European Journal of Applied Physiology最新文献

{"title":"Sex differences in NIRS-derived reactive hyperemia across protocols and their association with muscle quality.","authors":"Olavo João Frederico Ramos, Natália Soares Veiga, Paola Quevedo da Costa, Maria Clara Ramos Souza Rodrigues, Paulo Cavalheiro Schenkel, Rogerio Nogueira Soares, Thiago Silveira Alvares","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06303-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00421-026-06303-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Sex-related differences in microvascular reactivity may be influenced by the magnitude of muscle desaturation (ischemic stimulus) during the blood flow occlusion period. Thus, this study used near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to assess skeletal muscle microvascular reactivity in three distinct metabolic and mechanical conditions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Nineteen participants (10 males, 9 females) completed a randomized parallel design including a vascular occlusion test (VOT), maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), and a dynamic fatigue exercise protocol (FEx) to elicit ischemic, mechanic and metabolic insults, respectively. Morphological muscle quality was also assessed using ultrasonography. NIRS-derived indices of tissue oxygenation and blood volume were continuously monitored.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Males exhibited a greater post-exercise total hemoglobin reperfusion slope ([tHb] slope) across protocols compared with females (p < 0.05). In males, higher morphological muscle quality was associated with a steeper reperfusion slope (p < 0.05), whereas no such relationships were observed in females.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Sex differences in microvascular reactivity were evident across ischemic, isometric, and dynamic exercise conditions, with oxygen extraction only partially accounting for sex differences in microvascular reactivity in highly metabolic demand condition such as FEx. Our findings also suggest that the greater microvascular reactivity in males may be linked to better morphological muscle quality compared to females, thus providing novel insights into the mechanisms driving the accelerated reperfusion rates observed in males compared to females.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":"5253-5263"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148344387","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":"Surface electromyographic analysis of the rectus abdominis during trunk-flexed and sustained forced expirations.","authors":"Kentaro Chino, Toshiyuki Ohya","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06322-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00421-026-06322-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To investigate rectus abdominis (RA) activity during forced expiration under conditions where RA activity is assumed to be prominent, including trunk flexion and sustained expiration.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Fourteen males performed maximal voluntary forced expirations sustained from total lung capacity (TLC) to residual volume with and without slow trunk flexion. Maximal voluntary forced expiration from TLC with rapid trunk flexion was also performed as a single effort. As a reflexive forced expiration, sneezing was performed. Submaximal sustained expirations at 20, 30, and 50% of maximal expiratory mouth pressure were also conducted. During voluntary expirations, mouth pressure was measured using a mouth pressure meter. During all tasks, EMG activity of the RA and internal oblique/transversus abdominis (IO/TrA) were measured using surface electromyography.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>RA activity during maximal voluntary forced expiration did not change with slow trunk flexion but increased with rapid trunk flexion; however, neither condition increased expiratory mouth pressure. RA activity was significantly lower than IO/TrA activity during maximal voluntary forced expirations with and without trunk flexion, but did not differ significantly from IO/TrA activity during sneezing. During maximal voluntary sustained expiration, RA activity increased without trunk flexion but decreased with trunk flexion. RA activity increased during submaximal voluntary sustained expirations at all mouth pressure levels, but the magnitude of the increase was smaller than that of the OI/TrA.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The RA was less active and less responsive during voluntary forced expiration than the other abdominal muscles, whereas it appeared to be similarly active and responsive during reflexive forced expiration.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":"5421-5436"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148344285","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":"The VO₂ slow component likely reflects a decline, not a rise, in glycolytic rate.","authors":"Jeffrey Rothschild, Anna Katharina Dunst, Henning Wackerhage, Hermann Heck","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06400-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00421-026-06400-9","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":"5111-5113"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148789865","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":"Six weeks stretching of lower limbs lowers blood pressure in hypertensive individuals.","authors":"Nicholas Toninelli, Alessandro Maloberti, Emiliano Cè, Cristina Giannattasio, Fabio Esposito","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06358-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00421-026-06358-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Previous studies on healthy subjects suggest that 6-week passive stretching (PS) lowers blood pressure (BP) and arterial stiffness by enhancing vascular responsiveness in both stretched and non-stretched arteries. This study investigated whether a similar 6-week PS intervention applied to the lower limbs could elicit similar effects in patients with essential hypertension.