Symptoms Of Exercise-induced Muscle Damage Research Articles

The impact of blood flow restricted electrical stimulations on recovery from muscle damage.

Both electrical stimulations (E-STIM) and blood flow restriction (BFR) have been shown to treat symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage, but little is known about their combined effects which was the purpose of this study. Individuals completed one set of eccentric elbow flexion exercises to induce muscle damage. Forty-eight hours later, E-STIM was applied using an interferential current administered to both arms for 20 min; however, only one arm completed the E-STIM protocol while also undergoing repeated bouts of BFR (full occlusion for 2 min separated by a 1-min rest intervals). Discomfort and isometric strength were assessed immediately before the damaging exercise, immediately before the treatments, and 0, 10, and 30 min posttreatment. A total of 22 individuals (11 females) completed the study. There were no interactions with respect to discomfort (BF10 = 0.008) or isometric strength (BF10 = 0.009) indicating that the addition of BFR did not alter the effectiveness of E-STIM. There was a main effect of time indicating that the damaging exercise was successful at depressing torque (pre: 284 N, post: 199 N; BF10 = 2.70e9) and inducing discomfort (pre: 0 au, post: 6.4 au; BF10 = 3.21e17). While isometric strength did not recover with the E-STIM treatments, discomfort was reduced at each the immediate post (5.3 au; BF10 = 56 294) 10-min post (5.0 au; BF10 = 46 163), and 30-min post (4.9 au; BF10 = 707 600) time points. E-STIM may be useful for treating discomfort, but does not appear capable of recovering strength associated with muscle damage. The efficacy of E-STIM would not appear to be enhanced if performed under BFR.

Partial body cryotherapy exposure drives acute redistribution of circulating lymphocytes: preliminary findings

Partial body cryotherapy (PBC) is proposed to alleviate symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) by reducing associated inflammation. No studies have assessed acute PBC exposure on peripheral blood mononuclear cell mobilisation or compared these with cold water immersion (CWI), which may inform how PBC impacts inflammatory processes. This trial examined the impact of a single PBC exposure on circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells compared to CWI or a control. 26 males were randomised into either PBC (3 min at − 110 to − 140 °C), CWI (3 min at 9 °C), or control (3 min at 24 °C), with blood samples, heart rate, and blood pressure taken before and after exposure. Cytometric analysis determined that CD8+ T-cell populations were significantly elevated after treatments, with PBC increasing CD8+ T cells to a greater degree than either CWI or CON. Natural killer cell counts were also elevated after PBC, with the increase attributed specifically to the CD56loCD16+ cytotoxic subset. This provides the first evidence for the effect of PBC exposure on redistribution of immune cells. An increase in circulating leukocyte subsets such as CD8+ T cells and CD56loCD16+ natural killer cells suggests that PBC may induce a transient mobilisation of lymphocytes. PBC may thus enable a more efficient trafficking of these cells from the circulation to the site of initial cellular insult from exercise, potentially accelerating the process of cellular recovery. This provides novel evidence on the use of PBC as a recovery treatment and may also have applicability in other clinical settings involving the recovery of damaged skeletal muscle.

Effectiveness of a combined New Zealand green-lipped mussel and Antarctic krill oil supplement on markers of exercise-induced muscle damage and inflammation in untrained men

Green-lipped mussel oil (PCSO-524®) has been shown to attenuate signs and symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD), and krill oil has been shown to have a protective effect against cytokine-induced tissue degradation. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of PCSO-524® and ESPO-572® (75% PCSO-524® and 25% krill oil) on signs and symptoms of EIMD. Fifty-one untrained men consumed 600 mg/d of PCSO-524® (n = 24) or ESPO-572® (n = 27) for 26 d prior to and 72 h following a downhill running bout. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), pressure pain threshold, limb swelling, range of motion (ROM), isometric torque, and blood markers of inflammation and muscle damage were assessed at baseline, 24, 48 and 72 h post-eccentric exercise. ESPO-572® was ‘at least as good as’ PCSO-524® and both blends were superior (p < 0.05) to placebo in lessening the increase in DOMS at 24, 48, 72 h. ESPO-572® and PCSO-524® were protective against joint ROM loss compared to placebo (p < 0.05) at 48 and 72 h. Notably, at 24 and 48 h, joint ROM was higher in the ESPO-572® compared to the PCSO-524® group (p < 0.05). No differences between the two blends for the other markers were found. ESPO-572® is ‘at least as good’ as PCSO-524® in reducing markers of muscle damage and soreness following eccentric exercise and was superior to PCSO-524® in protecting against the loss in joint ROM during recovery. Our data support the use of ESPO-572®, a combination of green-lipped mussel and krill oil, in mitigating the deleterious effects of EIMD.

