Maximum isometric knee-extension exercise

FIGURE 6.27 Resultant forces acting between the femur and patella (PF) and between the femur and tibia (TF) during maximum isometric knee-extension exercise. See Fig. 6.25 for details. 

The forces exerted between the femur and patella and between femur and tibia depend mainly on the geometry of the muscles that cross the loiee. For maximum isometric extension peak forces transmitted to the patellofemoral and tibiofemoral joints are around 11,000 N and 6500 N, respectively (i.e., 15.7 and 9.3 times body weight, respectively) (Fig. 6.27). As the knee moves faster during isokinetic extension exercise, joint-contact forces decrease in dire proportion to the drop in quadriceps force (T. Yanagawa and M. G. Pandy, unpublished results). 

Data suggest that extensive physical exercise may increase blood plasma TAC. Long-term effects of systematic physical exercise are, however, controversial. Sub-maximal exercise (30 min) was reported not to alter blood plasma TAC significantly (A7). TAC of blood plasma was reported to increase immediately after a marathon run (by 25%) and this increase persisted 4 days later (by 12%) (L19). Similar effects (increase by 19%) were noted after a half-marathon (C29). Another study reported an increase in blood serum TAC by 22% during a 31-km run and by 16% during a marathon (V10). TAC of blood plasma was increased by 25% after a maximum aerobic exercise test and by 9% after a nonaerobic isometric exercise test (A8). Eccentric muscle exercise (70 maximal voluntary eccentric muscle actions on an isokinetic dynamometer, using the knee extensors of a single leg) did not affect blood serum TAC (C27). In another study, TAC increased after exhaustive aerobic (by 25%) and nonaerobic isometric exercise (by 9%) (A8). 

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