Effects of Exposure to Normobaric Hyperoxia on the Recovery of Local Muscle Fatigue in the Quadriceps Femoris of Young People

[Purpose] Acute development of local muscle fatigue and recovery often become large issues on sports fields. This study aimed to identify the effects of normobaric hyperoxia on the recovery of local muscle fatigue. [Subjects] Eleven healthy males participated in this study, and they all completed two protocols in a random order. [Methods] Subjects performed single-leg isometric knee extension at 70% of their maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) for as long as possible. Each participant was subsequently treated with one of two recovery conditions: 20.9% O(2) or 30.0% O(2) for 30 minutes. Afterwards, they performed an identical isometric task to measure the extent of their recovery. The following parameters were used to assess the degrees of muscle fatigue: MVIC, endurance time, surface electromyography (sEMG) power spectra, and changes in hemoglobin concentration using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). [Results] The treatment of 30.0% O(2) induced a significant recovery rate in MVIC compared to the 20.9% O(2). Additionally, the data revealed a significantly higher concentration of total hemoglobin after the 30.0% O(2) treatment than after the 20.9% O(2) treatment. [Conclusion] The results of this study suggest that recovery from acute muscle fatigue can be better facilitated under 30.0% normobaric hyperoxia than a normoxic condition. Therefore, for cases requiring quicker full recovery, treatment under 30.0% O(2) environment for 30 minutes is recommended.