LRM VI.

9 BDS Curriculum Physiology MRDC

Physiology
LRM VI.9 BDS Curriculum Physiology
MRDC
 LRM VI.9 BDS Curriculum Physiology MRDC

LRM VI.9 PHYSIOLOGY OF EXERCISE.

Specific learning objectives

I. Grading of exercise
II. Cardio-vascular adaptations to exercise
III. Respiratory adaptations to exercise
 LRM VI.9 BDS Curriculum Physiology
MRDC

General
Metabolic requirements of the body at rest or during
exercise are met by supplying O2 to tissues and by removing
CO2 from them.

Primarily governed by CVS & Resp System through a series of

linked mechanism:
For example:
Increased capacity to breathe.
Increased transfer O2 in the lungs.
Increased cardiac output.
Increased transport O2 by - blood to perfuse the
active muscles and to remove the CO2 from tissues.
 LRM VI.9 BDS Curriculum Physiology
MRDC

GRADING OF EXERCISE:
Based on the increase in heart rate during the exercise
it can be classified as:

1. Mild exercise HR < 100 / Min

2. Moderate HR 100 -- 125/ Min
3. Heavy HR 126 -- 150 / Min
4. Very heavy HR > 150 / Min
 LRM VI.9 BDS Curriculum Physiology
MRDC
CARDIOVASCULAR ADAPTATION DURING EXERCISE:
A. Heart Rate (HR)
HR increases in linearity with the severity of exercise.
Maximum HR that can be attained druing exercise is 220-Age (in
years).

Increase HR during exercise is due to:

1. Neurogenic Control
2. Circulating Hormones.
3. Increase in body temperature.
4. Chemical changes occurring in the blood
 LRM VI.9 BDS Curriculum Physiology MRDC

Increase HR during exercise is due to:

1.Neurogenic Control
(i) Central reflexes:
(a) increased activity of limbic system & motor cortex due to
psychic stimuli; - acts directly on medulla;
(b) decrease in vagal tone.
(ii) Peripheral reflexes originating from:
(a) muscle spindles
(b) muscle-tendon receptors
(c) Vestibular apparatus of inner ear
 LRM VI.9 BDS Curriculum Physiology MRDC

Increase HR during exercise is due to:

2. Circulating Hormones. Liberation of

(i) Catecholamines from adrenal medulla;
(ii) T4 from thyroid gland in response to stress
3. Increase in body temperature.
4. Chemical changes occurring in the blood
Decrease—arterial PO2,pH,
Increase –arterial CO2
 LRM VI.9 BDS Curriculum Physiology
MRDC

B. STROKE VOLUME

Normal: 80-90 ml (at rest).

Increase to twice the normal value during exercise due to:
1.Increase in venous return which is maintained by:
(i) Muscle pump
(ii) Negative intra-thoracic pressure
(iii) Modification of tone in capacitance vessels.

2. Increase myocardial contractility by –

epinephrine & nor-epinephrine from –
sympathetic nervous system
&
adrenal medulla.
 LRM VI.9 BDS Curriculum Physiology
MRDC

C. CARDIAC OUTPUT.
Normal: 5-6 litres/min (resting);

it increase to 5-6 times during maximum exercise due to

increase in heart rate & stroke volume.

That is why higher values of maximum cardiac output

can be achieved in young individuals compared to old subjects
due to higher maximum HR that can be achieved in them.
 LRM VI.9 BDS Curriculum Physiology
MRDC
D. BLOOD PRESSURE:
l. In systemic Circulation
(i) Systolic BP -increases in linearity with severity of exercise at
all ages & may increase to 200 mmHg due to:
(a) Increase in cardiac output.
(b) Vasoconstriction in non-working muscles.
( ii) Diastolic BP-
1. No change in mild & moderate exercise
because total resistance falls considerably due to drastic
vasodilation in working muscles.
2. Slight increase in sever exercise due to vasoconstriction in
non-working muscle & skin.
 LRM VI.9 BDS Curriculum Physiology
MRDC
E. BLOOD FLOW:

1. Muscle blood:
• During heavy exercise, increases by 25-30 times.
• Increase is due to increase in capillary density.

2. Coronary blood flow

(i) Increased coronary blood flow.
(ii) Coronary vasodilation by: - ( a) Catecholamines (b) Hypoxia
3. Pulmonary blood flow
Increase in linearity with increase in cardiac output to 1400 ml/min during
severe exercise.(350-800 ml/ min in rest )
4. Skin blood flow
(i) Slight decrease, at the beginning of exercise due to reflex vasoconstriction.
(ii) Later increases due to stimulation of hypothalamus secondary to increase
in body temperature.
This produces vasodilatation and helps heat loss and transport of metabolites.
 LRM VI.9 BDS Curriculum Physiology MRDC

RESPIRATORY ADAPTATION TO EXERCISE:

• A .PULMONARY VENTILATION.

• B.PULMONARY DIFFUSION CAPACITY.

• C. OXYGEN CONSUMPTION.
•
 LRM VI.9 BDS Curriculum Physiology
MRDC

RESPIRATORY ADAPTATION TO EXERCISE:

A.Pulmonary ventilation (PV)

At rest:
Pulmonary ventilation is 6 litres per min with frequency of
breathing as 12 per min and tidal volume as 500 ml.
During maximum exercise
it increases by 20-25 times to approx. 100 litres/min due to:
(i) Increase in frequency of breathing to 40-45 breaths/min;
(ii) Tidal volume increases from 10-15% to approx.
(iii) 50% of vital capacity.
 LRM VI.9 BDS Curriculum Physiology
MRDC
Control of pulmonary ventilation during exercise

1.Psychic stimuli: stimulation of respiratory centre by increases

activity in the motor cortex.
2.Afferent stimuli from proprioceptors in moving muscles,
tendon and joints
3.Stimulation of carotid bodies, secondary to changes in blood
chemistry
4.Accumulation of lactic acid in blood.

5.Increased body temperature – Stimulates

(i) Respiratory centre directly
(ii) Sensitizes respiratory centres to arterial pCO2.

6. Increase in plasma potassium level.

 LRM VI.9 BDS Curriculum Physiology MRDC

RESPIRATORY ADAPTATION TO EXERCISE

• B.PULMONARY DIFFUSION CAPACITY

• INCREASED –due to
 increase blood perfusion around air sacs
 opening of more capillaries
• Causes increase in surface area.

• C. OXYGEN CONSUMPTION
• During heavy exercise
• 3 times increase in A-V O2difference
• 5 times increase in O2 delivery to tissues
 LRM VI.9 BDS Curriculum Physiology
MRDC
Department of Physiology

Questioned to be answered by the students

(1)What is grading of exercise

(2)Describe the cardiovascular changes during exercise.
(3)Describe the respiratory changes during exercise.
Thank You