ORIGINAL ARTICLES  EXCERCISE PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOMECHANICS 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2015 April;55(4):251-7

Copyright © 2015 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Muscle oxygenation of superficial and deep regions in knee extensor and plantar flexor muscles during repeated isometric contractions

Kubo K. ✉

Department of Life Science, University of Tokyo, Meguro, Tokyo, Japan

AIM: The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in muscle oxygenation of knee extensor and plantar flexor muscles during repeated muscle contractions under the same condition. In addition, we compared changes in muscle oxygenation between superficial and deep regions of both muscles.
METHODS: Eleven healthy males participated in this study. During repeated knee extensions and plantar flexions (50 repetitions at 50% of the isometric maximum voluntary contraction for 3 s with 3 s relaxations), blood volume and oxygen saturation (StO2) of the vastus lateralis and medial gastrocnemius muscles (superficial and deep region of each muscle) were measured using near infrared spectroscopy.
RESULTS: The decrement of StO2 at the end of exercises was greater in plantar flexor muscle than in knee extensor muscle (P<0.001). For both muscles, the decrement of StO2 at the end of exercises was greater in the deep region than in the superficial one (both P<0.001).
CONCLUSION: These results suggested that the oxygen utilization of plantar flexor muscle and deep regions of each muscle were higher than that of knee extensor muscle and superficial regions of each muscle.