Key result
Static stretching raises central BP via the first systolic peak, while post-exercise ischemia elevates the second.
Why the study?
The effect of the muscle mechanoreflex on central blood pressure remains unclear, as previous studies have largely failed to isolate its pressor response.
Does the muscle mechanoreflex (isolated via static passive stretching) alter the central blood pressure waveform differently than the metaboreflex (isolated via post-exercise ischemia) in healthy males?
Does the muscle mechanoreflex (isolated via static passive stretching) alter the central blood pressure waveform differently than the metaboreflex (isolated via post-exercise ischemia) in healthy males?
p-value: p=<0.05
The muscle mechanoreflex and metaboreflex both increase central blood pressure but deform the waveform differently, primarily augmenting the first and second systolic peaks, respectively.
Hypothesis-generating in healthy males; extends reflex-specific waveform insights but should not yet change practice.
Introduction The effect of mechanoreflex on central blood pressure (BP) is unclear, although the influence of metaboreflex has been investigated. A relatively small contribution of the mechanoreflex to the pressor response to exercise has been considered in humans because many studies have failed to isolate the mechanoreflex-mediated pressor response. In a recent study, we successfully isolated a mechanoreflex-mediated pressor response using static passive stretching (SPS) in the forearm. Thus, it is possible to isolate the effect of the mechanoreflex on the central BP using this recently developed method. We investigated the effect of muscle mechanoreflex on central BP and compared the changes in the shape of the central BP waveform during mechanoreflex and metaboreflex. Methods We measured 12 healthy males (age, 26 ± 2 years; height, 171.1 ± 5.2 cm; body mass, 63.3 ± 10.3 kg; body fat, 16.7% ± 3.9%; means ± standard deviation [SD]) in this study. All participants performed static passive stretching (SPS) of the forearm for 60 s to isolate the muscle mechanoreflex. They also performed 120 s of isometric handgrip (IHG) at 30% maximal voluntary contraction and underwent 180 s of post-exercise ischemia (PEI) to isolate the muscle metaboreflex. The carotid BP (cBP) waveform was obtained from the right common carotid artery as the central BP waveform. We evaluated the first systolic peak (P1) and second systolic peak (P2) from the cBP waveform. Results SPS increased cBP with an increase in P1 ( p < 0.05), whereas PEI increased cBP with an increase in P2 ( p < 0.05). SPS did not alter augmentation pressure (AP) ( p > 0.05), whereas PEI increased it ( p < 0.05). The relative change from rest (Δ) in P1 during SPS was positively correlated with that in stroke volume (r = 0.68; p < 0.05), and the ΔAP during PEI was positively correlated with that in total peripheral resistance TPR (r = 0.61; p < 0.05). Conclusion These results suggest different effects of mechano- and metaboreflex on the change in shape of the central BP waveform; mechanoreflex and metaboreflex deform P1 and P2, respectively.
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Nakamura et al. (2025) studied Healthy (n=12). Static passive stretching (SPS) and post-exercise ischemia (PEI) vs. Rest was evaluated on First systolic peak (P1) and second systolic peak (P2) of central blood pressure waveform (p=<0.05). Static passive stretching increased central blood pressure by elevating the first systolic peak, whereas post-exercise ischemia increased it by elevating the second systolic peak.
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