Brachial arterial blood flow during static handgrip exercise of short duration at varying intensities studied by a Doppler ultrasound method

The purpose of this study was to determine forearm blood flow changes during static handgrip exercise at different intensities in relation to heart rate and blood pressure. Seven active women performed static handgrip exercise at intensities of 10, 30, 50 and 70% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) in a supine position for 1 min. During exercise at different intensities, the brachial arterial blood flow (Doppler ultrasound method), calculated from vessel diameter, flow velocity and heart rate (measured by ECG), increased to a similar level (137.3 +/- 20.2-160.9 +/- 26.1 mL min-1) from pre-exercise control value (87.5 +/- 14.1 mL min-1). These increases at the lower intensities were attributable to increased in-flow during one cardiac cycle, whereas at the higher intensities, they were due to increased heart rate. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (Finapres) changes increased from 10% MVC (16.1 +/- 3.4, 9.0 +/- 1.7 mmHg) up to 50% MVC (33.8 +/- 6.7, 25.0 +/- 4.9 mmHg), but were disproportionately more elevated at 70% MVC (46.1 +/- 7.9, 42.9 +/- 8.9 mmHg), suggesting neural vasoconstriction had occurred. Immediate post-exercise hyperaemia, used as an indicator of poor blood supply, became greater as the exercise intensity increased. These results suggest that the brachial arterial blood flow was maintained at a similar level during 60-s static handgrip exercise at different intensities by elevating the blood pressure and heart rate, which probably counteracted the increased intramuscular pressure and neural vasoconstriction occurring at the higher exercise intensity. The magnitude of the post-exercise hyperemic response increased as exercise level increased despite increased blood-flow to the arm during-exercise. This suggests a worsening imbalance in oxygen delivery in forearm muscles at higher levels of exercise.