Top

Published in:

Open Access 01-07-2008 | Original Article

Characteristics of fast voluntary and electrically evoked isometric knee extensions during 56 days of bed rest with and without exercise countermeasure

Authors: E. R. Mulder, K. H. L. Gerrits, J. Rittweger, D. Felsenberg, D. F. Stegeman, A. de Haan

Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology | Issue 4/2008

Abstract

The contractile characteristics of fast voluntary and electrically evoked unilateral isometric knee extensions were followed in 16 healthy men during 56 days of horizontal bed rest and assessed at bed rest days 4, 7, 10, 17, 24, 38 and 56. Subjects were randomized to either an inactive control group (Ctrl, n = 8) or a resistive vibration exercise countermeasure group (RVE, n = 8). No changes were observed in neural activation, indicated by the amplitude of the surface electromyogram, or the initial rate of voluntary torque development in either group during bed rest. In contrast, for Ctrl, the force oscillation amplitude at 10 Hz stimulation increased by 48% (P < 0.01), the time to reach peak torque at 300 Hz stimulation decreased by 7% (P < 0.01), and the half relaxation time at 150 Hz stimulation tended to be slightly reduced by 3% (P = 0.056) after 56 days of bed rest. No changes were observed for RVE. Torque production at 10 Hz stimulation relative to maximal (150 Hz) stimulation was increased after bed rest for both Ctrl (15%; P < 0.05) and RVE (41%; P < 0.05). In conclusion, bed rest without exercise countermeasure resulted in intrinsic speed properties of a faster knee extensor group, which may have partly contributed to the preserved ability to perform fast voluntary contractions. The changes in intrinsic contractile properties were prevented by resistive vibration exercise, and voluntary motor performance remained unaltered for RVE subjects as well.

Aagaard P, Simonsen EB, Andersen JL, Magnusson P, Dyhre-Poulsen P (2002) Increased rate of force development and neural drive of human skeletal muscle following resistance training. J Appl Physiol 93:1318–1326PubMed

Adams GR, Caiozzo VJ, Baldwin KM (2003) Skeletal muscle unweighting: spaceflight and ground-based models. J Appl Physiol 95:2185–2201PubMed

Akima H, Kubo K, Imai M, Kanehisa H, Suzuki Y, Gunji A, Fukunaga T (2001) Inactivity and muscle: effect of resistance training during bed rest on muscle size in the lower limb. Acta Physiol Scand 172:269–278PubMedCrossRef

Andersen LL, Aagaard P (2006) Influence of maximal muscle strength and intrinsic muscle contractile properties on contractile rate of force development. Eur J Appl Physiol 96:46–52PubMedCrossRef

Berg HE, Tesch PA (1996) Changes in muscle function in response to 10 days of lower limb unloading in humans. Acta Physiol Scand 157:63–70PubMedCrossRef

Berg HE, Larsson L, Tesch PA (1997) Lower limb skeletal muscle function after 6 wk of bed rest. J Appl Physiol 82:182–188PubMedCrossRef

Binder-Macleod SA, Halden EE, Jungles KA (1995) Effects of stimulation intensity on the physiological responses of human motor units. Med Sci Sports Exerc 27:556–565PubMed

Blok JH, van Dijk JG, Drost G, Zwarts MJ, Stegeman DF (2002) A high-density multichannel surface electromyography system for the characterization of single motor units. Rev Sci Instrum 73:1887–1897CrossRef

Blottner D, Salanova M, Puttmann B, Schiffl G, Felsenberg D, Buehring B, Rittweger J (2006) Human skeletal muscle structure and function preserved by vibration muscle exercise following 55 days of bed rest. Eur J Appl Physiol 97:261–271PubMedCrossRef

Bojsen-Moller J, Magnusson SP, Rasmussen LR, Kjaer M, Aagaard P (2005) Muscle performance during maximal isometric and dynamic contractions is influenced by the stiffness of the tendinous structures. J Appl Physiol 99:986–994PubMedCrossRef

Caiozzo VJ, Baker MJ, Herrick RE, Tao M, Baldwin KM (1994) Effect of spaceflight on skeletal muscle: mechanical properties and myosin isoform content of a slow muscle. J Appl Physiol 76:1764–1773PubMedCrossRef

