European Journal of Applied Physiology最新文献

{"title":"The role of plantar flexor function, isometric strength and task-specific kinetics, in sprint and jump performance.","authors":"David J Barbour, Michael Johnston, Sam J Allen, Jonathan P Folland","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06462-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06462-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The role of isometric plantar flexion (PF) strength in sprinting and jumping is unclear and, in part, may be due to methodological issues with isometric dynamometry leading to inaccurate measures of PF strength. In addition, the relationship, and thus functional relevance, of isometric PF strength with PF kinetics during these athletic tasks remains unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the interrelationships of isometric PF strength, task-specific sprint and jump PF kinetics and overall performance during jumps and sprint acceleration. Three-dimensional kinematics and ground reaction forces were recorded in 38 healthy individuals of varying athletic ability (18 females; height 1.75 ± 0.09 m; Mass: 70.9 ± 10.0 kg, Age 23 ± 3 years) during: standing isometric PF dynamometry, countermovement jumps (CMJ), drop jumps (DJ) and sprints. Isometric PF strength and sprint/jump PF kinetics were both assessed via inverse dynamics. Sprint speed, CMJ height and DJ reactive strength index defined task performances. Specific sprint and jump PF kinetics showed moderate-large correlations to task performances in 7 out of 9 relationships with peak positive power explaining 19-50% of the variance in the performance of these tasks (r/ρ = 0.434-0.706; p ≤ 0.024). Isometric PF strength, however, was unrelated to performance (CMJ: r = 0.126, DJ: r = 0.301, Sprint: ρ = 0.142), or task-specific PF kinetics during sprinting and jumping (all r ≤ 0.329). Dynamic task-specific function of the PF was an important component of overall performance, but this was not the case for isometric PF strength. These results highlight the distinctiveness of dynamic stretch-shortening cycle specific PF function compared to standing isometric PF strength for athletic performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149166507","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Endocrine dynamics of special operations forces across mission cycles: implications for human stress physiology.","authors":"William J Kraemer, Mark D Stephenson, Jeff S Volek, Tunde K Szivak, Catherine Saenz, Shawn D Flanagen, Elaine C Lee, Nicholas A Ratamess, Emily M Post, Lydia K Caldwell, Alex Buga, Joshua A Hagen, Carl M Maresh","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06343-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06343-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study investigates the endocrine responses and muscle damage markers in elite male Special Operations Force operators across operational phases to understand hormonal adaptations to extreme operational stress and recovery.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Fifty-six operators (28-42 years) participated in a longitudinal study conducted at a Special Operations Forces unit. Blood samples were collected at three visits: Visit 1 (baseline recovery), Visit 2 (intensive pre-deployment training), and Visit 3 (post-deployment recovery). Serum concentrations of testosterone (T), cortisol (CORT), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), progesterone (P4), creatine kinase (CK), and myoglobin (Mb) were analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Post-deployment (Visit 3), T levels increased (+ 20%, p < 0.05), and CORT decreased (- 23%, p < 0.05), resulting in a significantly higher testosterone-to-cortisol ratio compared with Visit 1 and Visit 2 (p ≤ 0.05). DHEA-S correlated with CORT (r = 0.37, p < 0.05), suggesting a compensatory adrenal response under stress. GH concentrations were markedly reduced post-deployment (- 84%, p ≤ 0.05), while IGF-I remained stable, indicating differential regulation within the GH-IGF-I axis during recovery. P4 concentrations remained elevated across all phases, reflecting a consistent endocrine feature across operational phases rather than a defined mechanistic adaptation. No significant changes were observed in CK or Mb, underscoring effective physical stress management at the time of post-deployment sampling.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings emphasize the importance of tailored training and recovery strategies for sustaining endocrine balance, resilience, and operational readiness in elite military personnel.