ORIGINAL ARTICLE  EPIDEMIOLOGY AND CLINICAL MEDICINE 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2017 September;57(9):1195-204

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.16.06476-8

Copyright © 2016 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Eccentric resistance training intensity may affect the severity of exercise induced muscle damage

Timothy HASENOEHRL ^{1, 2} ✉, Barbara WESSNER ¹, Harald TSCHAN ³, Claudia VIDOTTO ⁴, Richard CREVENNA ², Robert CSAPO ⁵

¹ Department of Sport and Exercise Physiology, Center for Sport Science and University Sports, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; ² Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical University of Vienna, General Hospital of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; ³ Department of Training and Movement Science, Center for Sport Science and University Sports, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; ⁴ Study Lab G.m.b.H., Vienna, Austria; ⁵ Institute for Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to assess the role of eccentric exercise intensity in the development of and recovery from delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
METHODS: Using a cross-over study design, 15 healthy, male college students were tested on two occasions. The training stimulus consisted of an exhaustive series of eccentric muscle contractions of the elbow flexors at either 100% (high intensity) or 50% (low intensity) of the individual concentric one-repetition maximum. Blood samples were taken at baseline as well as 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours postexercise, and analyzed for creatine kinase, myoglobin, interleukin-6 and prostaglandin-2. Additionally, upper arm circumference (CIRC) and DOMS-related sensation of pain (PAIN) were measured.
RESULTS: Following high intensity training, CIRC was significantly greater (P=0.007). Further, creatine kinase, myoglobin and interleukin-6 tended to be higher, although the main effect of the factor “intensity” just failed to reach significance (creatine kinase: P=0.056, myoglobin: P=0.064, interleukin-6: P=0.091). No differences were found for prostaglandin-2 (P=0.783) and PAIN (P=0.147).
CONCLUSIONS: When performed at greater intensity, fatiguing eccentric resistance exercise of the elbow flexors leads to greater muscle swelling and, potentially, increases in serum markers reflecting lesions in the muscle’s cellular membrane.

KEY WORDS: Resistance training - Creatine kinase - Interleukin-6