Abstract
Purpose
A period of extra-efficient force production (“boost”) followed by a decline in force (“sag”) is often observed at the onset of unfused tetanic contractions. We tested the hypothesis that in human muscle boost and sag are diminished in repeated contractions separated by short rest periods and are re-established or enhanced following long rest periods.
Methods
Two sets of 3 unfused tetanic contractions were evoked in the right quadriceps muscle group of 29 participants via percutaneous stimulation of the femoral nerve. Contractions consisted of 20 pulses evoked at inter-pulse intervals of 1.25 × twitch time to peak torque. Contractions were evoked 5 s apart and sets were evoked 5 min apart.
Results
The ratio of the angular impulse of pulses 1–10 to the angular impulse of pulses 11–20 was used as the boost indicator. By this metric, boost was higher (P < 0.05) in the first relative to the second and third contractions within a set, but did not differ between sets (Set 1: 1.31 ± 0.15, 1.18 ± 0.12, 1.14 ± 0.12 vs Set 2: 1.34 ± 0.17, 1.17 ± 0.13, 1.14 ± 0.13). Sag (the percent decline in torque within each contraction) was also higher (P < 0.05) in the first relative to the second and third contractions within a set, but did not differ between sets (Set 1: 40.8 ± 7.5%, 35.4 ± 6.8%, 33.2 ± 7.8% vs Set 2: 42.1 ± 8.0%, 35.5 ± 6.8%, 33.9 ± 7.2%). Participants’ sex and resistance training background did not influence boost or sag.
Conclusion
Boost and sag are sensitive to contractile history in whole human quadriceps. Optimizing boost may have application in strength and power sports.
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Abbreviations
- ANOVA:
-
Analysis of variance
- LSD:
-
Least significant difference
- PAP:
-
Post-activation potentiation
- PAPE:
-
Post-activation performance enhancement
- RT50:
-
50% Relaxation time
- SD:
-
Standard deviation
- TPT:
-
Time to peak torque
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Funding
Funding for this project was provided by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (W.H. FDN-143341), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (W.H. RGPIN/36674-2013), and the Canada Research Chairs Program (W.H. 950-230603). Additional support was provided by the Killam Foundation (W.H.). I.C.S was supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Postdoctoral Fellowship (FRN-152453).
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Formulation of the idea and research design was done by all the authors; data collection by ICS and FO; data analysis and interpretation by all the authors; preparation of the manuscript by ICS; editing and revision by all the authors. All the authors have read and approved the manuscript.
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Smith, I.C., Onasch, F., Kryściak, K. et al. Contractile history affects sag and boost properties of unfused tetanic contractions in human quadriceps muscles. Eur J Appl Physiol 121, 645–658 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-020-04561-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-020-04561-9