Evaluation of a rat model of exercise-induced fatigue using treadmill running with progressively increasing load

Abstract

The mechanism behind exercise-induced fatigue is a significant topic in the field of sports physiology. Therefore, establishing and evaluating an acute exercise-induced fatigue animal model that explores the limits of the motor system may provide greater insight into these mechanisms. Heart rate is an important quantitative parameter that accurately reflects the immediate change in physical function due to exercise load. And there is likely to be an important correlation between heart rate and behavioral performance. In this study, changes in heart rate and behavioral indexes during exercise-induced fatigue were quantitatively analyzed in rats using heart rate telemetry and video methods respectively. The behavioral indexes were used as independent variables and the degree of fatigue was used as the forecast value. Ternary quadratic function curve fitting was used to deduce a formula to calculate a fatigue score: Y=15.2548+0.4346∙xa-0.1154∙xb+0.6826∙xc+0.0044∙xa∙xb-0.0021∙xb∙xc-0.0013∙xc∙xa-0.0023∙xa2-0.0016∙xb2 (r2=0.906). It identified a linear relationship between heart rate and exercise intensity, with a plateau in heart rate occurring during difference periods. It will serve as an effective reference for the modeling of exercise-induced fatigue. In addition, it also provides a theoretical method for analyzing the correlation between peripheral and central parameters.