Examining neuromuscular fatigue of the elbow flexors during maximal arm cycling sprints in a pronated and supinated forearm position

Buckle, Natasha Caroline Marie (2018) Examining neuromuscular fatigue of the elbow flexors during maximal arm cycling sprints in a pronated and supinated forearm position. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

During high intensity exercise, an individual’s ability to generate and maintain force is decreased resulting in a decline in muscle performance. This decrease in force is referred to as neuromuscular fatigue (NMF). There have been several studies examining NMF during maximal leg cycling sprints. Maximal repeated leg cycling sprints have been shown to induce peripheral fatigue early and this fatigue persists throughout the sprints, while central fatigue occurs towards the end of the sprints. To date, only one study has examined the effects of maximal arm cycling sprints on NMF and similar patterns of peripheral and central fatigue have been reported. Many studies have shown that the specific task being performed can alter NMF. For example, the development of NMF has been shown to be different during maximal running and leg cycling exercises at the same workload. This suggests that NMF appears to develop differently depending on the specific action of the muscles involved. Although not examining NMF, two studies have examined the effect of forearm position during constant load arm cycling. These studies found that forearm position can influence muscular activity and brain and spinal cord excitability during constant load arm cycling. Despite the present research, it is currently unknown if the development of NMF is different following arm cycling sprints in different forearm positions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the development of NMF during repeated arm cycling sprints in pronated and supinated forearm positions. This study add to the current understanding of how NMF influences exercise performance, and may aid in the development of training protocols for rehabilitative and athletic purposes.

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