Single Exposure to Prolonged Sitting Prior to Exercise Does not Impact Athletic Performance

Background: The effects of sitting, and benefits of breaking up sitting time, have been extensively researched in regard to cardiometabolic dysregulation; however, the effect of long periods of not moving prior to athletic performance are unclear. Despite this, the belief that periods of intermittent light exercise to break up sitting prior to exercise performance persists. Objectives: To examine the effect of prolonged sitting time, as well as one common and one novel intervention to break up sitting, on subsequent exercise. Methods: 30 healthy individuals in ≥80th percentile of age and gender matched fitness participated in three conditions: 1) 5hr of uninterrupted sitting, 2) 5hr of interrupted sitting with 5 min walking bouts at 4.8 km/h every 30min, 3) 5hr of sitting with passive blood flow restriction and transcutaneous electrical muscle stimulation (BFR+TEMS) every 60min. A baseline assessment of maximal leg power generation and an incremental exercise protocol using a stationary cycle ergometer were conducted prior to the sitting protocol. Primary outcomes after 5hr of sitting included maximal leg power and time to exhaustion during incremental cycle ergometery to voluntary fatigue. Results: 5hr of uninterrupted sitting did not significantly alter leg power relative to baseline (Δ= -80± 998 W), nor did BFR+TEMS (Δ= 7 ±1252 W), or WALK (Δ= 53± 547 W) interventions (all p>0.05). Prolonged sitting was not detrimental to time to exhaustion (Δ= - 10 sec 95% CI -7 sec, 27 sec). Analysis of the BFR+TEMS (Δ= 23 sec, 95% CI -74 sec, 28 sec) and WALK (Δ= 14 sec, 95% CI -90 sec, 62 sec) groups, compared to corresponding controls, indicated that there were no additional ergogenic effects of either intervention strategy. Conclusions: Considering explosive leg power and aerobic cycling to exhaustion, uninterrupted sitting for 5 hours prior to exercise had no negative effect on performance, and neither intermittent walking nor blood flow restriction with electrical stimulation further improved performance.