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149172191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neuromuscular and behavioural evidence of motor control adaptations following 8 weeks of virtual reality exergaming.","authors":"Sidney Grosprêtre, Pauline Eon, Mona Herden, Bettina Wollesen","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06472-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06472-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Virtual reality (VR) exergaming was shown to enhance cognitive performance, yet its effects on neuromuscular function remain unclear. This study investigated whether chronic VR exergaming induces adaptations in neuromuscular coordination and speed-accuracy regulation.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Twenty-eight healthy young adults (22.8 ± 1.2 years; 9 women) completed an 8-week training programme (two 30-min sessions/week) consisting of either immersive VR exergaming (VR game with rapid and targeted, goal-directed upper-limb movements) or non-immersive video-guided coordination training with Arnis Stick (AS) movements matched for duration and structure. Before and after training, maximal voluntary contraction force (MVC), maximal angular velocity, rate of force development (RFD), electromyographic activity (EMG), antagonist coactivation, and speed-accuracy performance (Fitts' task) were assessed in the elbow flexors and extensors.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>MVC did not change in either group. Compared with the active-control condition (AS group), VR exergaming was associated with specific neuromuscular adaptations, including reduced antagonist coactivation of the triceps brachii (p = 0.009) and decreased maximal angular velocity (flexion: p = 0.019; extension: p < 0.001). Importantly, VR improved the regulation of the speed-accuracy trade-off, as evidenced by reduced movement times at higher task difficulty (all p < 0.05). No comparable changes were observed for AS.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Eight weeks of immersive VR exergaming may selectively reshape motor control rather than increase maximal force capacity. These results do not seem to depend on physical activity alone. The observed neuromuscular adaptations, together with faster performance under accuracy-constrained conditions, suggest a shift towards task-specific motor efficiency under temporal constraints, with potential implications for training and rehabilitation.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149164959","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prefrontal cortex hemodynamics and marksmanship accuracy following cold stress exposure.","authors":"Rachel M Rauth-Luna, Owen F Salmon, Matt D Segovia, Cierra B Ugale, Kelly Rossler, Cory M Smith","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06463-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06463-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Military operations require performance in extreme environments, where cold stress exposure (CSE) may compromise safety and mission success. Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), we examined the effects of CSE on marksmanship performance and prefrontal cortex (PFC) cerebral hemodynamics. We hypothesized that CSE will decrease performance and increase oxygenated (O₂Hb) and deoxygenated (HHb) hemoglobin under cold stress.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Thirteen participants (24.3 ± 3.2 years) completed thermoneutral (TN, 24 °C air, no water immersion) and CSE (0 °C air, 15 °C water) visits. Before (pre-) and after (post-) exposure, participants completed simple marksmanship and shoot/no-shoot tasks. The PFC O₂Hb and HHb were measured via fNIRS. Repeated-measures ANOVAs assessed condition and time-course effects on marksmanship performance, core (T_C) and skin temperature (T_SK). A general linear model evaluated differences in β-values between conditions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Simple marksmanship HHb decreased after CSE (p = 0.001). Simple marksmanship post-TN saw a decrease in HHb compared to pre (p = 0.004), but no change in O₂Hb (p = 0.060). Shoot/no-shoot score increased across TN (p = 0.005). Shoot/no-shoot score decreased after CSE (p = 0.005) with an increase in no-shots (p = 0.027). Both shoot/no-shoot score (p = 0.008) and no-shots (p = 0.006) were worse at post-CSE compared to post-TN. During shoot/no-shoot a decrease in O₂Hb (p = 0.003) and HHb (p = 0.013) was observed across TN. Both O₂Hb (p = 0.003) and HHb (p = 0.013) were greater at post-CSE than post-TN.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Acute CSE does not affect low-difficulty static marksmanship but does impair high-difficulty dynamic marksmanship tasks, potentially due to reduced cognitive reserve after CSE. Neurophysiological mechanisms underlying decrements in tactical performance are effectively evaluated using fNIRS.