Maximal Work Capacity of Human Intact Muscle under Hyperaemic Conditions

Abstract

Fatigue curves for the forearm muscles, doing maximal static and dynamic work, were obtained under control conditions and under conditions of hyperaemia. The hyperaemia was evoked by subjecting the muscles of the forearm for a specific length of time to circulatory occlusion with a blood pressure cuff and then suddenly releasing the cuff pressure. The maximal increase in forearm volume, resulting from the postocclusion hyperaemia, followed a mathematical curve when it was expressed as a function of the occlusion time. A significant decrement in work capacity was found immediately after ten minutes of occlusion. This short-time negative influence did not affect the total output.