Effects of Pre-exercise Acute Vibration Training on Symptoms of Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Tan, J, Shi, X, Witchalls, J, Waddington, G, Lun Fu, AC, Wu, S, Tirosh, O, Wu, X, and Han, J. Effects of pre-exercise acute vibration training on symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Strength Cond Res 36(8): 2339-2348, 2022-Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) normally occurs after unaccustomed high-intensity eccentric exercises. Symptoms of EIMD include delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), tenderness, stiffness, swelling, reduced strength, and increased creatine kinase (CK) levels in the blood. Vibration training (VT) may be useful as a pre-exercise intervention in attenuating EIMD on the basis of tonic vibration reflex (TVR) through a more efficient distribution of contractile stress over muscle fibers. The objective of this meta-analysis is to examine the effects of acute VT on symptoms of EIMD when performed as the pre-exercise intervention. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in the 8 databases of Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, EBSCO, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Airiti Library and WanFang Data from 1966 (the earliest available time) to January 2019 were searched. A total of 2,324 records were identified and 448 articles were screened with the title and abstract. Two investigators identified eligible studies, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias independently. Review Manager 5.3 designed by Cochrane was used for the current meta-analysis. Six RCTs involving 180 subjects were included in the analysis. A low-to-moderate methodological quality of the included studies was revealed using the physiotherapy evidence database scale. The results showed that acute VT was superior to the control group for the reduction of DOMS on pain visual analogue scale at 24, 48 hours and pressure pain threshold at 24 hours. In addition, superior effects of acute VT were also found on the indirect markers of muscle damage including CK at 24, 72 hours, and lactate dehydrogenase at 24 hours. The current meta-analysis has collated the evidence to demonstrate that receiving acute VT before unaccustomed high-intensity eccentric exercises may be effective in attenuating markers of muscle damage and the development of DOMS when compared with a control group. The possible mechanisms of this effect could be attributed to an improved synchronization of muscle fiber caused by TVR, which could result in even distribution of exterior loads and eventually attenuate disruptions of muscle fibers. In addition, increased blood flow may also be helpful to prevent accumulation of metabolic substances and attenuate subsequent symptoms of EIMD. Vibration training may be used as a pre-exercise intervention to alleviate symptoms of EIMD caused by unaccustomed high-intensity eccentric exercise. Because of the limited quantity and quality of included studies, more high-quality studies are required to ascertain the effect of VT on symptoms of EIMD.

Nutritional interventions for reducing the signs and symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage and accelerate recovery in athletes: current knowledge, practical application and future perspectives.

This review provides anoverview of the current knowledge of the nutritional strategies to treat the signs and symptoms related to EIMD.These strategies have been organized into the following sections based upon the quality and quantity of the scientific support available: (1) interventions with a good level of evidence; (2) interventions with some evidence and require more research; and (3) potential nutritional interventions with little to-no-evidence to support efficacy. Pubmed, EMBASE, Scopus and Web of Science were used. The search terms 'EIMD' and 'exercise-induced muscle damage' were individually concatenated with 'supplementation', 'athletes', 'recovery', 'adaptation', 'nutritional strategies', hormesis'. Supplementation with tart cherries, beetroot, pomegranate, creatine monohydrate and vitamin D appear to provide a prophylactic effect in reducing EIMD. β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate, and the ingestion of protein, BCAA and milk could represent promising strategies to manage EIMD. Other nutritional interventions were identified but offered limited effect in the treatment of EIMD; however, inconsistencies in the dose and frequency of interventions might account for the lack of consensus regarding their efficacy. There are clearly varying levels of evidence and practitioners should be mindful to refer to this evidence-base when prescribing to clients and athletes. One concern is the potential for these interventions to interfere with the exercise-recovery-adaptation continuum. Whilst there is no evidence that these interventions will blunt adaptation, it seems pragmatic to use a periodised approach to administering these strategies until data are in place to provide and evidence base on any interference effect on adaptation.

