Effects of repeated long-duration water immersions on skeletal muscle performance in well-trained male divers

摘要

Purpose The objective of this study was to examine the effects of repeated long-duration water immersions (WI)s at 1.35 atmospheres absolute (ATA) on neuromuscular performance in load bearing and non-load bearing muscle groups. Methods During a dive week (DW), fifteen well-trained male divers completed five consecutive 6-h resting dives with 18-h surface intervals while breathing compressed air at 1.35 ATA. Skeletal muscle performance assessments occurred immediately before and after each WI, and 24 and 72?h after the final WI. Exercise assessments included maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), maximal isokinetic (IK) contraction, maximum handgrip strength (MHG). Surface electromyography measured neuromuscular activation of the quadriceps, biceps brachii (BB), and brachioradialis. Results MVIC torque of knee extensors and BB decreased by 6% ( p ?=?0.001) and 2% ( p ?=?0.014), respectively, by WI 3. Maximal IK torque of knee extensors increased by 11 and 5% post-WI on WIs 3 and 5 ( p ?