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Fatigue is specific to working muscles: no cross-over with single-leg cycling in trained cyclists

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Abstract

Fatigue induced via a maximal isometric contraction of a single limb muscle group can evoke a “cross-over” of fatigue that reduces voluntary muscle activation and maximum isometric force in the rested contralateral homologous muscle group. We asked whether a cross-over of fatigue also occurs when fatigue is induced via high-intensity endurance exercise involving a substantial muscle mass. Specifically, we used high-intensity single-leg cycling to induce fatigue and evaluated associated effects on maximum cycling power (P max) in the fatigued ipsilateral leg (FATleg) as well as the rested contralateral leg (RESTleg). On separate days, 12 trained cyclists performed right leg P max trials before and again 30 s, 3, 5, and 10 min after a cycling time trial (TT, 10 min) performed either with their right or left leg. Fatigue was estimated by comparing exercise-induced changes in P max and maximum handgrip isometric force (F max). Mean power produced during the right and left leg TTs did not differ (203 ± 8 vs. 199 ± 8 W). Compared to pre-TT, FATleg P max was reduced by 22 ± 3 % at 30 s post-TT and remained reduced by 9 ± 2 % at 5 min post-TT (both P < 0.05). Despite considerable power loss in the FATleg, post-TT RESTleg P max (596–603 W) did not differ from pre-TT values (596 ± 35 W). There were no alterations in handgrip F max (529–547 N). Our data suggest that any potential cross-over of fatigue, if present at all, was not sufficient to measurably compromise RESTleg P max in trained cyclists. These results along with the lack of changes in handgrip F max indicate that impairments in maximal voluntary neuromuscular function were specific to working muscles.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to sincerely thank the participants who took part in this study for their enthusiastic efforts in performing the cycling trials. We also wish to extend our sincere appreciation to Christopher Call, Jackie Bohn, and Kyle Wehmanen for their assistance with the data collection and to Barry Shultz for providing administrative support. The authors thank Geoffery Power and Francois Billaut for providing insightful comments during the preparation of the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Steven J. Elmer & James C. Martin

  2. Department of Health Sciences, Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre, Mid-Sweden University, 831 25, Östersund, Sweden

    Steven J. Elmer

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Markus Amann

  4. Department of Exercise Science, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA

    John McDaniel

  5. Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA

    John McDaniel

  6. Department of Physiology, Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, Australia

    David T. Martin

Authors
  1. Steven J. Elmer
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  2. Markus Amann
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  3. John McDaniel
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  4. David T. Martin
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  5. James C. Martin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Steven J. Elmer.

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Communicated by Håkan Westerblad.

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Elmer, S.J., Amann, M., McDaniel, J. et al. Fatigue is specific to working muscles: no cross-over with single-leg cycling in trained cyclists. Eur J Appl Physiol 113, 479–488 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-012-2455-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-012-2455-0

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