Received September 23, 2004
Revised October 26, 2004
Accepted after revision January 26, 2005

¹ University of Birmingham

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mpb106{at}bham.ac.uk.

	Abstract

Abstract This study investigated the cardiovascular response to a standard external muscle compression during concomitant muscle metaboreflex stimulation of varying intensity in human calf muscle. 11 healthy male subjects (mean age, height, weight (S.D.); 26 (5.6) yrs, 177 (5) cm, 74.3 (6.8) kg respectively) were seated in an isometric dynamometer with the angle of the knee at 90 degrees, and the angle of the ankle at 85 degrees. After a 150 s rest period, subjects were asked to either perform isometric plantar flexion at 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 or 80 % of previously determined maximum isometric contractile force (MVC) for 90 s, or to sit at rest for this period. A thigh cuff maintained circulatory occlusion throughout the exercise period and for 180 s post exercise (PECO). After 60 s of PECO, a calf cuff was inflated to 300 mmHg for 60 s followed by a further 60 s of PECO alone after which the thigh cuff was deflated. During PECO the MAP increase from rest was dependent upon the preceding exercise intensity (p < 0.001). Compression elicited a further significant change in MAP, and the magnitude of this change from the PECO baseline was also dependent upon the preceding exercise intensity (p < 0.01). These results are compatible with activation of a metabolically sensitised population of mechanoreceptive afferents in human muscle during external compression.

Key Words: Autonomic nervous system, Cardiovascular, Human

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