Neuromuscular Fatigue after Submaximal Intermittent Contractions in Motorcycle Riders

Neural Adjustments during Repeated Braking and Throttle Actions on a Motorcycle Setup

The aim of the study was to assess neuromuscular changes during an intermittent fatiguing task designed to replicate fundamental actions and ergonomics of road race motorcycling. Twenty-eight participants repeated a sequence of submaximal brake-pulling and gas throttle actions, interspaced by one maximal brake-pulling, until failure. During the submaximal brake-pulling actions performed at 30% MVC, force fluctuations, surface EMG, maximal M-wave (Mmax) and H-reflex were measured in the flexor digitorum superficialis. At the end of the task, the MVC force and associated EMG activity decreased (P<0.001) by 46% and 26%, respectively. During the task, force fluctuation and EMG activity increased gradually (106% and 61%, respectively) with respect to the pre-fatigue state (P≤0.029). The Mmax first phase did not change (P≥0.524), whereas the H-reflex amplitude, normalized to Mmax, increased (149%; P≤0.039). Noteworthy, the relative increase in H-reflex amplitude was correlated with the increase in EMG activity during the task (r=0.63; P<0.001). During the 10-min recovery, MVC force and EMG activity remained depressed (P≤0.05) whereas H-reflex amplitude and force fluctuation returned to pre-fatigue values. In conclusion, contrarily to other studies, our results bring forward that when mimicking motorcycling brake-pulling and gas throttle actions, supraspinal neural mechanisms primarily limit the duration of the performance.

Recovery and Fatigue Behavior of Forearm Muscles during a Repetitive Power Grip Gesture in Racing Motorcycle Riders

Despite a reduction in the maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC_isom) observed systematically in intermittent fatigue protocols (IFP), decrements of the median frequency, assessed by surface electromyography (sEMG), has not been consistently verified. This study aimed to determine whether recovery periods of 60 s were too long to induce a reduction in the normalized median frequency (MF_EMG) of the flexor digitorum superficialis and carpi radialis muscles. Twenty-one road racing motorcycle riders performed an IFP that simulated the posture and braking gesture on a motorcycle. The MVC_isom was reduced by 53% (p < 0.001). A positive and significant relationship (p < 0.005) was found between MF_EMG and duration of the fatiguing task when 5 s contractions at 30% MVC_isom were interspersed by 5 s recovery in both muscles. In contrast, no relationship was found (p > 0.133) when 10 s contractions at 50% MVC were interspersed by 1 min recovery. Comparative analysis of variance (ANOVA) confirmed a decrement of MF_EMG in the IFP at 30% MVC_isom including short recovery periods with a duty cycle of 100% (5 s/5 s = 1), whereas no differences were observed in the IFP at 50% MVC_isom and longer recovery periods, with a duty cycle of 16%. These findings show that recovery periods during IFP are more relevant than the intensity of MVC_isom. Thus, we recommend the use of short recovery periods between 5 and 10 s after submaximal muscle contractions for specific forearm muscle training and testing purposes in motorcycle riders.

Muscle Fatigue When Riding a Motorcycle: A Case Study

This case study was conducted to assess muscle pattern, as measured by surface electromyography (sEMG), and its changes during a controlled superbike closed-road track training session. The sEMG signals were recorded unilaterally from biceps brachii (BB), triceps brachii (TB), anterior and posterior part of the deltoid (DA and DP respectively), flexor digitorum superficialis (FS), extensor carpi radialis (CR), extensor digitorum communis (ED) and pectoralis major (PM) during three rounds of 30 min. sEMG signals selected for analysis came from the beginning of the braking action to the way-out of the curves of interest. Considering the laps and rounds as a whole and focusing on the forearm muscles, ED was more systematically (84%) assigned to a state of fatigue than FS (44%) and CR (39%). On the opposite, the TB and DP muscles showed a predominant state of force increase (72%). Whereas the BB showed alternatively a state of fatigue or force increase depending on the side of the curve, when taking into account only the sharpest curves, it showed a predominant state of force increase. In conclusion, the fact that forearm muscles must endure a long-lasting maintenance of considerable activity levels explains why they easily got into a state of fatigue. Moreover, TB and DA are particularly relevant when cornering.

Forearm muscles fatigue induced by repetitive braking on a motorcycle is best discriminated by specific kinetic parameters

Maneuvering a motorcycle in racing conditions or for prolonged time is sufficiently demanding that on many occasions forearm muscles reach a state of functional failure when riders cannot properly brake or operate the throttle. This study intends to discriminate which ones of the several dynamometric parameters used in the literature to characterize the Force-time (F-t) curve during voluntary contractions are more sensitive to neuromuscular fatigue in simulated motorcycle-riding conditions. Thirty-three adults performed an intermittent fatiguing protocol (IFP) that simulated the brake-pulling and throttle-twisting actions, by using a hydraulic system equipped with a pressure sensor. Sixty pressure-time (P-t) curve parameters, including the rate of pressure development (RPD) and area under the curve were measured to characterize the time course of the braking maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). Two types of variables were used to analyze the P-t curve: 1) Times interval (from 0 to 30-50-100-500-1000 and 2000 ms); 2) Percentages of MVC (10-30-60-90%MVC). Overall significant (p ≤ 0.05) fatigue-related declines were observed only at time intervals longer than 100 ms and contraction intensities higher than 30%MVC. Strong and significant linear declines (p < 0.001) were observed at 500 ms and 1 s for normalized pressures, as well as for the ratio RPD_60%MVC/MVC (p < 0.003) throughout the IFP. Our results suggest considering RPD at time windows of 0–500 ms and 0–1 s, and contraction intensities comprised between 30% and 60% of MVC, as more suitable criteria to study fatigue-related decrements in performance rather than the classical MVC force.