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Reduced cardiovascular and metabolic responses during eccentric stepping exercise: A pilot study.
Nicholas C Renwick1, Stuart Egginton1, Carrie Ferguson1,2
1School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Physiological Reports
|October 6, 2024
Summary
Eccentric stepping requires more power than concentric stepping to achieve the same oxygen uptake (V̇O2), demonstrating a higher exercise intensity. This finding highlights differences in cardiovascular and metabolic responses between eccentric and concentric exercise modes.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Metabolic Physiology
Background:
- Concentric and eccentric muscle contractions elicit different physiological responses.
- Understanding these differences is crucial for optimizing exercise protocols and interpreting exercise intensity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare cardiovascular and metabolic responses between concentric and eccentric stepping at equivalent power and oxygen uptake.
- To determine the relative exercise intensity of eccentric stepping.
Main Methods:
- Eight participants completed maximal concentric and eccentric ramp tests.
- Three randomized 15-min constant-power tests were performed: concentric at 90% lactate threshold (LT), eccentric at equivalent power, and eccentric at equivalent oxygen uptake (V̇O2).
- Cardiovascular (heart rate, blood pressure) and metabolic (V̇O2) responses were measured.
Main Results:
- At equivalent power, eccentric stepping showed significantly lower V̇O2, heart rate (HR), and mean arterial blood pressure.
- To match V̇O2, eccentric stepping required significantly higher power output compared to concentric stepping.
- During eccentric stepping at matched V̇O2, V̇O2 and HR continued to increase, exceeding predicted steady-state levels.
Conclusions:
- Eccentric stepping is less metabolically demanding than concentric stepping at equivalent power outputs.
- Higher power outputs are necessary during eccentric stepping to achieve the same metabolic demand (V̇O2) as concentric stepping.
- Eccentric stepping, even below the concentric LT, may represent a higher relative exercise intensity due to sustained increases in V̇O2 and HR.
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