Dynamics of Locomotor Fatigue during Supra-critical Power Exercise

Mathematical modeling of exercise fatigability in the severe domain: A unifying integrative framework in isokinetic condition

Muscle fatigue is the decay in the ability of muscles to generate force, and results from neural and metabolic perturbations. This article presents an integrative mathematical model that describes the decrease in maximal force capacity (i.e. fatigue) over exercises performed at intensities above the critical force Fc (i.e. severe domain). The model unifies the previous Critical Power Model and All-Out Model and can be applied to any exercise described by a changing force F over time. The assumptions of the model are (i) isokinetic conditions, an intensity domain of Fc Collapse

Key Words

• All-out
• Anaerobic capacities
• Critical power
• Endurance
• Exercise fatigability
• Fatigue
• Maximal force capacity
• Muscular capacities
• Power-time relationship
• Time to exhaustion

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MESH Headings

• Exercise/physiology
• Muscle Fatigue
• Muscles/physiology
• Models, Theoretical
• Muscle, Skeletal/physiology

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Grants Collapse

Affiliation(s)

M Bowen Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité LIBM, EA 7424, Savoie Mont Blanc University, F-7300, Chambéry, France.
P Samozino Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité LIBM, EA 7424, Savoie Mont Blanc University, F-7300, Chambéry, France
M Vonderscher Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité LIBM, EA 7424, Savoie Mont Blanc University, F-7300, Chambéry, France
D Dutykh Mathematics Department, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, PO Box 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Causal Dynamics Pty Ltd, WA 6009, Perth, Australia
B Morel Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité LIBM, EA 7424, Savoie Mont Blanc University, F-7300, Chambéry, France

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A randomized, crossover, placebo controlled, double blind trial of the effects of tiotropium-olodaterol on neuromuscular performance during exercise in COPD

Exercise intolerance in COPD is associated with dyspnea, reduced inspiratory capacity (IC) and occurs with a neuromuscular "power reserve" i.e. an acute ability to increase isokinetic locomotor power. This power reserve is associated with resting FEV₁/FVC suggesting that treatments to target pulmonary function may protect neuromuscular performance and extend whole-body exercise in COPD. We, therefore, tested whether combination long-acting β-agonist and muscarinic antagonist bronchodilator therapy (LAMA+LABA; Stiolto Respimat®) would ameliorate the decline in neuromuscular performance and increase endurance time during constant power cycling at 80% peak incremental power. Fourteen COPD patients (4 female; 64[58,72] years; FEV₁ 67[56,75]% predicted; median[25^th,75^th percentile]), participated in a randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over trial (NCT02845752). Pulmonary function and cardiopulmonary exercise responses were assessed before and after 1 week of treatment, with 2 weeks washout between conditions. Performance fatigue was assessed using a ~4-second maximal isokinetic cycling effort at pre-exercise, isotime and intolerance. Isotime was the shorter exercise duration of the two treatment conditions. Significance was assessed using ANOVA with treatment as fixed factor and subject as random factor. FEV₁ was greater with LAMA+LABA vs. placebo (1.81[1.58,1.98] L vs 1.72[1.29,1.99] L; P=0.006), but IC at isotime, performance fatigue at isotime and constant power endurance time were not different between condition (each P>0.05). A modest (~95 mL) FEV₁ increase in following 1 week of combination LAMA+LABA treatment did not alleviate neuromuscular performance fatigue or enhance cycle exercise tolerance in mild to severe COPD patients with largely preserved "static" lung volumes.

Power Reserve at Intolerance in Ramp-Incremental Exercise Is Dependent on Incrementation Rate

INTRODUCTION

The mechanism(s) of exercise intolerance at V˙O2max remain poorly understood. In health, standard ramp-incremental (RI) exercise is limited by fatigue-induced reductions in maximum voluntary cycling power. Whether neuromuscular fatigue also limits exercise when the RI rate is slow and RI peak power at intolerance is lower than standard RI exercise, is unknown.

METHODS

In twelve healthy participants, maximal voluntary cycling power was measured during a short (~6 s) isokinetic effort at 80 rpm (Piso) at baseline and, using an instantaneous switch from cadence-independent to isokinetic cycling, immediately at the limit of RI exercise with RI rates of 50, 25, and 10 W·min-1 (RI-50, RI-25, and RI-10). Breath-by-breath pulmonary gas exchange was measured throughout.

RESULTS

Baseline Piso was not different among RI rates (analysis of variance; P > 0.05). Tolerable duration increased with decreasing RI rate (RI-50, 411 ± 58 s vs RI-25, 732 ± 93 s vs RI-10, 1531 ± 288 s; P < 0.05). At intolerance, V˙O2peak was not different among RI rates (analysis of variance; P > 0.05), but RI peak power decreased with RI rate (RI-50, 361 ± 48 W vs RI-25, 323 ± 39 W vs RI-10, 275 ± 38 W; P < 0.05). Piso at intolerance was 346 ± 43 W, 353 ± 45 W, and 392 ± 69 W for RI-50, RI-25, and RI-10, respectively (P < 0.05 for RI-10 vs RI-50 and RI-25). At intolerance, in RI-50 and RI-25, Piso was not different from RI peak power (P > 0.05), thus there was no "power reserve." In RI-10, Piso was greater than RI peak power at intolerance (P < 0.001), that is, there was a "power reserve."

CONCLUSIONS

In RI-50 and RI-25, the absence of a power reserve suggests the neuromuscular fatigue-induced reduction in Piso coincided with V˙O2max and limited the exercise. In RI-10, the power reserve suggests neuromuscular fatigue was insufficient to limit the exercise, and additional mechanisms contributed to intolerance at V˙O2max.