Impact of acute and chronic cycling exercise on microvascular reactivity of the upper and lower extremity muscles in young healthy females

Background: Few studies have evaluated the impact of exercise on specific skeletal muscle microvascular function, despite its importance. This study aimed to assess the acute and chronic effects of cycling exercise on microvascular reactivity in the upper and lower extremities of young healthy femal...

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Main Authors: Xuanyao Liu, Bin Leng, Haizhen Huang, Yadan He, Chuan Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-10-01
Series:Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1728869X25000413
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author Xuanyao Liu
Bin Leng
Haizhen Huang
Yadan He
Chuan Zhang
author_facet Xuanyao Liu
Bin Leng
Haizhen Huang
Yadan He
Chuan Zhang
author_sort Xuanyao Liu
collection DOAJ
description Background: Few studies have evaluated the impact of exercise on specific skeletal muscle microvascular function, despite its importance. This study aimed to assess the acute and chronic effects of cycling exercise on microvascular reactivity in the upper and lower extremities of young healthy females. Methods: Eighteen young healthy females performed an acute bout of cycling exercise on a cycle ergometer at 75 % of their maximal heart rate for 30 min, both before and after cycling training three times a week for eight weeks. For each bout of acute exercise, microvascular function in the biceps brachii (BB) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles was assessed using near-infrared spectroscopy coupled with the post-occlusive reactive hyperemia technique, measured pre-exercise and at 20-, 40-, and 60-min post-exercise. Body composition was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry before and after training. Results: Total body fat mass, abdominal fat mass and leg fat mass were significantly reduced by training. Before training, cycling exercise acutely improved microvascular reactivity in BB but not in VL. Eight weeks of cycling training significantly improved resting microvascular reactivity in BB but not in VL. Training had no impact on post-exercise microvascular reactivity at VL, but elicited improvement in BB. Conclusions: Acute and chronic cycling exercise enhanced skeletal muscle microvascular responses in the upper extremity of young healthy females, but this effect was not observed in the lower extremity. Training enhanced post-exercise microvascular responses at upper extremity but not lower extremity.
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spelling doaj-art-86198ea1cbda4c0d938e01bd87ffff712025-08-20T03:50:22ZengElsevierJournal of Exercise Science & Fitness1728-869X2025-10-0123429930510.1016/j.jesf.2025.06.004Impact of acute and chronic cycling exercise on microvascular reactivity of the upper and lower extremity muscles in young healthy femalesXuanyao Liu0Bin Leng1Haizhen Huang2Yadan He3Chuan Zhang4School of Physical Education and Sports, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, ChinaSchool of Physical Education and Sports, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, ChinaSchool of Physical Education and Sports, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, ChinaSchool of Physical Education and Sports, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, ChinaCorresponding author. School of Physical Education and Sports, Central China Normal University, 382 Xiongchu Avenue, Wuhan, Hubei, China.; School of Physical Education and Sports, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, ChinaBackground: Few studies have evaluated the impact of exercise on specific skeletal muscle microvascular function, despite its importance. This study aimed to assess the acute and chronic effects of cycling exercise on microvascular reactivity in the upper and lower extremities of young healthy females. Methods: Eighteen young healthy females performed an acute bout of cycling exercise on a cycle ergometer at 75 % of their maximal heart rate for 30 min, both before and after cycling training three times a week for eight weeks. For each bout of acute exercise, microvascular function in the biceps brachii (BB) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles was assessed using near-infrared spectroscopy coupled with the post-occlusive reactive hyperemia technique, measured pre-exercise and at 20-, 40-, and 60-min post-exercise. Body composition was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry before and after training. Results: Total body fat mass, abdominal fat mass and leg fat mass were significantly reduced by training. Before training, cycling exercise acutely improved microvascular reactivity in BB but not in VL. Eight weeks of cycling training significantly improved resting microvascular reactivity in BB but not in VL. Training had no impact on post-exercise microvascular reactivity at VL, but elicited improvement in BB. Conclusions: Acute and chronic cycling exercise enhanced skeletal muscle microvascular responses in the upper extremity of young healthy females, but this effect was not observed in the lower extremity. Training enhanced post-exercise microvascular responses at upper extremity but not lower extremity.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1728869X25000413Near-infrared spectroscopyPost-occlusive reactive hyperemiaMuscleCycling exercise
spellingShingle Xuanyao Liu
Bin Leng
Haizhen Huang
Yadan He
Chuan Zhang
Impact of acute and chronic cycling exercise on microvascular reactivity of the upper and lower extremity muscles in young healthy females
Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness
Near-infrared spectroscopy
Post-occlusive reactive hyperemia
Muscle
Cycling exercise
title Impact of acute and chronic cycling exercise on microvascular reactivity of the upper and lower extremity muscles in young healthy females
title_full Impact of acute and chronic cycling exercise on microvascular reactivity of the upper and lower extremity muscles in young healthy females
title_fullStr Impact of acute and chronic cycling exercise on microvascular reactivity of the upper and lower extremity muscles in young healthy females
title_full_unstemmed Impact of acute and chronic cycling exercise on microvascular reactivity of the upper and lower extremity muscles in young healthy females
title_short Impact of acute and chronic cycling exercise on microvascular reactivity of the upper and lower extremity muscles in young healthy females
title_sort impact of acute and chronic cycling exercise on microvascular reactivity of the upper and lower extremity muscles in young healthy females
topic Near-infrared spectroscopy
Post-occlusive reactive hyperemia
Muscle
Cycling exercise
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1728869X25000413
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AT haizhenhuang impactofacuteandchroniccyclingexerciseonmicrovascularreactivityoftheupperandlowerextremitymusclesinyounghealthyfemales
AT yadanhe impactofacuteandchroniccyclingexerciseonmicrovascularreactivityoftheupperandlowerextremitymusclesinyounghealthyfemales
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