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Facilitating physical activity during the workday may help desk-bound workers reduce risks associated with sedentary behavior. We 1) evaluated the efficacy of a cycling workstation to increase energy expenditure while performing a typing task and 2) fabricated a power measurement system to determine the accuracy and reliability of an exercise cycle. Ten individuals performed 10 min trials of sitting while typing (SITtype) and pedaling while typing (PEDtype). Expired gases were recorded and typing performance was assessed. Metabolic cost during PEDtype was ∼2.5× greater compared to SITtype (255 ± 14 vs. 100 ± 11 kcal h−1, P < 0.01). Typing time and number of typing errors did not differ between PEDtype and SITtype (7.7 ± 1.5 vs. 7.6 ± 1.6 min, P = 0.51, 3.3 ± 4.6 vs. 3.8 ± 2.7 errors, P = 0.80). The exercise cycle overestimated power by 14–138% compared to actual power but actual power was reliable (r = 0.998, P < 0.01). A cycling workstation can facilitate physical activity without compromising typing performance. The exercise cycle's inaccuracy could be misleading to users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Despite numerous reports on isometric force depression, few reports have quantified force depression during active muscle shortening (dynamic force depression). The purpose of this investigation was to determine the influence of shortening history on isometric force following active shortening, force during isokinetic shortening, and velocity during isotonic shortening. The soleus muscles of four cats were subjected to a series of isokinetic contractions at three shortening velocities and isotonic contractions under three loads. Muscle excursions initiated from three different muscle lengths but terminated at a constant length. Isometric force produced subsequent to active shortening, and force or shortening velocity produced at a specific muscle length during shortening, were compared across all three conditions. Results indicated that shortening history altered isometric force by up to 5%, force during isokinetic shortening up to 30% and shortening velocity during isotonic contractions by up to 63%. Furthermore, there was a load by excursion interaction during isotonic contractions such that excursion had the most influence on shortening velocity when the loads were the greatest. There was not a velocity by excursion interaction during isokinetic contractions. Isokinetic and isotonic power–velocity relationships displayed a downward shift in power as excursions increased. Thus, to discuss force depression based on differences in isometric force subsequent to active shortening may underestimate its importance during dynamic contractions. The presence of dynamic force depression should be realized in sport performance, motor control modeling and when controlling paralyzed limbs through artificial stimulation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background : Previous investigators have reported that long term eccentric cycling increases muscle size and strength in a variety of populations. The joint-specific strategies used to absorb power during eccentric cycling, however, have not been identified. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the extent to which ankle, knee, and hip joint actions absorb power during eccentric cycling. Methods : Eight active males resisted the reverse moving pedals of an isokinetic eccentric ergometer (60rpm) while targeting 20% of their maximum concentric cycling power. Pedal reaction forces and joint kinematics were recorded with an instrumented pedal and instrumented spatial linkage system, respectively. Joint powers were calculated using inverse dynamics; averaged over complete crank revolutions and over extension and flexion phases; and differences were assessed with a one-way ANOVA. Findings : Ankle, knee, and hip joint actions absorbed 10 (SD 3)%, 58 (SD 8)%, and 29 (SD 9)% of the total power, respectively, with 3 (SD 1)% transferred across the hip. The main power absorbing actions were eccentric knee extension (−139 (SD 21) watts), eccentric hip extension (−51 (SD 31) watts), and eccentric hip flexion (−25 (SD 6) watts). Interpretation : Eccentric cycling was performed with a combination of knee and hip joint actions which is consistent with submaximal concentric cycling. These data support and extend previous work that eccentric cycling improves knee extensor function and hip extensor muscle cross sectional area. Such information may allow clinicians to take even greater advantage of eccentric cycling as a rehabilitation modality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]