Non-local muscle fatigue effects on muscle strength, power, and endurance in healthy individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Objective: To examine whether non-local muscle fatigue occurs following performance of a fatiguing bout of exercise of a different muscle(s).Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.Search and Inclusion: A systematic literature search using a Boolean search strategy was conducted with PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar in April 2020 and was supplemented with additional ‘snowballing’ searches up to September 2020. To be included in our analysis, studies had to include at least one intentional performance measure (i.e., strength, endurance, or power), which if reduced could be considered evidence of muscle fatigue, and also had to include the implementation of a fatiguing protocol to a location (i.e., limb or limbs) that differed to those for which performance was measured. We excluded studies that measured only mechanistic variables such as electromyographic, or spinal/supraspinal excitability. After search and screening, 52 studies were eligible for inclusion including 57 groups of participants (median sample = 11) and a total of 303 participants.Results: The main multilevel meta-analysis model including all effects sizes (278 across 50 clusters [median = 4, range = 1 to 18 effects per cluster) revealed a trivial point estimate with high precision for the interval estimate (-0.02 [95%CIs = -0.14 to 0.09]), yet with substantial heterogeneity (Q(277) = 642.3, p < 0.01), I2 = 67.4%). Subgroup and meta-regression analyses showed that NLMF effects were not moderated by study design (between vs. within-participant), homologous vs. heterologous effects, upper or lower body effects, participant training status, sex, age, the time of post-fatigue protocol measurement, or the severity of the fatigue protocol. However, there did appear to be an effect of type of outcome measure where both strength (0.11 [95%CIs = 0.01 to 0.21]) and power outcomes had trivial effects (-0.01 [95%CIs = -0.24 to 0.22]), whereas endurance outcomes showed moderate albeit imprecise effects (-0.54 [95%CIs = -0.95 to -0.14]).Conclusions: Overall, the findings do not support the existence of a general NLMF effect; however, when examining specific types of performance outcomes there may be an effect specifically upon endurance-based outcomes (i.e., time to task failure). However, there are relatively fewer studies that have examined endurance effects or mechanisms explaining this possible effect, in addition to fewer studies including women or younger and older participants, and considering causal effects of prior training history through the use of longitudinal intervention study designs. Thus, it seems pertinent that future research on NLMF effects should be redirected towards these still relatively unexplored areas.

Effect of the subjective intensity of fatigue and interoception on perceptual regulation and performance during sustained physical activity

“…Heightened perceptions of fatigue induced through prior physical activity (HG) impaired subsequent endurance performance in a remote muscle group (KE), which was associated with an increased perception of effort reported during the task. The observed effect for the reduction in performance time following the severe RoF intervention is comparable to that reported in a recent meta-analysis for endurance-based outcomes in remote muscle groups (Behm et al, 2021). Several mechanisms accounting for the deleterious effect of prior physical activity on endurance performance in a remote muscle groups have been proposed, including neuromuscular, biochemical and cognitive causes (Halperin et al, 2015), but the precise mechanism remains unclear.…”

Unilateral Quadriceps Fatigue Induces Greater Impairments of Ipsilateral versus Contralateral Elbow Flexors and Plantar Flexors Performance in Physically Active Young Adults

“…Interestingly, the present study found significant NLMF in ipsilateral EF and not contralateral EF and this asymmetry could explain the difference between studies. The Behm et al (2021) NLMF meta-analysis which reported evidence of only trivial magnitude NLMF, examined primarily contralateral responses, generally corresponding with the lack of contralateral NLMF in the present study. These present results suggest that NLMF is not only muscle specific, but also side specific (ipsilateral vs. contralateral effects).…”

“…Furthermore, evidence for NLMF is less prevalent when a single, discrete isometric maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) (strength test) is employed versus testing with repeated fatigue-inducing repetitions (Halperin et al 2015). A recent meta-analysis of 52 articles reported trivial magnitude NLMF when testing with single MVCs but moderate effects when repeated MVCs (muscle endurance) were tested (Behm et al, 2021). Proposed mechanisms underlying the greater susceptibility of fatigue resistance to NLMF effects as opposed to single MVC strength evaluations (Bogdanis et al, 1994;Halperin et al, 2014b) may be related to the distribution of metabolites from the previously exercised muscle (biochemical factors) (Bangsbo et al, 1996;Bogdanis et al, 1994;Halperin et al, 2014b;Johnson et al, 2014).…”

Myofascial Treatment Techniques on the Plantar Surface Influence Functional Performance in the Dorsal Kinetic Chain

“…Still, there is a need for in-vivo studies regarding myofascial force transmission along the SBL (Wilke et al, 2020a). Besides the evidence that this effect can be seen along a myofascial line, there is evidence that especially stretching exercises are capable of increasing range of motion (Behm et al, 2021a) and decreasing strength parameters (Behm et al, 2021b) in the contra-lateral leg as well as in other nonstretched joints and muscles. The authors of these studies assume that this is due to a non-local (global) changed stretch perception.…”

“…In contrast, most of the measurement techniques in other studies have tested muscle performance of muscle groups or general athletic performance. Additionally, Behm et al (2021b) reported a moderate non-local muscle fatigue effect in endurance tasks, which might also be caused by muscle groups not directly involved in the fatiguing task. Nevertheless, we would then have expected to see this effect on both sides, as both legs were tested.…”