Kinetics of oxygenation in inactive forearm muscle during ramp leg cycling.

This study was carried out to determine whether hemodynamics in inactive forearm muscle during ramp leg cycling is affected from the ventilatory threshold (VT) and respiratory compensation point (RCP), at which the rate of increase in ventilation (VE) against power output begins to increase abruptly. Change in hemodynamics was evaluated by change in oxygenation index (difference between concentrations of oxygenated hemoglobin and deoxygenated hemoglobin, HbD) measured using near-infrared spectrometry (NIRS). Each subject (n=9) performed 4-min constant-work-rate leg cycling and subsequent ramp leg cycling at an increasing rate of 10 watts.