Davies CT, Rutherford IC, Thomas DO (1987) Electrically evoked contractions of the triceps surae during and following 21 days of voluntary leg immobilization. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 56:306–312PubMedCrossRef

de Haan A (1998) The influence of stimulation frequency on force–velocity characteristics of in situ rat medial gastrocnemius muscle. Exp Physiol 83:77–84PubMed

de Haan A, de Ruiter CJ, van der Woude LH, Jongen PJ (2000) Contractile properties and fatigue of quadriceps muscles in multiple sclerosis. Muscle Nerve 23:1534–1541PubMedCrossRef

de Ruiter CJ, Jones DA, Sargeant AJ, de Haan A (1999) Temperature effect on the rates of isometric force development and relaxation in the fresh and fatigued human adductor pollicis muscle. Exp Physiol 84:1137–1150PubMedCrossRef

de Ruiter CJ, Kooistra RD, Paalman MI, de Haan A (2004) Initial phase of maximal voluntary and electrically stimulated knee extension torque development at different knee angles. J Appl Physiol 97:1693–1701PubMedCrossRef

Deschenes MR, Giles JA, McCoy RW, Volek JS, Gomez AL, Kraemer WJ (2002) Neural factors account for strength decrements observed after short-term muscle unloading. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 282:R578–R583PubMed

Desplanches D (1997) Structural and functional adaptations of skeletal muscle to weightlessness. Int J Sports Med 18(Suppl 4):S259–S264PubMedCrossRef

di Prampero PE, Narici MV (2003) Muscles in microgravity: from fibres to human motion. J Biomech 36:403–412PubMedCrossRef

Edgerton VR, Roy RR (2000) Invited review: gravitational biology of the neuromotor systems: a perspective to the next era. J Appl Physiol 89:1224–1231PubMed

Ferrando AA, Tipton KD, Bamman MM, Wolfe RR (1997) Resistance exercise maintains skeletal muscle protein synthesis during bed rest. J Appl Physiol 82:807–810PubMed

Fitts RH, Riley DR, Widrick JJ (2000) Physiology of a microgravity environment invited review: microgravity and skeletal muscle. J Appl Physiol 89:823–839PubMed

Gerrits HL, de Haan A., Hopman MT, van der Woude LH, Jones DA, Sargeant AJ (1999) Contractile properties of the quadriceps muscle in individuals with spinal cord injury. Muscle Nerve 22:1249–1256PubMedCrossRef

Gerrits HL, Hopman MT, Sargeant AJ, de Haan A (2001) Reproducibility of contractile properties of the human paralysed and non-paralysed quadriceps muscle. Clin Physiol 21:105–113PubMedCrossRef

Gerrits HL, Hopman MT, Offringa C, Engelen BG, Sargeant AJ, Jones DA, de Haan A (2003) Variability in fibre properties in paralysed human quadriceps muscles and effects of training. Pflugers Arch 445:734–740PubMed

Gondin J, Guette M, Maffiuletti NA, Martin A (2004) Neural activation of the triceps surae is impaired following 2 weeks of immobilization. Eur J Appl Physiol 93:359–365PubMedCrossRef

Harridge SD, Bottinelli R, Canepari M, Pellegrino MA, Reggiani C, Esbjornsson M, Saltin B (1996) Whole-muscle and single-fibre contractile properties and myosin heavy chain isoforms in humans. Pflugers Arch 432:913–920PubMedCrossRef

Holtermann A, Roeleveld K, Engstrom M, Sand T (2007) Enhanced H-reflex with resistance training is related to increased rate of force development. Eur J Appl Physiol 101:301–312PubMedCrossRef

Kawakami Y, Akima H, Kubo K, Muraoka Y, Hasegawa H, Kouzaki M, Imai M, Suzuki Y, Gunji A, Kanehisa H, Fukunaga T (2001) Changes in muscle size, architecture, and neural activation after 20 days of bed rest with and without resistance exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 84:7–12PubMedCrossRef

Koryak Y (1998) Effect of 120 days of bed-rest with and without countermeasures on the mechanical properties of the triceps surae muscle in young women. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 78:128–135PubMedCrossRef

Kubo K, Akima H, Kouzaki M, Ito M, Kawakami Y, Kanehisa H, Fukunaga T (2000) Changes in the elastic properties of tendon structures following 20 days bed-rest in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol 83:463–468PubMedCrossRef

Mulder ER, Stegeman DF, Gerrits KH, Paalman MI, Rittweger J, Felsenberg D, de Haan A (2006) Strength, size and activation of knee extensors followed during 8 weeks of horizontal bed rest and the influence of a countermeasure. Eur J Appl Physiol 97:706–715PubMedCrossRef

Mulder ER, Gerrits KH, Kleine BU, Rittweger J, Felsenberg D, de Haan A, Stegeman DF (2007) High-density surface EMG study on the time course of central nervous and peripheral neuromuscular changes during 8 weeks of bed rest with or without resistive vibration exercise. J Electromyogr Kinesiol (in press)

Narici M, Kayser B, Barattini P, Cerretelli P (2003) Effects of 17-day spaceflight on electrically evoked torque and cross-sectional area of the human triceps surae. Eur J Appl Physiol 90:275–282PubMedCrossRef

