Reginald C. Gray 
Xavier University of Louisiana
New Orlean, LA
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Robert H. Fitts

Muscle fatigue is the process of reduced force due to repeated muscle stimulation (Westerblad, 1991). This project is concerned with the etiology of low frequency fatigue, which is characterized by a loss of force at low frequencies. The decline in peak power with muscle fatigue is dependent on both, force output (N) and velocity (m/s) (Widrick, 1996). This project is designed to utilize the pioneering work of Westerblad et al. to look at the causative agent(s) of low-frequency muscle fatigue produced in the soleus and plantaris muscles of male mice. The focus of this study consist of three distinct sections: 

1. Characterizing a force frequency relationship of each muscle.

2. Utilizing the data from the force frequency curves to propagate low-frequency fatigue.

3. Continuing work will analyze the low-frequency fatigue data to determine possible causative agent(s), and address the mechanisms of those agent(s).