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European Journal of Applied Physiology

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01-08-2014 | Original Article

Locomotor and diaphragm muscle fatigue in endurance athletes performing time-trials of different durations

Authors: Thomas U. Wüthrich, Elisabeth C. Eberle, Christina M. Spengler

Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology | Issue 8/2014

Abstract

Purpose

Fatigue in leg muscles might differ between running and cycling due to inherent differences in muscle activation patterns. Moreover, postural demand placed upon the diaphragm during running could augment the development of diaphragm fatigue.

Methods

We investigated quadriceps and diaphragm fatigue in 11 runners and 11 cyclists (age: 29 ± 5 years; \(\dot{V}\)O_2,peak: 66.9 ± 5.5 ml min⁻¹ kg⁻¹) by assessing quadriceps twitch force (Q _tw) and transdiaphragmatic twitch pressure (P _di,tw) before and after 15- and 30-min time-trials (15TT, 30TT). Inspiratory muscle fatigue was also obtained after volitional normocapnic hyperpnoea (NH) where postural demand is negligible. We hypothesized that running and cycling would induce different patterns of fatigue and that runners would develop less respiratory muscle fatigue when performing NH.

Results

The reduction in Q _tw was greater in cyclists (32 ± 6 %) compared to runners (13 ± 8 %, p < 0.01), but not different for 15TTs (23 ± 13 %) and 30TTs (21 ± 11 %, p = 0.34). Overall P _di,tw was more reduced after 15TTs (24 ± 8 %) than after 30TTs (20 ± 9 %, p = 0.04) while being similar for runners and cyclists (p = 0.78). Meanwhile, breathing duration in NH and the magnitude of inspiratory muscle fatigue were also not different (both p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Different levels of leg muscle fatigue in runners and cyclists could in part be related to the specific muscle activation patterns including concentric contractions in both modalities but eccentric contractions in runners only. Diaphragm fatigue likely resulted from the large ventilatory load which is characteristic for both exercise modalities and which was higher in 15TTs than in 30TTs (+27 %, p < 0.01) while postural demand appears to be of less importance.

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Title: Locomotor and diaphragm muscle fatigue in endurance athletes performing time-trials of different durations
Authors: Thomas U. Wüthrich
Elisabeth C. Eberle
Christina M. Spengler
Publication date: 01-08-2014
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology / Issue 8/2014
Print ISSN: 1439-6319
Electronic ISSN: 1439-6327
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2889-7

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Locomotor and diaphragm muscle fatigue in endurance athletes performing time-trials of different durations

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

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