Delayed onset muscle soreness in neck/shoulder muscles

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The aim of the present study is to: (1) induce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) in the neck and shoulder muscles; (2) compare the pressure pain sensitivity of muscle belly with that of musculotendinous tissue after DOMS; (3) examine the gender differences in the development of DOMS. An eccentric shoulder exercise was developed to induce DOMS on neck/shoulder muscles using a specially designed dynamometer. Eccentric shoulder contraction consisted of 5 bouts, each bout lasted 3 min, with 3 min rest period between each bout. The right shoulder was elevating against a downward pressure force of 110% maximal voluntary contraction force exerted by the dynamometer. Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) of 11 sites (seven sites measured were muscle belly and four sites were myotendinous area) on neck/shoulder region were measured before, immediately after, 24 and 48 h after exercise. Pain intensity, pain area and index of McGill pain questionnaire were assessed and all were increased after exercise. DOMS was induced in the shoulder muscles. PPT was significantly decreased and reached lowest values at 24 h. The muscle belly sites are more sensitive to pain than the musculotendinous sites. No gender differences were found in any of the parameters used to assess the development of DOMS. DOMS did not distribute evenly in the neck/shoulder region. Soreness after exercise in the neck and shoulder seems not to be among the conditions that produce predominant musculoskeletal pain in females.