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>24 patients underwent assessments of central arterial stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, PWV_cf), brachial (systemic) and femoral (local) vascular responsiveness (flow-mediated dilation, FMD; nitrate-mediated dilation, NMD; and single passive limb movement, sPLM), as well as BP and heart rate recordings. Measurements were obtained at baseline, after a 6-week control period, and following PS and a follow-up of the same duration.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>No changes occurred following the 6-week control period. After PS, systolic, diastolic, and mean BP decreased by 4.9(SD4.6)% (P < 0.001, ES = -0.99), 6.9(SD4.9)% (P < 0.001, ES = -1.43), and 3.7(SD6.2)% (P = 0.005, ES = -0.63), respectively. Peak Q̇_fem increased by 18.4(SD19.0)% (P < 0.001, ES = 0.92), and Δ Q̇_fem by 27.1(SD21.7)% (P < 0.001, ES = 0.98). PWV_cf, FMD, NMD, and heart rate remained unchanged. No correlations were retrieved between percentage differences in Q̇_fem and BP variables. Furthermore, all improvements returned to baseline during follow-up.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings indicate that 6-week PS effectively reduces blood pressure in hypertensive patients, possibly due to improved vascular responsiveness in the stretched arteries and the combined effect of other mechanisms that cannot be identified individually. However, these benefits dissipate once the intervention is discontinued.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":"5171-5183"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13633950/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148497260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analytical approaches to account for muscle size when evaluating strength.","authors":"Matthew A Chatlaong, John P Bentley, Kealey J Wohlgemuth, Scott J Dankel, Jeremy P Loenneke, Matthew B Jessee","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06376-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00421-026-06376-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Skeletal muscle strength is multifactorial. Although associated, skeletal muscle size and strength often change disproportionately following resistance training with different loading paradigms. Examining strength relative to muscle size has been used to evaluate the potential contribution of muscle growth or other factors (e.g., neural or intramuscular adaptations) that occur with strength changes. Moreover, as muscle size could explain differing strength between individuals, comparisons of strength per unit of muscle size are sometimes used to account for differences in strength related to size. Several analytical approaches can be used to account for or hold muscle size fixed when evaluating strength. Based on prior work in sports medicine and other fields, we explored the use of ratio normalization and multiple regression techniques. Data from NHANES (1999-2002) and a previous investigation from our group were used in analysis demonstrations. In synthesizing and applying recommendations from previous work, we highlight some nuances and complexities with ratio normalization that may not be readily apparent without testing assumptions.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":"5085-5100"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13633979/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148789862","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison between exercise and hot water immersion on skin microvascular responses in older adults with overweight and obesity.","authors":"Kristanti W Wigati, Joao C Locatelli, Juliene G Costa, Xingwei Xu, Robert A McLaughlin, Louise H Naylor, Daniel J Green","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06415-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06415-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Skin microvascular function plays a critical role in thermoregulation and vascular health, but due to technical limitations, responses to passive heat stress remain poorly quantified, particularly in overweight and obese older adults. This study aimed to compare the acute effects of hot water immersion (HWI) and moderate-intensity exercise (EXE) on skin microvascular function using optical coherence tomography (OCT), and to explore potential sex differences.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twenty-five overweight older adults (10♂ and 15♀; age 59 ± 7, BMI 29.4 ± 3.4 kg/m²) underwent two experimental sessions in randomized crossover design: 30 min of aerobic exercise (EXE) on a cycle ergometer at 60-70%HRmax and seated hot water immersion (HWI) at 40 °C, immersion to the xiphoid process and arms submerged. Forearm skin microvascular responses were assessed pre- and post-intervention utilising OCT.