Intensity Thresholds and Maximal Lactate Steady State in Small Muscle Group Exercise

Electromyographic and Systemic Physiological Thresholds in Single-Joint Elbow Flexion Movements

PURPOSE

Reported relationships between electromyographic (EMG) thresholds and systemic thresholds based on lactate, ventilation, or heart rate are contradictory. This might be related to the complexity of the investigated whole-body movements involving many muscles with different activation patterns. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate these relationships during an incremental single-joint exercise.

METHODS

Eighteen male subjects (29.7 [4.4] y) performed single-arm elbow flexions on a biceps curl machine with loads increasing every minute until exhaustion. EMG signals of the main elbow flexors (short and long head of the biceps brachii, flexor carpi radialis, and brachioradialis) as well as gas exchange variables, blood lactate concentration, and heart rate were measured, and 2 turn points based on a 3-phase model of metabolism were determined for each variable.

RESULTS

The first and second turn points for EMG were determined at 32.0% to 33.1% and 64.4% to 66.5% of maximal achieved performance (maximum weight), respectively. Systemic turn points were determined at 33.3% to 34.4% and 65.9% to 66.7% of maximum weight and were not significantly different from EMG turn points. Furthermore, systemic and EMG turn points showed a strong or very strong relationship at the first (ρ = .54-.93, P < .05) and second turn point (ρ = .76-.93, P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

A close relationship between EMG and systemic turn points could be confirmed for the applied movement of a small muscle group. The determination of local single muscle thresholds using EMG provides additional muscle-specific information about performance-limiting properties of muscles involved in endurance-type incremental exercise.

Time in Range for Closed-Loop Systems versus Standard of Care during Physical Exercise in People with Type 1 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare time in range (TIR) (70–180 mg/dL (3.9–10.0 mmol/L)) between fully closed-loop systems (CLS) and standard of care (including hybrid systems) during physical exercise in people with type 1 diabetes (T1D). A systematic literature search was conducted in EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ISI Web of Science from January 1950 until January 2020. Randomized controlled trials including studies with different CLS were compared against standard of care in people with T1D. The meta-analysis was performed using the random effects model and restricted maximum likelihood estimation method. Six randomized controlled trials involving 153 participants with T1D of all age groups were included. Due to crossover test designs, studies were included repeatedly (a–d) if CLS or physical exercise interventions were different. Applying this methodology increased the comparisons to a total number of 266 participants. TIR was higher with an absolute mean difference (AMD) of 6.18%, 95% CI: 1.99 to 10.38% in favor of CLS. In a subgroup analysis, the AMD was 9.46%, 95% CI: 2.48% to 16.45% in children and adolescents while the AMD for adults was 1.07% 95% CI: −0.81% to 2.96% in favor of CLS. In this systematic review and meta-analysis CLS moderately improved TIR in comparison to standard of care during physical exercise in people with T1D. This effect was particularly pronounced for children and adolescents showing that the use of CLS improved TIR significantly compared to standard of care.