Comparison in eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage among four limb muscles

Abstract

This study tested the hypothesis that changes in indirect markers of muscle damage following maximal eccentric exercise would be smaller for the knee extensors (KE) and flexors (KF) compared with the elbow flexors (EF) and extensors (EE). A total of 17 sedentary men performed five sets of six maximal isokinetic (90° s(-1)) eccentric contractions of EF (range of motion, ROM: 90°-0°, 0 = full extension), EE (55°-145°), KF (90°-0°), and KE (30°-120°) using a different limb with a 4-5-week interval in a counterbalanced order. Changes in maximal isometric and concentric isokinetic strength, optimum angle, limb circumference, ROM, plasma creatine kinase activity and myoglobin concentration, muscle soreness, and echo-intensity of B-mode ultrasound images before and for 5 days following exercise were compared amongst the four exercises using two-way repeated-measures ANOVA. All variables changed significantly following EF, EE, and KF exercises, but KE exercise did not change the optimum angle, limb circumference, and echo-intensity. Compared with KF and KE, EF and EE showed significantly greater changes in all variables, without significant differences between EF and EE. Changes in all variables were significantly greater for KF than KE. For the same subjects, the magnitude of change in the dependent variables following exercise varied among the exercises. These results suggest that the two arm muscles are equally more susceptible to muscle damage than leg muscles, but KF is more susceptible to muscle damage than KE. The difference in the susceptibility to muscle damage seems to be associated with the use of muscles in daily activities.

Monitoring muscle damage markers during a four-week downhill walking exercise program

“…Our main finding was that the four-week DW training program with progressively increasing load produced moderate increase in indirect muscle damage markers in healthy young adults. However, consistent with previous research (Chen, Lin, Chen, Lin, & Nosaka, 2011;Lima & Denadai, 2011;Nosaka, Newton, Sacco, Chapman, & Lavender, 2005), a repeated bout effect (i.e., reduced muscle damage) was found during the fourth training week.…”

“…This attenuated response could be attributed to partial protection conferred by the previous training weeks, i.e., repeated bout effect. Indeed, several studies have verified that the magnitude of changes on muscle damage markers might be attenuated after one (McHugh, 2003;Nosaka, Newton, Sacco, Chapman, & Lavender, 2005;Chen, Lin, Chen, Lin, & Nosaka, 2011;Lima & Denadai, 2011) or a series (Kamandulis et al, 2011) of eccentric exercise sessions. When compared with the 1 st day of the 1 st training week, SOR was significantly increased from the 2 nd to 5 th day.…”

Effects of low-intensity concentric and eccentric exercise combined with blood flow restriction on indices of exercise-induced muscle damage

“…This is important because prolonged decreases in force are one of the best markers of muscle damage [20]. Furthermore, the upper body is more susceptible to muscle damage than the legs [14], but BFR had little eff ect on muscle soreness, MVC, or other markers of EIMD in the CON-BFR arm.…”

“…The highest value of soreness from these three methods for each subject was used for muscle soreness analysis. Borg's Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE), which is a scale (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20) to measure subjective feelings of exertion and fatigue, was recorded immediately after each set of the exercise bout [19].…”

“…All of these studies have examined the eff ects of BFR on EIMD in the lower body, but none have investigated the eff ects of BFR on EIMD in the upper body. If EIMD were produced in the lower body with BFR, it would be important to note BFR's eff ects on EIMD in the upper body, which is more susceptible to EIMD than the lower body [14]. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the eff ects of a pre-set number of repetitions of low-intensity (30% 1-RM) eccentric BFR (ECC-BFR) or concentric BFR (CON-BFR) exercise on EIMD in the upper body.…”