concentration

[HHb]bsl :

Baseline muscle deoxygenation

[HHb]ss :

Steady state muscle deoxygenation

MOD:

Moderate-intensity cycling corresponding to 90 % \(\hat{\theta }_{\text{L}}\)

MVC:

Maximal voluntary contractions

N2 :

Nitrogen

NIRS:

Near-infrared spectroscopy

O2 :

Oxygen

PCO2 :

Partial pressure of carbon dioxide

PO2 :

Partial pressure of oxygen

POST24:

Post-training condition, 24 h following eccentric contractions

POST48:

Post-training condition, 48 h following eccentric contractions

PRE:

Pre training condition

RPM:

Revolutions per minute

SS:

Steady state

TD:

Time delay

VAS:

Visual analog scale

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

Carbon dioxide output

\(\dot{V}_{\text{E}}\) :

Pulmonary ventilation

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

Oxygen uptake

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

Muscle oxygen uptake

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

Pulmonary oxygen uptake

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

Amplitude of the primary component of pulmonary oxygen uptake

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

Baseline pulmonary oxygen uptake

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

Fundamental gain of pulmonary oxygen uptake (\(\Delta\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{ 2}\)/∆WR)

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

Maximal oxygen uptake

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

Steady-state pulmonary oxygen uptake

WR:

Work rate

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Acknowledgments

We would like to express our gratitude to the participants of this study and to acknowledge the technical assistance provided by Daniel Keir. This study was supported by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) research and equipment grants.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

    Joshua P. Nederveen & Donald H. Paterson

  2. School of Kinesiology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

    Joshua P. Nederveen, Brendan Major & Donald H. Paterson

  3. Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada

    Juan M. Murias

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  1. Joshua P. Nederveen
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  2. Brendan Major
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  3. Donald H. Paterson
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  4. Juan M. Murias
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Correspondence to Juan M. Murias.

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Communicated by Jean-René Lacour.

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Nederveen, J.P., Major, B., Paterson, D.H. et al. Faster \(\dot{V}{\text{O}}_{ 2}\) kinetics after eccentric contractions is explained by better matching of O2 delivery to O2 utilization. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 2169–2181 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2937-3

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