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The effect of elevated muscle pain on neuromuscular fatigue during exercise
Norbury, Ryan Smith, Samuel A. Burnley, Mark Judge, Megan Mauger, Alexis R.
Norbury, Ryan
Smith, Samuel A.
Burnley, Mark
Judge, Megan
Mauger, Alexis R.
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2021-09-29
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Abstract
Purpose: Muscle pain can impair exercise performance but the mechanisms for this are unknown. This study examined the effects of muscle pain on neuromuscular fatigue during an endurance task. Methods: On separate visits, twelve participants completed an isometric time-to-task failure (TTF) exercise of the right knee extensors at ~ 20% of maximum force following an intramuscular injection of isotonic saline (CTRL) or hypertonic saline (HYP) into the vastus lateralis. Measures of neuromuscular fatigue were taken before, during and after the TTF using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and peripheral nerve stimulation. Results: The mean pain intensity was 57 ± 10 in HYP compared to 38 ± 18 in CTRL (P < 0.001). TTF was reduced in HYP (4.36 ± 0.88 min) compared to CTRL (5.20 ± 0.39 min) (P = 0.003). Maximum voluntary force was 12% lower at minute 1 (P = 0.003) and 11% lower at minute 2 in HYP (P = 0.013) compared to CTRL. Voluntary activation was 4% lower at minute 1 in HYP compared to CTRL (P = 0.006) but not at any other time point (all P > 0.05). The TMS silent period was 9% longer at 100 s during the TTF in HYP compared to CTRL (P = 0.026). Conclusion: Muscle pain reduces exercise performance through the excacerbation of neuromuscular fatigue that is central in origin. This appears to be from inhibitory feedback from group III/IV nociceptors which acts to reduce central motor output.
Citation
Norbury, R., Smith, S.A., Burnley, M. , Judge, M. and Mauger, A.R. (2022) The effect of elevated muscle pain on neuromuscular fatigue during exercise. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 122, pp. 113–126. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-021-04814-1
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34586471 (pubmed)
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Journal article
Language
en
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© 2022 The Authors. Published by Springer. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-021-04814-1
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1439-6319
EISSN
1439-6327
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Licence for published version: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International