Applied Bioenergetics

An Introduction To Muscle Oxygenation Monitoring With Near Infrared Spectroscopy

This article will give you with a broad sweeping overview of the different types of measurements and data that can be gleaned with NIRS technology. If you're unfamiliar with NIRS, these devices are designed to measure blood volume and oxygen saturation in a muscle in live time using near-infrared light. Near infrared light is able to penetrate biological tissues with less scattering and absorption than visible light and consequently offers advantages for imaging and quantitative measurements. As a result, NIRS measurements can be used to reflect the balance of oxygen delivery to the working muscles and oxygen consumption in the capillary beds. This makes NIRS a handy tool for assessing two of the major determinants of exercise capacity: oxygen delivery and utilization. Since NIRS is a non-invasive technique, it is very appealing for a wide range of training and competition scenarios. That said, I don't expect you to become a NIRS convert, nor do I think that all coaches and a…