How does this work?
What other controls on blood flow operate?
The blood flow to skeletal muscle initially decreases due to sympathetic stimulation of the blood vessels that causes contraction. Later, as the muscles begin to work, they begin to produce byproducts of metabolism, CO2, adenosine, other waste products, and these waste products stimulate blood vessel dilation. In this way, blood is shunted away from muscles that aren't working and don't need it an towards muscles that are working.