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Effects of load magnitude on muscular activity and tissue oxygenation during repeated elbow flexions until failure

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Abstract

This study investigated the changes in muscular activity and tissue oxygenation while lifting and lowering a load of 20, 40, 60 or 80 % of one repetition maximum (1RM) with elbow flexor muscles until failure. The surface electromyogram (EMG) was recorded in biceps brachii (BB), brachioradialis (BRD) and triceps brachii (TB). For BB, a tissue oxygenation index (TOI) and a normalized total hemoglobin index (nTHI) were recorded by near-infrared spectroscopy. The number of repetitions decreased with the increase in load (P < 0.001), and the four loading conditions induced a decrease in MVC force immediately after failure (P < 0.001). The average of rectified EMG amplitude (aEMG) of elbow flexors increased for all loads during muscle shortening (SHO) and lengthening (LEN) phases of the movement (P < 0.05), except for the 80 % load during LEN phase. At failure, the aEMG was greater during the SHO than the LEN phase (P < 0.05), except for the 20 % load. TOI decreased for all loads and phases (P < 0.05) but less (P < 0.01) for the 20 % than 60 and 80 % loads (P < 0.01), and for LEN compared with SHO phase. At failure, TOI was negatively associated with aEMG during the SHO (r 2 = 0.99) and LEN (r 2 = 0.82) phases, while TOI and aEMG were positively associated with load magnitude (r 2 > 0.90) in both movement phases. This study emphasizes the influence of load magnitude and movement phase (SHO and LEN) on neuromuscular and oxydative adjustments during movements that involve lifting and lowering a load until failure.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Research Council of the “Université Libre de Bruxelles”. SB was awarded by a grant of the Brussels Institute for Research and Innovation (INNOViris, BB2B-2009-1-01) and of the “Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS)” of Belgium.

Conflict of interest

None of the authors has any professional relationships with companies or manufacturers who will benefit from the results of this study. The authors recognize no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Applied Biology, Faculty for Motor Sciences, Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 808, Route de Lennik, CP 640, 1070, Brussels, Belgium

    Stéphane Baudry, Sébastien Sarrazin & Jacques Duchateau

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  1. Stéphane Baudry
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  2. Sébastien Sarrazin
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  3. Jacques Duchateau
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Correspondence to Stéphane Baudry.

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Communicated by Peter Krustrup.

S. Baudry and S. Sarrazin contributed equally to the study.

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Baudry, S., Sarrazin, S. & Duchateau, J. Effects of load magnitude on muscular activity and tissue oxygenation during repeated elbow flexions until failure. Eur J Appl Physiol 113, 1895–1904 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-013-2618-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-013-2618-7

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