Usha Sri Kaniganti

SO Biochemistry
Sports Authority of India
NSSC, Bengaluru
email: ushakaniganti@gmail.com
 Fatigue
• Fatigue can be defined as an
inability to maintain a given force or
power output during repeated
muscle contractions.

• Fatigue is generally accepted as

inability to sustain a required
exercise intensity.

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 Fatigue
• Central fatigue: If the decline in
force are due to disturbances at
the level above the NMJ.
• Peripheral fatigue: If the cause
of fatigue is peripheral in
location due to metabolic
disturbances below the NMJ
and in the muscle

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 Accumulation
Multiple Fuel depletion of metabolic
by-products
factors that
contribute
to muscle
fatigue Neuromuscular
events
Elevated body
temperature

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Fuel Depletion

• ATP-CP Depletion
• Glycogen Depletion

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 Fuel depletion
ATP–CP depletion

• When calling up on the anaerobic energy

systems depletion of ATP and CP are the
most common causes of fatigue
• As phospho-creatinine depletes the ability to
produce ATP also reduces.
• Recovery (Slow walking or complete rest ) is
the only way to replenish PC stores.

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 Glycogen
depletion:-
• Glycogen is a polymer of glucose, it is
predominantly stored in muscle.
• In Skeletal muscle about 2000kcal of
energy is stored in the form of
glycogen. It is approximately enough to
run for about 20 miles.
• Glycogen depletion occurs during the
long term activities that are done at a
medium to moderate intensity.
• Depletion is more rapid from type IIx
than from type I fibres during high-
intensity exercise.

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 Adipose
tissue

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Accumulation of metabolic end-products

• Lactic Acid
• Inorganic Phosphate (Pi)
• ADP

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 Lactic Acid

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Accumulation of metabolic by-products

 Lactic acid:- is the end product of anaerobic glycolysis.

 This lactic acid dissociates into lactate and H+ ions.
 Higher H+ ions = More acidic (low pH)
1. H+ interferes with Ca++ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum.
2. H+ interferes with actin-myosin binding affinity
3. Decreased activation of key enzymes associated with energy
production, i.e. phosphorylase, PFK, CK and even ATPases

Blood Lactate(mM) = Lactate production –Lactate clearance

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Lactic acid is continuously produced , used, and removed
throughout exercise.
• At low to medium intensity exercise the production is equal to
removal- Steady state
• No build up of lactate = No fatigue
• If the exercise intensity is beyond which lactate production
exceeds removal this is known as the lactate inflection point
besides the above
• Accumulation of Inorganic phosphate
• Increased Adenosine diphosphate (ADP)
also leads to muscle fatigue

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Cori cycle

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• Lactate threshold:-
The exercise intensity at which there is an abrupt increase in
blood lactate concentration is called as lactate threshold

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Neuromuscular
events
• Decreased firing of the central
nervous system
• Depletion or accumulation of
certain brain
neurotransmitters:
• Accumulation of serotonin
during prolonged exercise,
decreased production
/decreased sensitivity of
neurotransmitter at NMJ
• Accumulation of metabolic by-
products
• Impaired Na+ and K+ gradient

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 Elevated body temperature
and Dehydration :-

Exercise increases core

temperature, that results in the
increased rates of dehydration and
redistribution of blood (peripheral
areas) to assist cooling and this
results in fatigue.
Due to dehydration and
hyperthermia mental functions
such as information processing,
cognition and memory affected
and may lead to Fatigue

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 Causes of fatigue according to energy system utilized
during exercise
ENERGY CAUSE OF FATIGUE
SYSTEM
Anaerobic CP depletion, muscle ATP depletion,
ATP-CP accumulation of Pi
Anaerobic Accumulation of lactate and decreased
Lactate blood pH
Aerobic Hypoglycemia, dehydration, hyperthermia,
muscle glycogen depletion and increase
synthesis of neurotransmitters (Dopamine
& serotonin), depletion of electrolytes,
oxidative stress
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Recovery

It aims to return the body

to pre exercise conditions
and in doing so, reverse
the effects of fatigue.
• Main aim of recovery is re
synthesis of energy
substrates and removal of
metabolic end products

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 Nutrition (refueling and
rehydration)

Rest
Modes of
• Passive rest
recovery • Active rest

Hydro therapies

Sports massage

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 Rest
• Passive recovery
• Active recovery
Active recovery and passive
recovery refer to the
techniques used immediately
after a bout of exercise in
order to either replenish PC
stores or remove waste
products such as lactic acid.

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 Passive recovery

This involves the athlete

lying or sitting down after
an exercise bout.
This allows for the most
rapid re-synthesis of ATP-PC
In this Lactic acid removal
is slower compared to
active recovery

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Active Recovery
• Involves completing a low-intensity
activity (e.g. jogging) for about 5-10
min.
• This causes increased blood flow &
oxygen consumption compared to
passive recovery.
-This Prevents venous pooling
(accumulation of blood in veins)
-Allows for quicker removal of lactic
acid/other waste products
- Prevents muscle soreness (by
removing fatiguing by products)

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 Nutrition (Refueling
and rehydration)
The most important components for
nutritional recovery are fluid and fuel
replacement.
• Athletes should drink enough fluid
(water or sports drinks) before, during
and after training to replace sweat
loss.
• The ideal recovery nutrition strategy
is a meal or liquid supplement
containing high glycemic index
carbohydrates and quality proteins in
approximately a 4:1 ratio
Branched Chain Amino Acids
(Isoleucine, leucine & Valine)
Antioxidants (Vitamin A, E & C)

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 Hydrotherapies
• Cold water immersion (Cryotherapy)≤15oC
• Hot Water Immersion: 38.5-41°C
• Contrast Water Therapy:
• Initial immersion of the resting limb for
10 minutes in hot water (38°C–40°C),
alternated with a 1-minute immersion
in cold water (8°C–10°C), followed by
alternate immersions of 4 minutes in
hot and 1 minute in cold (4 : 1) water
for another 3 repetitions, for a total
duration of 30 minutes.
• Pool Recovery:

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 Massage

Benefits include:
 Reduces pain and inflammation
 Boosts recovery from an injury
 Promotes blood circulation
 Increases mobility and flexibility
 Alleviates psychological tension
 Improves sleep
 Provides optimum relaxation

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