Ohira Y, Yoshinaga T, Ohara M, Nonaka I, Yoshioka T, Yamashita-Goto K, Shenkman BS, Kozlovskaya IB, Roy RR, Edgerton VR (1999) Myonuclear domain and myosin phenotype in human soleus after bed rest with or without loading. J Appl Physiol 87:1776–1785PubMed

Reeves ND, Maganaris CN, Ferretti G, Narici MV (2005) Influence of 90-day simulated microgravity on human tendon mechanical properties and the effect of resistive countermeasures. J Appl Physiol 98:2278–2286PubMedCrossRef

Rittweger J, Belavy D, Hunek P, Gast U, Boerst H, Feilcke B, Armbrecht G, Mulder E, Schubert H, Richardson C, de Haan A., Stegeman DF, Schiessl H, Felsenberg D (2006) Highly demanding resistive vibration exercise program is tolerated during 56 days of strict bed-rest. Int J Sports Med 27:553–559PubMedCrossRef

Schulze K, Gallagher P, Trappe S (2002) Resistance training preserves skeletal muscle function during unloading in humans. Med Sci Sports Exerc 34:303–313PubMedCrossRef

Seki K, Taniguchi Y, Narusawa M (2001) Alterations in contractile properties of human skeletal muscle induced by joint immobilization. J Physiol 530:521–532PubMedCrossRef

Shigematsu R, Rantanen T, Saari P, Sakari-Rantala R, Kauppinen M, Sipila S, Heikkinen E (2006) Motor speed and lower extremity strength as predictors of fall-related bone fractures in elderly individuals. Aging Clin Exp Res 18:320–324PubMed

Smith SM, Heer M (2002) Calcium and bone metabolism during space flight. Nutrition 18:849–852PubMedCrossRef

Talmadge RJ (2000) Myosin heavy chain isoform expression following reduced neuromuscular activity: potential regulatory mechanisms. Muscle Nerve 23:661–679PubMedCrossRef

Trappe S, Trappe T, Gallagher P, Harber M, Alkner B, Tesch P (2004) Human single muscle fibre function with 84 day bed-rest and resistance exercise. J Physiol 557:501–513PubMedCrossRef

Unsworth BR, Witzmann FA, Fitts RH (1982) A comparison of rat myosin from fast and slow skeletal muscle and the effect of disuse. J Biol Chem 257:15129–15136PubMed

Vøllestad NK, Sejersted I, Saugen E (1997) Mechanical behavior of skeletal muscle during intermittent voluntary isometric contractions in humans. J Appl Physiol 83:1557–1565PubMed

Widrick JJ, Norenberg KM, Romatowski JG, Blaser CA, Karhanek M, Sherwood J, Trappe SW, Trappe TA, Costill DL, Fitts RH (1998) Force–velocity–power and force–pCa relationships of human soleus fibers after 17 days of bed rest. J Appl Physiol 85:1949–1956PubMed

Widrick JJ, Romatowski JG, Norenberg KM, Knuth ST, Bain JL, Riley DA, Trappe SW, Trappe TA, Costill DL, Fitts RH (2001) Functional properties of slow and fast gastrocnemius muscle fibers after a 17-day spaceflight. J Appl Physiol 90:2203–2211PubMed

Yamashita-Goto K, Okuyama R, Honda M, Kawasaki K, Fujita K, Yamada T, Nonaka I, Ohira Y, Yoshioka T (2001) Maximal and submaximal forces of slow fibers in human soleus after bed rest. J Appl Physiol 91:417–424PubMed

Title: Characteristics of fast voluntary and electrically evoked isometric knee extensions during 56 days of bed rest with and without exercise countermeasure
Authors: E. R. Mulder
K. H. L. Gerrits
J. Rittweger
D. Felsenberg
D. F. Stegeman
A. de Haan
Publication date: 01-07-2008
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology / Issue 4/2008
Print ISSN: 1439-6319
Electronic ISSN: 1439-6327
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-008-0724-8

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Characteristics of fast voluntary and electrically evoked isometric knee extensions during 56 days of bed rest with and without exercise countermeasure

Abstract

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 4/2008

Professor Victor Alekseevich ROGOZKIN

Is it helpful to study a commercial multi-nutrient supplement on exercise performance?

Characteristics of the respiratory mechanical and muscle function of competitive breath-hold divers

Athletic induced iron deficiency: new insights into the role of inflammation, cytokines and hormones

Neuromuscular fatigue is greater following highly variable versus constant intensity endurance cycling

Postactivation potentiation of short tetanic contractions is differently influenced by stimulation frequency in young and elderly adults