Hemodynamic and Lactic Acid Responses to Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Exercise

The hemodynamic and metabolic responses to proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) exercise were examined in 32 male university students (aged 19-28 years). Ten repetitions of PNF exercises were applied to the subjects’ dominant upper extremities in the following order: as an agonist pattern flexion, adduction and external rotation; and as an antagonist pattern extension, abduction and internal rotation. Heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), double product (DP), and blood lactate concentration (La) were determined before, immediately after, and at 1^st, 3^rd, and 5^th minutes after PNF exercise. A one-way ANOVA with repeated measures indicated significant differences in HR, SBP, DBP, DP and La immediately after PNF exercise. HR increased from 81 (±10) to 108 (±15) b·min^-1 (p < 0.01), SBP increased from 117 (±10) to 125 (±11) mmHg (p < 0.01), DBP increased from 71 (±10) to 75 (±8) mmHg (p < 0.01), DP increased from 96 (±16) to 135 (±24) (p < 0.01), and La increased from 0.69 (±0.31) to 3.99 (±14.63) mmol·L^-1 (p < 0.01). Thus PNF exercise resulted in increased hemodynamic responses and blood lactate concentration that indicate a high strain on the cardiovascular system and anaerobic metabolism in healthy subjects.

Key Points

• PNF exercises resulted in increased hemodynamic responses.
• Repeated PNF exercises resulted in an increased blood lactate concentration.

Key words: Heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, double product, PNF