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149165361","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bone biomarker and inflammatory cytokine responses to short-term low energy availability with and without preserved protein intake: a randomized, controlled, multi-period, cross-over trial.","authors":"Eimear Dolan, Rafaela Silverio Pinto, Bruna Aguera Reina, Gabriel Perri Esteves, Viviane Christine Araujo Miranda, Hamilton Roschel, Bruno Gualano, Craig Sale, Paul Swinton","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06461-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06461-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Bone appears sensitive to low energy availability (LEA), with prolonged exposure linked to compromised bone health. Causality, however, along with underlying mechanisms, and the role of macronutrient availability remain unclear.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To investigate the influence of short-term energy and protein manipulation on bone biomarker and inflammatory cytokine responses to acute exercise.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Nineteen healthy, active young adults (9 females, 10 males) completed three 5-day dietary conditions in a randomized crossover design: adequate energy availability (AEA; 45 kcal·kgFFM·day^-1), LEA (15 kcal·kgFFM·day^-1) and LEA with protein matched to AEA (LEA-P). On days 1 and 5, participants completed a standardized exercise protocol comprising 45 min of cycling at 65% of pre-defined peak power output followed by a Wingate test, with blood samples collected at prespecified time-points to assess fasted and post-exercise bone biomarker and inflammatory cytokine responses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fasted P1NP was lower following both energy-restricted trials compared with AEA, and remained lower during post-exercise recovery following LEA-P. CTX-1 was higher in the post-exercise recovery period following LEA-P only. Multiple inflammatory cytokines (IL6, IL8, IL10, ILRa, and IL1β) increased at distinct time-points in both energy-restricted trials. Overall, evidence for condition effects relative to AEA was more consistent following LEA-P than LEA.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Short-term energy restriction suppressed biomarkers indicative of bone formation and augmented the inflammatory cytokine response to exercise, with some, but less consistent evidence for increased bone resorption. Preserving protein intake did not attenuate these effects. In contrast, this condition was associated with more consistent and pronounced perturbations, potentially reflecting reduced carbohydrate availability rather than protein per se.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149165112","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cardiac size-exercise coupling in Paralympic athletes with spinal cord injury: the role of lesion level.","authors":"Giuseppe Di Gioia, Armando Ferrera, Daniele Ginelli, Viviana Maestrini, Francesco Raffaele Spera, Federica Mango, Andrea Serdoz, Marco Bernardi, Antonio Pelliccia, Maria Rosaria Squeo","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06454-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06454-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Spinal cord injury (SCI) alters autonomic cardiovascular regulation and may limit the translation of cardiac structural adaptation into aerobic performance. Whether spinal cord neurological level modifies cardiac size-exercise coupling in elite athletes remains under investigation. We enrolled 178 Paralympic athletes with SCI (33% high SCI, above T6). Athletes underwent transthoracic echocardiography and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. SCI level was analyzed as the main predictor of cardiac structure and exercise performance. Multivariable linear regression models were adjusted for age, sex, and body weight, with additional sensitivity analyses including sport category. Mediation analyses evaluated the role of indexed left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV/BSA), and interaction models tested effect modification of the LVEDV-VO₂max relationship by SCI level. Athletes with low SCI exhibited larger LVEDV/BSA (60.6 ± 14.7 vs. 51.9 ± 11.9 mLm², p < 0.0001) and higher VO₂ max (31.0 ± 9.4 vs. 21.0 ± 9.3 mLkgmin, p < 0.0001) than those with high SCI. In adjusted models, high SCI independently predicted lower VO₂max (β=-8.88, 95% CI - 11.71 to - 6.05, p < 0.0001) and O₂ pulse (β=-3.38, 95% CI - 5.07 to - 1.70, p = 0.0002), persisting after adjustment for sport category (VO₂: β=-6.64, p = 0.001; O₂ pulse: β=-1.87, p = 0.004). LVEDV/BSA partially mediated the association between SCI level and VO₂ max (β = 0.323 per mLm², p = 0.0002). A significant SCI×LVEDV/BSA interaction (β=-1.229, 95% CI - 2.548 to - 1.090, p = 0.002) indicated attenuation of cardiac size-exercise coupling in high SCI. Level of spinal cord lesion independently influences cardiac remodeling and aerobic performance and modifies how cardiac size translates into functional capacity. High-level SCI is associated with a lesion-dependent uncoupling of cardiac structure and exercise performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149127021","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of isolated and combined supplementation of caffeine and capsaicin on a self-paced 10-km running performance.","authors":"Miércio Soares Melo, Francisco D 'Paula Vitor Ferreira, Matheus Hissa Lourenço Ferreira, Bruno Pena Couto, Fernanda Guimarães Drummond E Silva, Samuel Penna Wanner, Marcos Daniel Motta Drummond","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06456-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06456-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To investigate the acute effects of isolated and combined caffeine and capsaicin supplementation on performance and physiological, perceptual, and subjective responses during a self-paced 10-km run.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled crossover trial included 27 runners, of whom 20 (32.3 ± 8.2 years; 8 women, 12 men) completed four conditions: caffeine (CAF; 6 mg·kg⁻¹), capsaicin (CAP; 0.35 mg·kg⁻¹), combined caffeine and capsaicin (CAF+CAP), and placebo. Supplements were ingested 45 min before running. Completion time, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), heart rate (HR), blood lactate, and subjective responses were assessed. Continuous and subjective outcomes were analyzed using linear and generalized linear mixed-effects models, respectively.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The factorial model showed a significant main effect of caffeine on completion time (p = 0.0049), with no capsaicin effect or caffeine × capsaicin interaction. Pairwise comparisons showed a lower completion time only for CAF+CAP versus placebo (Tukey-adjusted p = 0.048; Dunnett-adjusted p = 0.028). Post-exercise blood lactate was higher with CAF+CAP than with all other conditions (all Tukey-adjusted p ≤ 0.022). Perceived vigor increased with CAF and CAF+CAP, while caffeine-containing conditions produced more frequent insomnia, anxiety, headache, and tachycardia. HR did not differ among conditions.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Combined CAF and CAP reduced 10-km completion time and increased post-exercise blood lactate and perceived vigor versus placebo. Session-RPE and heart rate did not differ among conditions; RPE differed only between CAF and CAP. CAF-containing conditions also produced more frequent transient adverse effects.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials, U1111-1333-3665, registered on February 2026.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149106009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ventilatory drive modulates the temporal evolution of multidimensional dyspnoea during constant-load exercise in healthy adults.","authors":"Leah M Mann, Paolo B Dominelli, Lee M Romer","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06434-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06434-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>How increased ventilatory drive shapes the temporal evolution and multidimensional experience of exertional dyspnoea remains incompletely understood. This study examined whether experimentally increasing ventilatory drive via dead-space loading (DSL) alters dyspnoea during constant-load exercise. Nine healthy adults (7 male; V̇O_2peak 100 ± 16% predicted) performed constant-load cycle ergometry to task failure at 50%Δ between the gas-exchange threshold and V̇O_2peak under control (CTRL) and DSL (15% vital capacity) conditions in a randomised crossover design. Dyspnoea intensity, dyspnoea unpleasantness, and leg discomfort were assessed using the Borg CR10 scale, and sensory-perceptual and affective-emotional dimensions using the Multidimensional Dyspnoea Profile. Compared with CTRL, DSL increased end-tidal CO₂, minute ventilation, tidal volume, and inspiratory pressures without altering cardiometabolic responses, and reduced time to task failure (10.0 ± 2.3 vs. 13.8 ± 4.6 min; p = .012). Dyspnoea intensity rose more rapidly during DSL, but was similar at task failure, whereas dyspnoea unpleasantness was consistently higher without a distinct temporal divergence. Leg discomfort and dyspnoea descriptor frequencies did not differ between conditions. Post-exercise multidimensional profiling revealed greater breathing unpleasantness (p = .008), immediate perception scores (p = .036), respiratory work/effort (p = .040), and air hunger (p = .027), with no differences in emotional response scores. Greater iso-time increases in dyspnoea intensity and unpleasantness were associated with shorter time to task failure (r = - .82 to - 0.88; p ≤ .007). These findings suggest that increased ventilatory drive accelerates dyspnoea development and preferentially augments sensory-perceptual characteristics of dyspnoea, contributing to earlier task failure despite similar end-exercise symptom intensity.