A study of fatigue during repetitive static work performed in two different segmental positions

Sixteen subjects, nine women and seven men, aged between 19 and 35 years, performed three series of isometric contractions of the flexor muscles of the forearm at 40% MVC. Each series consisted of four isometric contractions sustained until exhaustion, and separated from each other by an incomplete rest interval of 5 min. The position of the arm (either the lower or the upper position) was variable according to the series. Under these conditions, study of heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and limit-time showed that: HR and SBP were not affected by the arm position even when fatigue was important. For a given load with a progressive appearance of fatigue, the limit-time in female subjects was higher. In both groups, in spite of the fatigue appearing after several isometric contractions performed in the upper position, movement of the arm to the lower position was sufficient to significantly increase the time-limit of another isometric contraction at 40% MVC without concomitant increase in cardiac work.