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>HWI elicited significantly greater increases in all OCT metrics than EXE (all P < 0.001): diameter (+ 5.2 ± 4.3 vs. - 1.1 ± 3.7 μm), velocity (+ 22.8 ± 11.7 vs. - 1.2 ± 4.5 μm·s⁻¹), flow (+ 68.9 ± 29.8 vs. - 8.3 ± 13.8 pL·s⁻¹), and vessel density (14.1 ± 7.8 vs. - 3.1 ± 4.8%). These vascular changes were accompanied by a higher Tc increase (+ 0.9 ± 0.3 °C vs. +0.7 ± 0.3 °C) and larger reductions in systolic and diastolic BP following HWI (P < 0.01). Qualitatively, laser Doppler flowmetry paralleled the OCT findings, showing enhanced skin blood flow after HWI (P < 0.01).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>When time-matched, an acute bout of HWI induces changes in skin microvascular perfusion that exceed those observed in response to EXE, likely reflecting the combined influence of direct local skin heating and greater systemic thermal strain, supporting its potential as a passive vascular stimulus in populations with limited exercise tolerance.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149073879","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":"Radial pressure wave treatment accelerates recovery from immobilization-induced soleus muscle atrophy and improves ankle range of motion in mice.","authors":"Shingo Yokoyama, Shintaro Tsukada, Masakazu Mizutani, Kazuya Ohashi, Yoshitaka Ohno, Tatsuro Egawa, Koichi Inoue, Katsumasa Goto","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06451-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06451-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Disuse muscle atrophy following immobilization is characterized by decreased muscle mass and reduced joint range of motion (ROM). Radial pressure wave (RPW) treatment is a non-invasive modality that delivers mechanical energy to musculoskeletal tissues, but its efficacy in skeletal muscle recovery from disuse atrophy remains largely unknown. We examined whether RPW treatment accelerates soleus muscle structural recovery and passive ankle dorsiflexion ROM following immobilization-induced atrophy in mice. Furthermore, we investigated the underlying molecular signaling cascades and gene expression profiles associated with RPW-mediated recovery.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Male C57BL/6 J mice ([Formula: see text] per group) underwent 14 days of unilateral hindlimb immobilization, followed by a 7-day recovery period with or without RPW treatment (1 bar, 10 Hz, 2,000 pulses, three sessions on alternate days). Soleus muscle mass, fiber cross-sectional area (CSA), and passive ankle dorsiflexion ROM were assessed. Candidate genes identified as differentially expressed by exploratory RNA-sequencing in one mouse per group ([Formula: see text]) were subsequently evaluated by quantitative PCR and immunoblotting across all animals in the full cohort ([Formula: see text] per group).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>RPW treatment increased fiber CSA to [Formula: see text] (vs. [Formula: see text] in the sham group) and improved ankle dorsiflexion ROM to [Formula: see text] (vs. [Formula: see text]). Gene set enrichment analysis revealed suppression of the forkhead box O (FoxO) signaling pathway and enrichment of the extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling pathway. Igf1 expression was higher in the RPW group ([Formula: see text]-fold vs. sham: [Formula: see text]-fold), accompanied by elevated Akt phosphorylation. Col3a1 was uniquely upregulated in the RPW group ([Formula: see text]-fold vs. [Formula: see text]-fold).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>RPW treatment accelerates the recovery of soleus muscle structure and improves passive ankle dorsiflexion ROM following immobilization-induced atrophy in mice.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149073964","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":"High- versus low-volume static stretching and eccentric exercise: a randomized controlled trial in older adults with hamstring tightness and possible sarcopenia.","authors":"Nongnuch Luangpon, Wirasinee Srijunto, Juntip Namsawang, Sirawee Chaovalit, Audrius Snieckus, Sarawut Lapmanee, Pornpimol Muanjai","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06446-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06446-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study examined the effects of home-based high-volume static stretching on range of motion (ROM), musculotendinous unit (MTU) stiffness, muscle morphology, strength, balance, and physical function in older adults with hamstring tightness and possible sarcopenia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Sixty-eight community-dwelling older adults (67.2 ± 4.5 years) were randomly assigned to high-volume static stretching (30 min/day), low-volume static stretching (3 min/day, 3 days/week), eccentric exercise (ECC), or non-intervention control (CON) for 6 weeks. Assessments conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up included muscle thickness (MT), ROM, MTU stiffness, isometric knee flexor strength, cross-education effects on contralateral strength, Y-Balance performance, and function outcomes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Significant group × time interaction effects were observed for ROM and isometric strength (p < 0.05). ROM increased after both stretching interventions (12.4° high-volume; 10.3° low-volume; d = 1.27-1.48), with no statistically detectable between-group difference. Isometric knee flexor strength improved after ECC (≈ 7.0 Nm; d = 1.53), with no contralateral strength transfer. No consistent intervention-related improvements were observed in MTU stiffness, muscle thickness, Y-Balance, or physical function. At the 3-month follow-up, knee flexor strength differed from baseline in the ECC group, although this was an uncontrolled follow-up observation.