Expiratory resistive loaded breathing in humans increases fluctuations of force production in submaximal isometric quadriceps contractions.
This study demonstrated that expiratory resistive loading (ERL) induced an increase in force fluctuation during a unilateral, submaximal isometric contraction of the non-dominant left vastus lateralis (VL), but did not effect force fluctuation during complex bilateral contractions. The increase in force fluctuation in the unilateral left VL contraction during ERL was not accompanied by alterations of average force production, motor unit activation (median power frequency) or airflow rate when compared to the bilateral contraction. Inspiratory RL (IRL) did not significantly affect force fluctuation in unilateral or bilateral contractions. The results concur with previous reports of ERL, but not IRL, effecting VL function and suggest that patients with obstructive diseases may also be vulnerable to reduced fine motor control.
Sport and Exercise Neuroscience Research Centre, School of Applied Science, South Bank University, London SE1 0AA, UK. turnerdl@sbu.ac.uk
Duncan L
DL
Turner
D000328:Adult; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology*; D013848:Thigh / Q000502:physiology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology