Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of plantar stimulation on cardiovascular response to orthostatism

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

Abstract

Purpose

Walking is a complex locomotor process that involves both spinal cord reflexes and cortical integration of peripheral nerve input. Maintaining an upright body position requires not only neuromuscular activity but also cardiovascular regulation. We postulated that plantar mechanical stimulation might modulate autonomic nervous system activity and, thereby, impact blood pressure adaptation during standing.

Methods

Twelve healthy subjects underwent three randomly ordered 45-min 70°-saddle tilt tests while the plantar surfaces of the feet were stimulated using specially engineered Korvit boots in the following modes: (1) no stimulation, (2) disrupted stimulation, and (3) walking mode. Orthostatic tolerance time was measured for each trial. During testing, we obtained an electrocardiogram and measured blood pressure, skin blood flow, and popliteal vein cross-sectional area. We estimated central hemodynamics, baroreflex sensitivity and heart rate variability.

Results

Orthostatic tolerance time was not found to differ significantly between test conditions (37.2 ± 10.4, 40.9 ± 7.6, and 41.8 ± 8.2 min, for no stimulation, disrupted stimulation, and walking mode, respectively). No significant differences between treatment groups were observed for stroke volume or cardiac baroreflex sensitivity, both of which decreased significantly from baseline during tilt testing in all groups. Cardiac sympathetic index and popliteal vein cross-sectional area increased at the end of the tilt period in all groups, without significant differences between treatments.

Conclusions

Plantar mechanical stimulation is insufficient for immediate modulation of cardiac sympathetic and parasympathetic activity under orthostatic stress.

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
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

BP:

Blood pressure

CNES:

French national centre for space studies

CO:

Cardiac output

DBP:

Diastolic blood pressure

ECG:

Electrocardiogram

fMRI:

Functional magnetic resonance imaging

HF:

High-frequency band (0.15–0.4 Hz)

HR:

Heart rate

HRV:

Heart rate variability

LDF:

Laser-Doppler flowmetry

LDFc:

Laser-Doppler flowmetry at the calf level

LDFt:

Laser-Doppler flowmetry at the temple of forehead

LF:

Low-frequency band (0.04–0.15 Hz)

MEDES:

Institute for space medicine and physiology

POTS:

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome

SBP:

Systolic blood pressure

SBRs :

Spontaneous cardiac baroreflex sensitivity

SI:

Sympathetic index

SV:

Stroke volume

TPR:

Total peripheral resistance

References

  • Bent LR, Lowrey CR (2013) Single low-threshold afferents innervating the skin of the human foot modulate ongoing muscle activity in the upper limbs. J Neurophysiol 109:1614–1625

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Corley GJ, Broderick BJ, Nestor SM, Breen PP, Grace PA, Quondamatteo F, Ólaighin G (2010) The anatomy and physiology of the venous foot pump. Anat Rec 293:370–378

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coupe M, Yuan M, Demiot C, Bai YQ, Jiang SZ, Li YZ, Arbeille P, Gauquelin-Koch G, Levrard T, Custaud MA, Li YH (2011) Low-magnitude whole body vibration with resistive exercise as a countermeasure against cardiovascular deconditioning after 60 days of head-down bed rest. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 301:1748–1754

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fallon JB, Bent LR, McNulty PA, Macefield VG (2005) Evidence for strong synaptic coupling between single tactile afferents from the sole of the foot and motoneurons supplying leg muscles. J Neurophysiol 94:3795–3804

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Forssberg H, Nashner LM (1982) Ontogenetic development of postural control in man: adaptation to altered support and visual conditions during stance. J Neurosci 2:545–552

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gajek J, Zyśko D, Krzemińska S, Mazurek W (2009) The influence of a tilt training programme on the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system activity in patients with vasovagal syncope. Acta Cardiol 64:505–509

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grigoriev AI, Kozlovskaya IB, Shenkman BS (2004) Role of support afferentation in organization of tonic muscle system. Russian J Physiol 90:508–521

    Google Scholar 

  • Hennig EM, Sterzing T (2009) Sensitivity mapping of the human foot: thresholds at 30 skin locations. Foot Ankle Int 30:986–991

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Huang CS, Wang SF, Tsai YF (2012) Axon reflex-related hyperemia induced by short local heating is reproducible. Microvasc Res 84:351–355

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hughson RL, Quintin L, Annat G, Yamamoto Y, Gharib C (1993) Spontaneous baroreflex by sequence and power spectral methods in humans. Clin Physiol 13:663–676

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Iwase S, Nishimura N, Mano T (2014) Role of sympathetic nerve activity in the process of fainting. Front Physiol 15:343

    Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy PM, Inglis JT (2002) Distribution and behaviour of glabrous cutaneous receptors in the human foot sole. J Physiol 538(Pt 3):995–1002

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Kozlovskaya IB, Sayenko IV, Miller TF, Khusnutdinova DR, Melnik KA, Popov DV, Vinogradova OL, Yarmanova EN, Tomilovskaya ES (2007a) Erratum to: new approaches to countermeasures of the negative effects of micro-gravity in long-term space flights. Acta Astronaut 60:783–789

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kozlovskaya IB, Sayenko IV, Sayenko DG, Miller TF, Khusnutdinova DR, Melnik KA (2007b) Role of support afferentation in control of the tonic muscle activity. Acta Astronaut 60:285–295

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kremneva EI, Chernikova LA, Konovalov RN, Krotenkova MV, Saenko IV, Kozlovskaia IB (2012) Activation of the sensorimotor cortex with the use of a device for the mechanical stimulation of the plantar support zones (Russian). Fiziol Cheloveka 38:61–68

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Layne CS, Forth KE (2008) Plantar stimulation as a possible countermeasure to microgravity-induced neuromotor degradation. Aviat Space Environ Med 79:787–794

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mano T (2001) Muscle sympathetic nerve activity in blood pressure control against gravitational stress. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 38:7–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Navasiolava NM, Custaud MA, Tomilovskaya ES, Larina IM, Mano T, Gauquelin-Koch G, Gharib C, Kozlovskaya IB (2011a) Long-term dry immersion: review and prospects. Eur J Appl Physiol 111:1235–1260

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Navasiolava NM, de Germain V, Levrard T, Larina IM, Kozlovskaya IB, Diquet B, Le Bouil A, Custaud MA, Fortrat JO (2011b) Skin vascular resistance in the standing position increases significantly after 7 days of dry immersion. Auton Neurosci 160:64–68

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Otelin AA, Mashansky VF, Markin AS (1976) Pacinian corpuscle. Structural and functional features (Russian). Nauka, Leningrad

  • Roll R, Kavounoudias A, Roll JP (2002) Cutaneous afferents from human plantar sole contribute to body posture awareness. NeuroReport 13:1957–1961

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sato A, Sato Y, Schmidt RF (1997) The impact of somatosensory input on autonomic functions. Rev Physiol Biochem Pharmacol 130:1–328

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vinogradova OL, Popov DV, Saenko IV, Kozlovskaya IB (2002) Muscle transverse stiffness and venous compliance under conditions of simulated supportlessness. J Gravit Physiol 9:327–329

    Google Scholar 

  • Watanabe N, Miyazaki S, Mukaino Y, Hotta H (2012) Effect of gentle cutaneous stimulation on heat-induced autonomic response and subjective pain intensity in healthy humans. J Physiol Sci 62(4):343–350

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Watanabe N, Piché M, Hotta H (2015) Types of skin afferent fibers and spinal opioid receptors that contribute to touch-induced inhibition of heart rate changes evoked by noxious cutaneous heat stimulation. Mol Pain 11:4

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the French “Centre National des Etudes Spatiales” (CNES) for the protocol “OrthoBoots”. Liubov E. Amirova received a doctoral grant from CNES and from the Institute for Space Medicine and Physiology (MEDES).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire BNMI, Faculté de Médecine, UMR CNRS 6214, INSERM 1083, 49045, Angers Cedex, France

    Liubov E. Amirova & Marc-Antoine Custaud

  2. CRC, Clinical Research Center, Angers University Hospital, Angers, France

    Nastassia M. Navasiolava & Marc-Antoine Custaud

  3. Institute for Space Medicine and Physiology (MEDES), Toulouse, France

    Marie-Pierre Bareille & Arnaud Beck

  4. Institute for Biomedical Problems, Moscow, Russia

    Liubov E. Amirova, Elena S. Tomilovskaya & Inessa B. Kozlovzkaya

  5. National Centre for Space Studies (CNES), Paris, France

    Guillemette Gauquelin-Koch

  6. Claude Bernard University, Lyon, France

    Claude Gharib

  7. CIDO, Saint Etienne, France

    Claude Gharib

Authors
  1. Liubov E. Amirova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nastassia M. Navasiolava
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Marie-Pierre Bareille
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Arnaud Beck
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Elena S. Tomilovskaya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Inessa B. Kozlovzkaya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Guillemette Gauquelin-Koch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Claude Gharib
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Marc-Antoine Custaud
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marc-Antoine Custaud.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Additional information

Communicated by Massimo Pagani.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Amirova, L.E., Navasiolava, N.M., Bareille, MP. et al. Effects of plantar stimulation on cardiovascular response to orthostatism. Eur J Appl Physiol 116, 2257–2266 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3479-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3479-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation