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Published on: February 20, 2018
Muscle oxygenation kinetics during the single-leg heel rise test
Anna Schrefl1, Andri Feldmann2, Nico Kolokythas3
1Institute of Sport Science, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland - anna.schrefl@dance-research.at.
The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness
|July 22, 2026
Summary
The muscle oxygen re-saturation rate (SmO2RR) during the single-leg heel rise test correlates with muscular endurance. This finding suggests SmO2RR is a potential physiological marker for fatigue during dynamic exercise.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Exercise Physiology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- The single-leg heel rise (SLHR) test is a common method to assess calf muscular endurance.
- Muscle near-infrared spectroscopy (mNIRS) offers a non-invasive way to measure local muscle oxygenation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the utility of mNIRS in evaluating muscle oxygenation and fatigue during the SLHR test.
- To determine the relationship between mNIRS-derived parameters and muscular endurance performance.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-four sports science students performed the SLHR test.
- Muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) kinetics were measured using mNIRS.
- Repetitions, heel rise height, and total work were recorded.
Main Results:
- Post-exercise muscle oxygen re-saturation rate (SmO2RR) positively correlated with SLHR repetitions and total work, especially for the non-dominant leg.
- Peak and minimum oxygen saturation levels (SmO2peak, SmO2min) did not correlate with performance metrics.
Conclusions:
- SmO2RR shows potential as a physiological indicator of muscular endurance in submaximal dynamic tasks like the SLHR test.
- Further research is needed to establish mNIRS-based fatigue indicators for dynamic assessments.
