Abstract
The goals of this narrative review are to provide a brief overview of the muscle and tendon adaptations to eccentric resistance exercise and address the applications of this form of training to aid rehabilitative interventions and enhance sports performance. This work is centered on the author contributions to the Special Issue entitled “Eccentric Exercise: Adaptations and Applications for Health and Performance”. The major themes from the contributing authors include the need to place greater attention on eccentric exercise mode selection based on training goals and individual fitness level, optimal approaches to implementing eccentric resistance exercise for therapeutic purposes, factors that affect the use of eccentric exercise across the lifespan, and general recommendations to integrate eccentric exercise in athletic training regimens. The authors propose that movement velocity and the absorption or recovery of kinetic energy are critical components of eccentric exercise programming. Regarding the therapeutic use of eccentric resistance training, patient-level factors regarding condition severity, fitness level, and stage of rehabilitation should govern the plan of care. In athletic populations, use of eccentric exercise may improve movement competency and promote improved safety and performance of sport-specific tasks. Eccentric resistance training is a viable option for youth, young adults, and older adults when the exercise prescription appropriately addresses program goals, exercise tolerability, and compliance. Despite the benefits of eccentric exercise, several key questions remain unanswered regarding its application underscoring the need for further investigation.
Highlights
This article is an open access articleEccentric muscle actions—which yield net force production during active muscle lengthening—remain both a scientific curiosity and a ubiquitous element of mobility and task performance
The authors highlight that the absorption of kinetic energy, and the resultant overload stimulus applied to the muscle-tendon unit (MTU), differ with varied modes of eccentric exercise which include: tempo eccentric training, flywheel overload training, accentuated eccentric loading, and plyometric training [20]
The authors recommend that earlier phases of the recovery continuum may merit a more conservative approach to therapeutic exercise whereas late phase rehabilitation geared towards the return to relatively demanding physical activities would benefit from the integration of eccentric exercise into the management of tendinopathy [36]
Summary
Eccentric muscle actions—which yield net force production during active muscle lengthening—remain both a scientific curiosity and a ubiquitous element of mobility and task performance. Despite advancements in the understanding of the benefits of eccentric exercise, fundamental questions regarding appropriate implementation and optimal exercise prescription remain This Special Issue of the Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology addresses some of the evidence gaps concerning the mechanisms of muscle and tendon adaptations to eccentric exercise and the emerging applications of this unique form of exercise. In this introduction to the Special Issue, the editors present a narrative review highlighting the major themes from the contributing authors. These collective works make important distinctions across multiple modes of eccentric exercise, examine the adaptations to active muscle lengthening for therapeutic purposes, consider the use of eccentric exercise across the lifespan, and provide recommendations to integrate eccentric exercise in athletic training regimens
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