The Effects of Leucine-Enriched Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplementation on Recovery After High-Intensity Resistance Exercise.

Of the 3 branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), leucine has arguably received the most attribution for the role of BCAA supplementation in alleviating symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage and facilitation of acute performance recovery. To examine whether enrichment of a standard BCAA supplement with additional leucine or a standalone leucine (LEU) supplement differentially affects exercise-induced muscle damage and performance recovery compared with a standard BCAA supplement. A total of 22 recreationally active male and female subjects were recruited and assigned to consume a BCAA, leucine-enriched BCAA (LBCAA), or LEU supplement for 11 d. On the eighth day, subjects performed eccentric-based resistance exercise (ECRE). Lower-body mean average and peak power, plasma creatine kinase, soreness, and pain threshold were measured before and 24, 48, and 72h after ECRE. LEU showed decreased mean average power (P = .02) and mean peak power (P = .01) from baseline to 48h post-ECRE, whereas LBCAA and BCAA only trended toward a reduction at 24 hours post-ECRE. At 48h post-ECRE, BCAA showed greater recovery of mean peak power than LEU (P = .04). At 24h post-ECRE, LEU demonstrated a greater increase in plasma creatine kinase from baseline than BCAA (P = .04). Area under the curve for creatine kinase was greater in LEU than BCAA (P = .02), whereas BCAA and LBCAA did not differ. Only LEU demonstrated increased soreness during rest and under muscular tension at 24 and 48 h post-ECRE (P < .05). LBCAA failed to afford any advantages over a standard BCAA supplement for postexercise muscle recovery, whereas a LEU supplement was comparatively ineffective.

No Effect of Tart Cherry Juice or Pomegranate Juice on Recovery from Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Non-Resistance Trained Men.

Tart cherry juice (TC) and pomegranate juice (POM) have been demonstrated to reduce symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD), but their effectiveness has not been compared. This randomized, double-blind, parallel study compared the effects of TC and POM on markers of EIMD. Thirty-six non-resistance trained men (age 24.0 (Interquartile Range (IQR) 22.0, 33.0) years, body mass index (BMI) 25.6 ± 4.0 kg·m−2) were randomly allocated to consume 2 × 250 mL of: TC, POM, or an energy-matched fruit-flavored placebo drink twice daily for nine days. On day 5, participants undertook eccentric exercise of the elbow flexors of their non-dominant arm. Pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and at 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 96 h post-exercise, maximal isometric voluntary contraction (MIVC), delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), creatine kinase (CK), and range of motion (ROM) were measured. The exercise protocol induced significant decreases in MIVC (p < 0.001; max decrease of 26.8%, 24 h post-exercise) and ROM (p = 0.001; max decrease of 6.8%, 72 h post-exercise) and significant increases in CK (p = 0.03; max increase 1385 U·L−1, 96 h post-exercise) and DOMS (p < 0.001; max increase of 26.9 mm, 48 h post-exercise). However, there were no statistically significant differences between treatment groups (main effect of group p > 0.05 or group x time interaction p > 0.05). These data suggest that in non-resistance trained men, neither TC nor POM enhance recovery from high-force eccentric exercise of the elbow flexors.

Effects of local cryotherapy for recovery of delayed onset muscle soreness and strength following exercise-induced muscle damage: systematic review and meta-analysis

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effects of local cryotherapy on the main symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) through a systematic literature review. A search on Cochrane CENTRAL, MEDLINE (PubMed), Lilacs and PEDro databases was carried out from inception to March 2018. Studies that performed a protocol of muscle damage induction, and used local cryotherapy as intervention in comparison with control group/placebo were eligible. The studies should evaluate at least one of the outcomes of interest (delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) or muscle strength). Studies that did not evaluate any of the variables of interest or applied ice massage or other cooling modalities were excluded. The search identified 221 studies, in which 7 studies met the eligibility criteria and were included. There was a mean PEDro score of 7.28, and all studies were ranked as high methodological quality. Meta-analysis showed local cryotherapy does not seem to be effective to accelerate recovery of DOMS (− 0.11; 95% CI − 0.8 to 0.57; I2: 79%) or muscle strength (− 0.59; 95% CI − 2.89 to 1.71; I2: 0%) following EIMD. In conclusion, the results showed that local cryotherapy does not seem to contribute for the improvement of DOMS and muscle weakness associated with EIMD.

