Effects of exercise induced muscle damage on cardiovascular responses to isometric muscle contractions and post-exercise circulatory occlusion

Zambolin, F ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4178-6965, Peçanha, T, Pinner, S ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1816-2644, Venturelli, M and McPhee, JS ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3659-0773 (2023) Effects of exercise induced muscle damage on cardiovascular responses to isometric muscle contractions and post-exercise circulatory occlusion. European Journal of Applied Physiology. ISSN 1439-6319

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Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) influences cardiovascular responses to isometric exercise and post-exercise circulatory occlusion (PECO). We hypothesized that EIMD would increase muscle afferent sensitivity and, accordingly, increase blood pressure responses to exercise and PECO. Methods: Eleven male and nine female participants performed unilateral isometric knee extension at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) for 3-min. A thigh cuff was rapidly inflated to 250 mmHg for two min PECO, followed by 3 min recovery. Heart rate and blood pressure were monitored beat-by-beat, with stroke volume and cardiac output estimated from the Modelflow algorithm. Measurements were taken before and 48 h after completing eccentric knee-extension contractions to induce muscle damage (EIMD). Results: EIMD caused 21% decrease in MVC (baseline: 634.6 ± 229.3 N, 48 h: 504.0 ± 160 N), and a 17-fold increase in perceived soreness using a visual-analogue scale (0–100 mm; VASSQ) (both p < 0.001). CV responses to exercise and PECO were not different between pre and post EIMD. However, mean arterial pressure (MAP) was higher during the recovery phase after EIMD (p < 0.05). Significant associations were found between increases in MAP during exercise and VASSQ, Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and Pain after EIMD only (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: The MAP correlations with muscle soreness, RPE and Pain during contractions of damaged muscles suggests that higher afferent activity was associated with higher MAP responses to exercise.