Poster Session #1: UC Ballroom
Blood flow in skeletal muscle as it relates to force production during dynamic muscle contraction
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Matthew Bundle
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Health and Human Performance
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Rhythmical sequential muscular contractions cause oscillations of blood flow in the vessels perfusing the muscle tissue. During the contractile phase of the muscle duty cycle (i.e. muscle force production phase), the rise in intramuscular pressure compresses the vessels and impedes the arterial flow and distribution of blood to the working muscle. In the relaxation phase of the muscle duty cycle, compression of the vessels is released and arterial flow is restored. Surprisingly, the relationship between blood flow and muscle force production during sequential dynamic muscle contractions has yet to be established. My research aims to ascertain this relationship, and determine the effects that different levels of muscle force production during dynamic contractions have on skeletal muscle blood flow. I hypothesize that as muscle force production increases, blood flow will decrease until a critical point by which the intramuscular pressure will rise to a level that completely occludes the supplying arterial vessel. Further increases in muscle force production above this critical point will no longer result in a decrease in blood flow. To test this hypothesis we have constructed a single leg knee extension device, which allows subjects to perform all-out efforts of knee extension at different desired force outputs. During each session blood flow through the femoral artery will be measured using an echocardiogram coupled with a Doppler ultrasound machine.
Blood flow in skeletal muscle as it relates to force production during dynamic muscle contraction
UC Ballroom
Rhythmical sequential muscular contractions cause oscillations of blood flow in the vessels perfusing the muscle tissue. During the contractile phase of the muscle duty cycle (i.e. muscle force production phase), the rise in intramuscular pressure compresses the vessels and impedes the arterial flow and distribution of blood to the working muscle. In the relaxation phase of the muscle duty cycle, compression of the vessels is released and arterial flow is restored. Surprisingly, the relationship between blood flow and muscle force production during sequential dynamic muscle contractions has yet to be established. My research aims to ascertain this relationship, and determine the effects that different levels of muscle force production during dynamic contractions have on skeletal muscle blood flow. I hypothesize that as muscle force production increases, blood flow will decrease until a critical point by which the intramuscular pressure will rise to a level that completely occludes the supplying arterial vessel. Further increases in muscle force production above this critical point will no longer result in a decrease in blood flow. To test this hypothesis we have constructed a single leg knee extension device, which allows subjects to perform all-out efforts of knee extension at different desired force outputs. During each session blood flow through the femoral artery will be measured using an echocardiogram coupled with a Doppler ultrasound machine.