Blood pressure and heart rate response to voluntary and non-voluntary static exercise in man

Abstract

Six healthy men produced static knee extension with 1 leg for 5 min. In 1 series of experiments the force was held constant at 20% of the isometric maximum voluntary contraction force. In another series of experiments the same subjects performed the same work nonvoluntarily by direct percutaneous electrical stimulation. Heart rate and blood pressure was continuously recorded. Heart rate increased by 40% and systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 30 and 50%, respectively, in both kinds of experiments. Apparently, receptors within the muscle have the full capacity to adjust central circulation to the muscle work performed.