Limb vasodilatory capacity and venous capacitance of trained runners and untrained males

• Published in: European journal of applied physiology 2005-09, Vol.95 (1), p.83-87
• Main Authors: Boutcher, Yati N, Boutcher, Stephen H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Blood Flow Velocity - physiology; Extremities - blood supply; Extremities - physiology; Muscle, Skeletal - blood supply; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Physical Fitness - physiology; Running - physiology; Vascular Capacitance - physiology; Vasodilation - physiology
• ISSN: 1439-6319; 1439-6327
• DOI: 10.1007/s00421-005-1377-5

Aerobically trained athletes possess enhanced vasodilatory capacity and venous capacitance in their exercising muscles. However, whether they also possess these characteristics in their non-specific exercising muscles is undetermined. This study examined vasodilatory capacity and venous capacitance of specific (legs) and non-specific exercising muscles (arms) of ten trained runners and ten active but untrained males aged 18-35 years. Venous occlusion plethysmography determined baseline and peak blood flow after 5 min of reactive hyperaemia. Forearm and leg venous capacitance were determined as the difference between baseline and 2 min of venous occlusion at 50 mmHg. During reactive hyperaemia, trained runners had higher leg (48.4+/-5.3 ml.100 ml tissue(-1).min(-1)) and arm (40.8+/-2.1 ml.100 ml tissue(-1).min(-1)) vasodilatory capacity compared to the untrained (leg: 37.3+/-2.5 ml.100 ml tissue(-1).min(-1); arm: 34.2+/-2.2 ml.100 ml tissue(-1).min(-1); P