Ischaemic preconditioning improves upper-body endurance performance without altering V̇O2 kinetics
D Bellini1, C Chapman1, D Peden1
1School of Sport, Exercise, and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK.
European Journal of Sport Science
|July 18, 2022
Summary
Ischaemic preconditioning (IPC) improved upper-body exercise time to exhaustion, but did not alter oxygen uptake kinetics. This suggests non-metabolic mechanisms may enhance performance following IPC.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Sports Science
- Human Performance
Background:
- Pre-exercise ischaemic preconditioning (IPC) is known to enhance lower-body exercise performance.
- Its effects on upper-limb exercise performance and associated physiological responses remain under-investigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the influence of IPC on upper-limb exercise performance and oxygen uptake (V̇O2) kinetics.
- To determine if IPC alters physiological markers during arm-crank ergometry.
Main Methods:
- Eleven recreationally active males underwent arm-crank ergometry to determine ventilatory thresholds.
- Participants completed constant work rate and time-to-exhaustion trials following either IPC (4x5-min, 220 mmHg occlusion) or SHAM (4x5-min, 20 mmHg) conditions.
- Pulmonary V̇O2 kinetics, heart rate, blood lactate, and rating of perceived exertion were measured.
Main Results:
- Time to exhaustion was significantly longer following IPC compared to SHAM during high-intensity arm-cranking (459 ± 115 s vs. 395 ± 102 s, p=.004).
- Oxygen uptake (V̇O2) kinetics, including mean response time and end-exercise V̇O2, were not significantly different between IPC and SHAM conditions at either low or high intensities.
- Heart rate, blood lactate, and rating of perceived exertion did not differ between IPC and SHAM conditions.
Conclusions:
- IPC enhances time to exhaustion during upper-limb exercise.
- The performance improvement with IPC occurs despite unchanged V̇O2 kinetics.
- These findings suggest that non-metabolic factors may contribute to enhanced upper-body exercise performance following IPC.
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