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>No statistically detectable difference in ROM was identified between high- and low-volume stretching. Exploratory analyses indicated that ECC improved strength more than control, whereas stretching-related changes remained below the minimal detectable change. . Low-volume stretching required substantially less weekly exercise time than high-volume stretching; however, equivalence was not established. Stretching and eccentric exercise may therefore produce distinct flexibility and strength adaptations in older adults.</p><p><strong>Clinical registration: </strong>The study protocol has been registered with the Thai Clinical Trials Registry (TCTR20251222012).</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149074043","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":"Ramadan fasting influences respiratory sarcopenia and plasma markers of neuromuscular junction health in older adults.","authors":"Rizwan Qaisar, Imran Ullah Khan, M Shahid Iqbal, Firdos Ahmad, Asima Karim","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06439-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06439-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Fasting during Ramadan affects physical performance and age-associated muscle decline, termed sarcopenia. However, the relevant effects on respiratory sarcopenia and neuromuscular junction (NMJ) degradation are unknown.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We recruited older men (age = 60.4 ± 3.6 years, n = 53) and women (age = 62.6 ± 2.9 years, n = 48) for measurements of respiratory sarcopenia markers, including maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR). We also measured plasma markers of NMJ (c-terminal agrin fragment-22; CAF22) and neuronal (neurofilament light chain; NfL and brain-derived neurotrophic factor; BDNF) health. All assessments were performed one week before Ramadan (Pre-Ramadan; Pre-R) and on days 14 and 28 into Ramadan.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>At day 28, men had lower MEP than pre-R (p < 0.05). Both men and women exhibited lower plasma CAF22 and NfL and higher BDNF at day 28 compared to pre-R (all p < 0.05). The presence of respiratory sarcopenia was associated with higher CAF22 and NfL and lower BDNF in both sexes at various time points (all p < 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis revealed significant associations of MEP and PEFR with CAF22, NfL, and BDNF in both sexes at various time points (all p < 0.05). Ramadan fasting also reduced systemic oxidative stress without affecting physical performance.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Ramadan fasting induces respiratory sarcopenia in men but not in women by adversely affecting the NMJ and nervous system. Further investigations are warranted to dissect underlying mechanisms.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149073969","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 circulating cartilage-related biomarker responses differ between walking and cycling in healthy young men.","authors":"Oğuzhan Bahadır Demir, Hamza Malik Okuyan, Tuğba Gökbel, Birgül Dingirdan Gultekinler","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06453-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06453-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The acute effects of different exercise modalities on circulating biomarkers indirectly associated with cartilage-related processes remain incompletely understood. Here, we aimed to investigate the acute impact of walking and cycling on circulating cartilage-related biomarkers in healthy young males.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twenty healthy males completed two laboratory sessions involving 30 min of walking and 30 min of cycling on separate days. Venous blood samples were collected before exercise, immediately after exercise, and at 30- and 60-minutes post-exercise. Serum MMP-3, COL2A1, YKL-40, and resistin levels were measured using ELISA.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Walking induced more significant acute alterations in cartilage-related biomarkers than cycling. MMP-3 levels diminished significantly during recovery in both modalities, with a more significant reduction observed following walking. COL2A1 and YKL-40 exhibited considerable increases following walking, with sustained elevations lasting up to 60 min, whereas cycling resulted in relatively minor or non-significant alterations. Resistin levels rose following both modalities, irrespective of the type of exercise. Significant correlations were observed between changes in circulating COL2A1 concentrations and changes in both resistin (rₛ = 0.391, p < 0.0001) and YKL-40 (rₛ = 0.239, p < 0.05), whereas MMP-3 was not significantly correlated with the other biomarkers.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Walking was associated with greater acute changes in circulating MMP-3, COL2A1, and YKL-40 concentrations than cycling in healthy young males, indicating different acute circulating biomarker profiles between the two exercise modalities. These findings should not be interpreted as direct evidence of intra-articular cartilage metabolism or long-term effects on joint health.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149073925","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}