Montmorency tart cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) supplementation accelerates recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage in females

Tart Montmorency cherry concentrate (MC) has been reported to attenuate the symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) and to accelerate exercise recovery, which has been attributed to its high anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Although these data are promising, there are no data regarding exclusively female populations. Therefore, the aim of this investigation was to examine the efficacy of MC on recovery following EIMD in females. In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, twenty physically active females (mean ± SD age 19 ± 1 y; stature 167 ± 6 cm; body mass 61.4 ± 5.7 kg) consumed MC or a placebo (PL) for eight days (30 mL twice per day). Following four days of supplementation, participants completed a repeated-sprint protocol and measures of muscle soreness (DOMS), pain pressure threshold (PPT), limb girth, flexibility, muscle function, and systemic indices of muscle damage and inflammation were collected pre, immediately post (0 h) and 24, 48 and 72 h post-exercise. Time effects were observed for all dependent variables (p < 0.05) except limb girth and high sensitivity C-reactive protein. Recovery of countermovement jump height was improved in the MC group compared to PL (p = 0.016). There was also a trend for lower DOMS (p = 0.070) and for higher PPT at the rectus femoris (p = 0.071) in the MC group. The data demonstrate that MC supplementation may be a practical nutritional intervention to help attenuate the symptoms of muscle damage and improve recovery on subsequent days in females.

Commercially available compression garments or electrical stimulation do not enhance recovery following a sprint competition in elite cross-country skiers

This study investigated whether commercially available compression garments (COMP) exerting a moderate level of pressure and/or neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) accelerate recovery following a cross-country sprint skiing competition compared with a control group (CON) consisting of active recovery only. Twenty-one senior (12 males, 9 females) and 11 junior (6 males, 5 females) Swedish national team skiers performed an outdoor sprint skiing competition involving four sprints lasting ∼3–4 min. Before the competition, skiers were matched by sex and skiing level (senior versus junior) and randomly assigned to COMP (n = 11), NMES (n = 11) or CON (n = 10). Creatine kinase (CK), urea, countermovement jump (CMJ) height, and perceived muscle pain were measured before and 8, 20, 44 and 68 h after competition. Neither COMP nor NMES promoted the recovery of blood biomarkers, CMJ or perceived pain post-competition compared with CON (all P > .05). When grouping all 32 participants, urea and perceived muscle pain increased from baseline, peaking at 8 h (standardised mean difference (SMD), [95% confidence intervals (CIs)]): 2.8 [2.3, 3.2]) and 44 h (odds ratio [95% CI]: 3.3 [2.1, 5.1]) post-competition, respectively. Additionally, CMJ was lower than baseline 44 and 68 h post-competition in both males and females (P < .05). CK increased from baseline in males, peaking at 44 h (SMD: 1.4 [−0.4, 0.9]), but was decreased in females at 20 h post-competition (SMD: −0.8 [−1.4, −0.2]). In conclusion, cross-country sprint skiing induced symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage peaking 8–44 h post-competition. However, neither COMP nor NMES promoted physiological or perceptual recovery compared with CON.

The Effect of Foam Rolling for Three Consecutive Days on Muscular Efficiency and Range of Motion

BackgroundFoam rolling (FR) has been shown to alleviate some symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage and has been suggested to increase range of motion (ROM) without negatively impacting strength. However, it is unclear what neuromuscular effects, if any, mediate these changes.MethodsIn a randomized, crossover design, 16 healthy active males completed 2 min of rest or FR of the knee extensors on three consecutive days. Mechanical properties of vastus lateralis (VL) and rectus femoris (RF) were assessed via Tensiomyography. Knee extension maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and knee flexion ROM were also assessed, and surface electromyography amplitude (RMS) was recorded during a submaximal isometric contraction (50% of MVC). Measures were performed before and after (0, 15, and 30 min) FR or rest.ResultsMVC was reduced on subsequent days in the rest condition compared to FR (p = 0.002, pη2 = 0.04); ROM was not different across time or condition (p = 0.193, pη2 = 0.01). Stiffness characteristics of the VL were different on the third day of FR (p = 0.002, pη2 = 0.03). RMS was statistically reduced 0, 15, and 30 min after FR compared to rest (p = 0.006, pη2 = 0.03; p = 0.003, pη2 = 0.04; p = 0.002, pη2 = 0.04).ConclusionsFollowing FR, MVC was elevated compared to rest and RMS was transiently reduced during a submaximal task. Excitation efficiency of the involved muscles may have been enhanced by FR, which protected against the decline in MVC which was observed with rest.

