Exercise Physiology Flashcards
Describe the homeostatic challenges during exercise
- Increase blood flow to muscle whilst maintaining MAP
- Increased VO2
- Increased PaCO2
- Increased metabolic waste (H+ ions / ketone / lactate)
- Increased CHO use - maintain euglycaemia
- Normothermia in the context of increase heat production
Differentiate dynamic and static exercise
Dynamic (isotonic)
- Muscles moving rhytmically, moving joints (running)
Static (isometric)
- Muscles contract against resistance but dont lengthen and shorten (weights)
Describe the different effects of dynamic and static exercise on DBP, HR and SVR
Dynamic
- Vasodilatation (aerobic metabolic activity) –> reduced SVR –> reduced DBP –> baroreceptor reflex –> tachycardia
Static
- Muscle capillary compression by muscle contraction –> increase anaerobic metabolic activity. Vessel compression increases SVR which increases DBP. In addition there is SNS stimulation –> increase heart rate but to a lesser extent than with dynamic exercise
Classify and describe the different muscle fibre types
Type 1
- Slow twitch and fatigue resistant
- Aerobic metabolism
- Rich in myoglobin
- Postural muscles (sustained contraction)
- contract slowly but resistant to fatigue
Type 2
Type 2a
- Fast twitch with moderate fatigue resistance
- Aerobic and anaerobic metabolism
- contract more slowly but are more resistant to fatigue than type 2 b fibres
Type 2b
- Fast twitch with fast fatigue
- Anaerobic metabolism
- Sprinting muscles
Describe the timeline with regards to the source of ATP at the onset of strenuous exercise
1 - 2 seconds of stored ATP depleted
15 - 30 seconds of rapid conversion of phosphocreatine to ATP
30 - 90 seconds: glycolysis
> 60 seconds oxidative phosphorylation
When glycogen is depleted –> fat metabolism ensues –> ‘hitting a wall’
What is muscle fatigue
The decline in the ability of muscle to generate force
Why does muscle fatigue occur
Protective mechanism –> stops the muscle from contracting to a point where it runs out of ATP –> which would result in ‘rigor mortis’ or worse, apoptosis
How does muscle fatigue occur
Exact mechanism unknown
- ADP and Pi accumulation
ADP + Pi accumulation –> reduced Ca uptake into SR
ADP + Pi accumulation –> open ATP sensitive K channels –> hyperpolarization
- K+ accumulation
- arterial K during exercise –> 8mmol/L (exercising heart protected??)
- interstitial K in muscle is 12 mmol/L
- High K postulated to be cause of muscle fatigue - Accumulation of lactate within muscle
- Exhaustion of glycogen stores
What does the anticipation of exercise cause
Increased SNS and decreased PSNS
- Venoconstriction (increase preload)
- Increased chronotropy and inotropy
- VD skeletal muscle vascular beds (prevent high BP)
- VC in GIT and skin
What are the effects of exercise on skeletal muscle
- Increase flow from 2 to 100 ml/100g of muscle/min
(50 times increase)
- Beta 2 adrenergic effects
- local VD metabolites (H+, AMP, K, PO4) in proportion to VO2 –> open pre-capillary sphincters.
What are the effects of exercise on the Cardiovascular system
- CO: 5L/min –> 25 L/minute
Preload - Increased. Venoconstriction
Afterload - Reduced. SVR falls (VD metabolites muscle)
Heart Rate - Increased. Increased SNS vs PSNS
Contractility - Increased. SNS + Bowditch
- BP: Little change SBP may go up d/t increased contractility. But increased CO matched by reduced SVR from arteriolar VD in skeletal muscle.
Dynamic exercise - SVR may increase leading to reduced DBP. SBP increases more than DBP falls. MAP may steadily increase with exercise intensity or duration
- Regional blood flow
Coronary - increase x 5
Skin - increases –> heat dissipation
Splanchnic - falls substantially
Renal - falls to lesser extent than splanchnic due to stronger autoregulation
Cerebral blood flow does not alter at any exercise intensity
What is the Bowditch effect
Tachycardia induces an increase in cardiac contractility
Describe how exercise affects the regional blood flow to the following:
Coronary Skin Splanchnic Renal Cerebral
Coronary - increase x 5
Skin - increases –> heat dissipation
Splanchnic - falls substantially
Renal - falls to lesser extent than splanchnic due to stronger autoregulation
Cerebral blood flow does not alter at any exercise intensity
How does exercise effect O2 consumption and CO2 production and how can minute ventilation compensate
Basal 250 ml / min –> Strenuous exercise: 5000 ml/minute (20 fold)
CO2 production increases proportionately
Ve can increase 20 fold to match increases in VO2 from 5L/min to 100L/min
Which is the limiting factor with regard to exercise performance CVS or RSP
VO2 can increase 20 fold (250 –> 5000 ml/min)
Ve can increase 20 fold (5 –> 100 L/minute)
CO can increase 5 fold (5 –> 25 L/minute)
Therefore the CVS is the limiting system on exercise performance