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149105986","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acute effects of random, serial and constant intensities of isometric knee extensions on neuromuscular fatigability and motor control.","authors":"Sylvain Dhote, Sidney Grosprêtre, Gabriel Roselli, Philippe Gimenez","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06450-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06450-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study aimed to examine the acute effects of three different practice organizations-constant, serial, and random-on motor control, neuromuscular fatigability, and subjective responses during a force reproduction task involving isometric knee extensions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Fifteen physically active men completed three experimental sessions in a randomized order. Each session included pre- and post-tests, and 15 min of force reproduction practice under one of the three conditions. The goal was to follow a target force signal displayed on a screen. Force accuracy and electromyographic (EMG) activity were assessed during the whole session. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MViC) was assessed before and after, and subjective ratings (NASA-TLX questionnaire, task difficulty and enjoyment) were assessed after each session.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>During acquisition, force error was significantly higher in random than in constant or serial, but decreased over time only in random. Force accuracy increased from pre- to post-tests across all conditions, with no condition-related differences. MViC decreased similarly across all conditions, indicating equivalent neuromuscular fatigability. No significant changes in Force/EMG ratio or EMG coactivation were observed. Subjective ratings showed higher enjoyment after random compared to serial.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Random practice did not improve motor accuracy compared to serial or constant practice after a single session. However, it led to greater enjoyment without inducing additional neuromuscular fatigability. These findings suggest that random practice may enhance motivation or engagement during training, even when immediate motor control benefits are not evident. Future studies should further explore its long-term effects and optimize task difficulty for maximal learning outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149105937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Functional detection of external iliac artery endofibrosis in a cyclist: integrating performance metrics and vascular imaging, a case study.","authors":"Jesús Torres-Pérez","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06416-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06416-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Identifying external iliac artery endofibrosis (EIAE) remains challenging and may lead to a reduction in cycling performance. This case study describes diagnosis process and changes in performance prior to and during recovery in a cyclist with EIAE. Power-Duration data, laboratory-based Lactate Thresholds (LT) assessments, and vascular evaluation data were integrated in a comprehensive attempt to characterise performance changes associated with EIAE.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The Power-Duration profile was obtained from the 2022-2024 seasons. Graded Exercise Tests were performed 90 days before (GXT1) and 90 and 172 days after treatment (GXT2, GXT3), assessing Power Output (PO) and blood lactate, LT (LTP1, Dmaxmod) were estimated, and left/right leg PO (LPO, RPO). In addition, vascular evaluation under an Exercise-Induced Claudication Test (EICT) was performed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Power-Duration profile showed a decline in performance across 5-60-min durations in 2023 and 2024 compared with 2022, with reductions ranging from - 1.2% to - 15.6%. Estimated Left-Right Balance (L/R-B) at LT ranged from 47 to 49% at GXT1, decreased to 46-47% at GXT2, and increased to 52-53% at GXT3, indicating dynamic inter-limb changes throughout time tests. Vascular assessment revealed kinking of the left iliac axis, with suspicion in the right axis, which was confirmed at the end of the study.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Novel power-based assessments across multiple durations, in this case study, helped to evaluate performance decrements associated with EIAE. Lower-limb PO derived from the GXT appeared sensitive detecting inflection points indicative of performance loss potentially related to underlying vascular pathology. Echo-Doppler provided significant evidence confirmed by intravascular ultrasound and intraoperative findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149105969","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}