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Models to explain fatigue during prolonged endurance cycling.
Chris R Abbiss1, Paul B Laursen
1School of Exercise, Biomedical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia. c.abbiss@ecu.edu.au
Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)
|September 27, 2005
Summary
Understanding cycling fatigue involves numerous factors. This review explores linear models and integrates them into a complex systems model for exercise-induced fatigue.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Sports Science
Background:
- Prolonged cycling performance is influenced by physiological, biomechanical, environmental, mechanical, and psychological factors.
- Over 2000 manuscripts have explored fatigue, leading to diverse cause-and-effect models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review conventional linear models of fatigue in cycling.
- To explain how these linear models influence fatigue development during cycling.
- To integrate linear models into a nonlinear complex systems model of fatigue.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of over 2000 manuscripts on cycling fatigue.
- Analysis of established linear models: cardiovascular/anaerobic, energy depletion, neuromuscular, muscle trauma, biomechanical, thermoregulatory, psychological/motivational, and central governor.
- Discussion of a proposed complex systems model of fatigue.
Main Results:
- Conventional linear models identify specific factors contributing to fatigue.
- These linear models provide feedback integrated by a central governor.
- A nonlinear complex systems model offers a more integrated understanding of fatigue.
Conclusions:
- Linear models offer valuable insights into specific fatigue mechanisms in cycling.
- These mechanisms are integrated within a broader, nonlinear complex systems framework.
- This review highlights the integration of linear and nonlinear models for a comprehensive view of exercise-induced fatigue.