LIGHT CONCENTRIC EXERCISE DURING RECOVERY FROM EXERCISE-INDUCED MUSCLE DAMAGE

Eight male volunteers performed two eccentric exercise bouts using the forearm flexors of first one arm, then the other. The two bouts, cons isting of 70 maximum voluntary muscle actions, were separated by a per iod of three weeks. In the experimental condition of the study, five s ets of 10 sub-maximal concentric muscle actions were performed on the four days after the eccentric bout. In the control condition of the st udy, no concentric work was performed. Repeated measures analysis of v ariance indicated an increase in serum creatine kinase activity (p < 0 .01) and decreases in relaxed elbow angle (p < 0.05) and maximum volun tary contraction force (p < 0.01) at three elbow angles (0.87, 1.57 an d 2.79 rad) after both eccentric bouts. However, the serum creatine ki nase response to eccentric exercise was reduced in the experimental co ndition (p < 0.05) and recovery of maximum voluntary force production at the most acute joint angle (0.87 rad) was accelerated (p < 0.01). A lthough muscle soreness increased after both eccentric bouts (p < 0.05 ; Wilcoxon test), further concentric exercise evoked temporary relief of muscle soreness two days after the bout(p < 0.05; Wilcoxon test). H owever, light concentric work had no effect on the other para meters m onitored. In practical terms, these results suggest that the therapeut ic effects of light concentric work on correlates of exercise-induced muscle damage are minimal.