Compliance in the deep and superficial conduit veins of the nonexercising arm is unaffected by short‐term exercise

The effects of short‐term dynamic and static exercise on compliance (CPL) in a single conduit vein in the nonexercising limb are not fully understood, although prolonged cycling exercise was found to produce a significant reduction of CPL in the veins. In this study, we investigated the cross‐sectional area (CSA) and CPL in the brachial (deep) and basilic (superficial) veins of the nonexercising arm in 14 participants who performed a 5‐min cycling exercise at 35% and 70% of peak oxygen uptake (study 1) and in 11 participants who performed a 2‐min static handgrip exercise at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction (study 2). The CSA in the deep and superficial veins at rest and during the final minute of exercise was measured by high‐resolution ultrasonography during a short‐duration cuff deflation protocol. The CPL in each vein was calculated as the numerical derivative of the cuff pressure and CSA curve. During short‐term dynamic and static exercise, there was no change in CPL in either vein, but there was a decrease in CSA in both veins. The simultaneous findings of unchanged CPL and decreased CSA suggest that CPL during short‐term exercise are independently controlled by the mechanisms responsible for exercise‐induced sympathoexcitation in both single veins. Thus, short‐term exercise does not alter CPL in both conduit superficial and deep veins in nonexercising upper arm.