The use of near-infrared spectroscopy for monitoring haemodynamic changes in forearm muscles in sport climbers
Abstract
Aim: The review aimed to summarize hemodynamic forearm muscle response in sport climbers using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). 25 16 Background: NIRS is an available method for investigation hemodynamic changes during physical activity. Although NIRS is frequently used in field practice, suitable application and the result interpretation is necessary to specify for each sport activity.
Sport climbing has gained on popularity not only as a competitive sport but also as a recreational physical activity. Methods: Searching existing literature in the Web of Science to 10 June 2019 and its analyses.
Results and conclusions: From the 876 studies using NIRS in sport sciences, there were 11 studies focusing on climbing. Most of the studies were completed on treadwall, climbing-specific dynamometers and during arteria brachialis occlusion.
The most frequently studied muscle was the flexor digitorum profundus, whose haemodynamic characteristics proved to be appropriate for the assessment of adaptation changes. Valid NIRS parameters include the oxidative capacity index, changes in tissue oxygen saturation during contraction and relaxation, and maximum muscle deoxygenation.
It turns out that NIRS is a sufficiently reliable method just for changes in tissue saturation, higher intra-individual variability has been found for maximum desaturation. For other parameters, reliability is not known.
However, for the sufficient reliability of NIRS in sports, a number of assumptions described in the text must be observed.