Abstract
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1980-0037.2017v19n1p128 Post-activation potentiation is a physiological phenomenon reported to increase muscle performance during high-intensity exercise. To induce post-activation potentiation, maximal strength or power short-duration activities are performed minutes prior the main activity in an attempt to enhance performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate previous publications on the effects of post-activation potentiation on athletic performance. This systematic review used Scielo, Pubmed and SporDiscus database with the following search terms either alone or grouped together: post-activation potentiation, exercise, athletics, track and field, sprint, long jump, triple jump, high jump, shot put, javelin throw, hammer throw e discus throw. The review provided evidence that performing squat, jump and sprint exercises prior to the main activity elicited a state of potentiation that would improve sprint and throw performances and that preparatory activities that can cause post-activation potentiation should be used to improve athletic performance.
Highlights
Post-activation potentiation (PAP) is a physiological event indicated as a potentiator of muscle strength[1]
The first studies on this subject dates back to the beginning of the 20th century, in which muscle tension increases in isolated fibers after maximal tetanic contraction induced by electrical stimulation were detected, which is known in literature as post-tetanic potentiation (PTP)[4]
Most studies found in the current review suggest the presence of post-activation potentiation in different athletics events[16,34,35,36,37,38,39]
Summary
Post-activation potentiation (PAP) is a physiological event indicated as a potentiator of muscle strength[1]. This physiological event would be caused by the performance of conditioning exercises before the main activity, leading to an increase in the speed of conduction of the nerve impulse to the muscle, number of recruited motor units and improvement in the interaction mechanism of contractile filaments[1,2,3]. The muscle is artificially stimulated through its main nerve[5] In both in vitro and in situ procedures, PTP was elevated immediately after tetany and reduced in the subsequent 10 minutes[4]. Like PAP, PTP is often associated with short periods of contraction and relaxation[6]
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