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Muscle pump and central command during recovery from exercise in humans
R Carter1, D E Watenpaugh, W L Wasmund
1Department of Integrative Physiology, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas 76107, USA. rcarter@hsc.unt.edu
Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985)
|October 12, 1999
Summary
Maintaining blood pressure after exercise is aided by continued leg muscle activity. Engaging the skeletal muscle pump through active or passive pedaling helps maintain mean arterial pressure (MAP) during recovery.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Cardiovascular Regulation
Background:
- Rapid decrease in arterial pressure occurs during recovery from exercise.
- Contributions of skeletal muscle pump cessation and central command withdrawal to this decrease are debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the relative roles of skeletal muscle pump and central command in post-exercise hypotension.
- To investigate the impact of different recovery modes on mean arterial pressure (MAP) and related cardiovascular parameters.
Main Methods:
- Twelve healthy volunteers completed three exercise recovery protocols: seated (inactive), loadless pedaling (active), and passive cycling.
- Measurements included mean arterial pressure (MAP), cardiac output, thoracic impedance, and heart rate.
Main Results:
- MAP decreased significantly less during active (-3 mmHg) and passive (-6 mmHg) recovery compared to inactive recovery (-18 mmHg).
- These differences in MAP persisted for 4 minutes.
- Active and passive recovery maintained central blood volume, stroke volume, and cardiac output.
Conclusions:
- Engaging the skeletal muscle pump via loadless or passive pedaling aids in maintaining MAP during recovery from submaximal exercise.
- Cessation of central command appears less critical than skeletal muscle pump activity for post-exercise blood pressure regulation.
Keywords:
Non-programmatic