Resistance exercise-induced fluid shifts: change in active muscle size and plasma volume. Ploutz-Snyder, L. L., V. A. Convertino, and G. A. Dudley. Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701 and Biomedical Operations and Research Office, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899
APStracts 2:0100R, 1995.
The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the reduction in plasma volume (PV) induced by resistance exercise reflects fluid loss to the extravascular space and subsequently selective increase in cross-sectional area (CSA) of active but not inactive skeletal muscle. We compared changes in active and inactive muscle CSA and PV after barbell squat exercise. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to quantify muscle involvement in exercise and to determine CSA of muscle groups or individual muscles (vasti VS, adductor ADD, hamstring HAM, and rectus femoris RF). Muscle involvement in exercise was determined using exercise-induced contrast shift in T2 weighted MR images immediately post-exercise. Alterations in muscle size were based on the mean CSA of individual slices. Hematocrit, hemoglobin, and Evans blue dye were used to estimate changes in PV. Muscle CSA and PV data were obtained pre- and immediately post-exercise, and 15, and 45 min thereafter. A hierarchy of muscle involvement in exercise was found such that VS > ADD > HAM > RF, with the HAM and RF showing essentially no involvement. CSA of the VS and ADD muscle groups were increased 10% and 5%, respectively, immediately after exercise in each thigh with no changes in HAM and RF CSA. PV was decreased 22% immediately following exercise. The absolute loss of PV was correlated (R2=0.75) with absolute increase in muscle CSA immediately post-exercise supporting the notion that increased muscle size after resistance exercise reflects primarily fluid movement from the vascular space into active but not inactive muscle.

Received 6 May 1994; accepted in final form 23 March 1995.
APS Manuscript Number R239-4.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Regulatory Integrative
Comp. Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 25 April 1995.