Forearm oxygenation and blood flow kinetics during a sustained contraction in multiple ability groups of rock climbers

Abstract

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Forearm muscle oxidative capacity index predicts sport rock-climbing performance

“…It was reported that elite rock climbers are able to de-oxygenate their forearm flexors to a greater extent than non-elite climbers, and this finding was not explained by the ability to regulate conduit artery (brachial) blood flow (Fryer et al 2015c). Given the relatively small amount of activated skeletal muscle in the forearms, the lack of relationship between conduit artery (brachial) blood flow and performance is not surprising and supports previous -albeit more indirect -findings.…”

“…Despite minor over-and underestimations in male and females respectively, there were no significant or meaningful differences between self-reported grade and the grade achieved. As such, the self-report method has been used for on-sight and red-point performance extensively within the literature for both red-point and on-sight (Dickson et al 2012a;Dickson et al 2012b;Draper et al 2011a;Fryer et al 2012;Fryer et al 2015a;Fryer et al 2015b;Fryer et al 2015c). The current study used a self-reported best red-point grade achieved in the 6 months prior to laboratory testing.…”

“…In turn, the endurance of the FDP would be expected to be dependent on the ability to (i) deliver and (ii) use oxygen (Fryer et al 2015b). However, a recent study reported the ability to deliver oxygen at the conduit artery (brachial) level, during contractions to failure does not predict rock climbing performance (Fryer et al 2015c), suggesting that the ability to deliver and use oxygen in the muscle (oxidative capacity) may be a more important determinant of performance. If a simple test to assess an index of oxidative capacity could in part predict rock climbing performance then it would help practitioners focus their training techniques on improving the oxidative metabolism of the forearm flexors.…”

Forearm muscle oxygenation during sustained isometric contractions in rock climbers

“…Greater climbing ability has been related to a greater degree of reoxygenation during intermittent handgrip contraction (Fryer, Stoner, Scarrott et al, 2015). The degree of reoxygenation was in close relationship with the test performance (R 2 = 0.41) (MacLeod et al, 2007).…”

“…Recently, the local oxidative capacity of the finger flexors has been assessed using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) (Fryer, Stoner, Lucero et al, 2015;Fryer, Stoner, Scarrott et al, 2015;MacLeod et al, 2007;Philippe, Wegst, Muller, Raschner & Burtscher, 2012). Greater climbing ability has been related to a greater degree of reoxygenation during intermittent handgrip contraction (Fryer, Stoner, Scarrott et al, 2015).…”