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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 90/5/773    most recent expphysiol.2005.030577v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Fisher, J. P Articles by White, M. J Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Fisher, J. P Articles by White, M. J Related Collections Cardiovascular control

¹ School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the cardiovascular responses to muscle metaboreflex- and concurrent muscle stretch-induced mechanoreflex activation. Eight subjects (7 males, 1 female) performed 90 s of isometric calf plantarflexion at 0, 30, 50 and 70% of maximum voluntary contraction. During exercise and for 3.5 min postexercise, circulatory occlusion (PECO) was ensured by inflation of a thigh cuff. After 90 s of PECO the calf muscle was stretched for 60 s (Stretch). Heart rate (HR; assessed from ECG), blood pressure (BP; Finapres) and phase of respiratory cycle were recorded. Exercise increased diastolic BP (DBP) from rest by 1 ± 0.8, 14 ± 2.5, 29 ± 3.9 and 35 ± 3.6 mmHg, during the 0, 30, 50 and 70% conditions, respectively (ANOVA rest versus exercise, P < 0.05). During PECO DBP remained elevated, by 2 ± 0.4, 8 ± 0.3, 12 ± 0.3 and 13 ± 0.9 mmHg, respectively. Stretch produced a further increase in DBP that was not different between conditions (3 ± 1.4, 2 ± 0.8, 3 ± 1.0 and 3 ± 0.9 mmHg, for the 0, 30, 50 and 70%, respectively). HR increased during exercise but returned to baseline during PECO. HR increased at Stretch onset in all conditions. No EMG was detected from the gastrocnemius and soleus during Stretch. Our data show that the cardiovascular responses to human calf Stretch are independent of the level of concurrent muscle metaboreflex activation.

(Received 31 March 2005; accepted after revision 7 July 2005; first published online 27 July 2005)
Corresponding author J. P. Fisher: School of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Birmingham B15 2TT, UK. Email: j.p.fisher{at}bham.ac.uk

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