CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that PV applied to the lower extremities decreases wave reflection and ∆Ew in young

adults. Prospective research is

warrant to evaluate the potential beneficial effects of PV on arterial function in individuals with cardiovascular diseases that are unable to perform conventional
exercise.

3072 Board #35 June 4 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

Isometric Exercise Increases Hamstring Flexibility As Much As Static Stretching Does
Charles Kenny, FACSM1, Danielle Vittone2, Janet Hakey-Brusgul2. 1Stockbridge Orthopaedic Clinic, Stockbridge, MA. 2The Sage
Colleges, Troy, NY.
Email: ckennymd@jhu.edu
(No relationships reported)
Isometric exercise (IE) decreases passive tension in muscle at neutral length in vitro, and IE combined with static stretching (SS) increases flexibility more than
SS alone, but the effect of IE alone on flexibility has not been studied clinically.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the flexibility effect due to IE alone and compare it with that due to SS.
METHODS: Active supine knee extension (AKE) was measured prior to and after either submaximal hamstring IE or SS in 41 subjects aged 18-58 yrs (28
females). A coin toss first determined which limb was to be tested first and a second toss determined the intervention for that limb. An intervention was repeated
three times for 30 seconds and then AKE was measured. Subjects rested 5 minutes. The opposite limb was then tested with the alternative intervention. IE was
performed in mid-range of motion.
RESULTS: Eighteen subjects (43.9%) received SS first whereas 23 (56.1%) received IE first. The means and standard error of the means for initial AKE were
similar for IE (M=33.81 degrees, SEM 1.22) and SS (M=32.66 degrees, SEM 1.11). Each produced significant mean increases in AKE (IE: 6.4 degrees; σ = 8.2;
SS: 7.0 degrees; σ = 6.8) (p < 0.005). Repeated measures ANOVA did not reveal a significant difference between the type of intervention, p = 0.193; effect
size, η2 = .042. There was a significant main effect of time, p = 0.000; effect size, η2 = .610. There was no significant difference with tests of within-subject
effect of intervention and time, p = .844; effect size, η2 = .004.
CONCLUSIONS: Isometric exercise by itself increases hamstring flexibility; the magnitude of the effect is the same as that of static stretching.

3073 Board #36 June 4 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

Acute Cardio-respiratory Response to Different Levels of Immersion During Exercise on an Immersible Ergometer
Andree Dionne1, Mauricio Garzon2, Luc Leger3, Louis Perusse1, Mario Leone4, Alain-Steve Comtois2. 1University Laval, Quebec, QC,
Canada. 2University of Quebec in Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada. 3University de Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada. 4University of
Quebec in Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, QC, Canada. (Sponsor: Jean Boucher, FACSM)
Email: dionne.andree@uqam.ca
(No relationships reported)
Exercising in water provokes acute physiologic adaptations that are different and advantageous compared to those observed on dry land. Running and walking
in water poses methodological problems such as effort intensity standardisation that the immersible ergometer can resolve.
PURPOSE: To measure the acute effect of cycling on an immersible ergometer (lE) at three levels of immersion on the cardio-respiratory response.
METHODS: Eleven healthy informed volunteers (7 men and 4 women, aged: 20 to 55 years old) did three maximum tests on an IE (Hydrorider, Bologna, It) at
the level of the calf, the hip, the xiphoid process (XP) and one test on a dryland ergometer (DE). Cardio-respiratory response was measured with a portable
metabolic analyser (K4b2, Cosmed, It). Heart rate (HR) was measured continuously using a heart rate monitor (Polar belt T31, Polar, Kempele, Fi) and was
recorded directly into the memory of the portable gas. Cycling on the IE began at a cadence of 40 cycles / minute (RPM). Every 2 minutes the cadence was
increased by 10 RPM to 70 RPM and thereafter by 5 RPM until the subject was unable to follow the cadence or exhaustion. On the DE (Excalibur V2.0,
Groningen, Netherlands), the incremental protocol began with an initial exercise load of 25 watts at a cadence of 60 RPM that was kept throughout the test.
Every 2 minutes the resistance was increased by 25 watts until the subject was unable to follow the cadence until exhaustion. A repeated measures ANOVA
and a post-hoc S-N-K were used to establish the significant difference (p<.05).
RESULTS: Maximal HR was similar during IE at calf, hip and XP, and during DE (HRmax 175±17.9, 171±11.0, 169±16.0, and 175±19, respectively). Immersion at the
XP level significantly lowered the consumption of oxygen (VO2) at all cadences. Furthermore, the VO2max between immersion at the level of the calf and the hip
(42.4±10.51 et 44.5±13.76 ml*kg-1*min-1, respectively) was similar, while the VO2max at the XP level (28.2±10.14 ml*kg-1*min-1) was significantly inferior (p≤.001) to both
calf and hip.
CONCLUSION: Immersion at the level of the XP reduces the VO2 at all levels of effort intensity (cadence). Studies are currently ongoing to measure cardiac
output at different levels of immersion to explain the modifications of VO2. Supported by Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR)

3074 Board #37 June 4 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

Effects Of Therapeutic Ultrasound On Angiogenesis In Human Skeletal Muscle. Preliminary Results
Diana C. Delgado Diaz1, Bradley Gordon2, Matthew C. Kostek2. 1University of South Carolina and Universidad Industrial De Santander,
Columbia, SC. 2University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC. (Sponsor: James Carson, FACSM)
Email: dianakarolibna@yahoo.es
(No relationships reported)
Therapeutic angiogenesis is used to induce the local growth of blood vessels to enhance tissue repair. Therapeutic ultrasound (TUS) is considered as an
inducer of angiogenesis, based on thermal and non-thermal effects. In-vitro models have shown that TUS stimulates proliferation of endothelial cells and
induces the production of angiogenic factors.
PURPOSE: To examine changes in direct-angiogenic growth factors (VEGF, bFGF) and two indirect factors (IL-1Β, IL-8) expression levels in induced muscle
damage, treated with TUS.
METHODS: 16 healthy and moderately physically active men, aged 18-29y, were randomly assigned to either control (CON) or experimental group (EXP). The
EXP group completed 200 eccentric contractions of the quadriceps of both legs, 48h before the TUS. Both groups received TUS in one leg, the contralateral was
the control. Continuous TUS was delivered for 10min on a standardized area of the vastus lateralis, frequency of 1.0 MHz, and intensity of 1.5W/cm2. Muscle
biopsies were taken from both legs (vastus lateralis) of all subjects 6h after the TUS. Total RNA was extracted and reverse transcribed for VEFG, bFGF, IL-1Β and
IL-8 gene expression analysis by qRT-PCR.
RESULTS: Muscle damage was confirmed by a significant decrease in the isometric peak torque immediately after and 48h after damage (p<0.01) and
increase in blood CK activity (p<0.05). VEGF gene expression increased significantly due to the muscle damage (2.3±0.2-fold, p=0.018). Muscle damage did
not change the gene expression of any of the other angiogenic factors. In the CON group (no muscle damage), TUS induced a 1.9±0.2-fold increase in the
VEGF gene expression (p=0.015), whereas in the EXP group no differences in gene expression based on treatment were found (treated to untreated leg,

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