Arachidonic acid supplementation transiently augments the acute inflammatory response to resistance exercise in trained men.

Strenuous exercise can result in skeletal muscle damage, leading to the systemic mobilization, activation, and intramuscular accumulation of blood leukocytes. Eicosanoid metabolites of arachidonic acid (ARA) are potent inflammatory mediators, but whether changes in dietary ARA intake influence exercise-induced inflammation is not known. This study investigated the effect of 4 wk of dietary supplementation with 1.5 g/day ARA ( n = 9, 24 ± 1.5 yr) or corn-soy oil placebo ( n = 10, 26 ± 1.3 yr) on systemic and intramuscular inflammatory responses to an acute bout of resistance exercise (8 sets each of leg press and extension at 80% one-repetition maximum) in previously trained men. Whole EDTA blood, serum, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBCs), and skeletal muscle biopsies were collected before exercise, immediately postexercise, and at 2, 4, and 48 h of recovery. ARA supplementation resulted in higher exercise-stimulated serum creatine kinase activity [incremental area under the curve (iAUC) P = 0.046] and blood leukocyte counts (iAUC for total white cells, P < 0.001; neutrophils: P = 0.007; monocytes: P = 0.015). The exercise-induced fold change in peripheral blood mononuclear cell mRNA expression of interleukin-1β ( IL1B), CD11b ( ITGAM), and neutrophil elastase ( ELANE), as well as muscle mRNA expression of the chemokines interleukin-8 ( CXCL8) and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 ( CCL2) was also greater in the ARA group than placebo. Despite this, ARA supplementation did not influence the histological presence of leukocytes within muscle, perceived muscle soreness, or the extent and duration of muscle force loss. These data show that ARA supplementation transiently increased the inflammatory response to acute resistance exercise but did not impair recovery. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Daily arachidonic acid supplementation for 4 wk in trained men augmented the acute systemic and intramuscular inflammatory response to a subsequent bout of resistance exercise. Greater exercise-induced inflammatory responses in men receiving arachidonic acid supplementation were not accompanied by increased symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage. Although increased dietary arachidonic acid intake does not appear to influence basal inflammation in humans, the acute inflammatory response to exercise stress is transiently increased following arachidonic acid supplementation.

THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT DOSE OF DROP JUMPING ON SYMPTOMS OF MUSCLE DAMAGE

Background. The aim of this study was to follow symptoms of exercise induced muscle damage in response to 50, 100 and 200 drop jumps with maximal intensity. Methods. Three groups of young healthy men (n = 10 in each group) performed a bout of mechanically demanding stretch shortening cycle exercise consisting of 50, 100 and 200 drop jumps. Voluntary and electrically induced knee extension torque, creatine kinase, muscle soreness were measured before and 24 h after exercise. Results. Indirect symptoms of exercise induced damage were dependent on DJs volume: the higher the numbers of jumps, the more symptoms were observed. Only after 200 DJs compared to 50-100 DJ there was decrease of CAR and H of DJ, and 24 h after 200 DJs CK was greater than after 50-100 DJs. Conclusion. In response to acute severe muscle-damaging exercise (after 200 DJs), indirect symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage occurred.

Local cryotherapy is ineffective in accelerating recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage on biceps brachii

The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the effects of local cryotherapy on the recovery from symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) on biceps brachii. Nineteen untrained women performed an eccentric protocol of damage induction (2 sets of 10 repetitions) in both arms after the baseline data collection. The cryotherapy was applied for 20 min, twice per day, for 4 days following the eccentric exercise. Randomly, one of the subject’s arms was assigned as intervention, and received cryotherapy, the opposite arm served as control. As muscle damage indirect markers, we collected muscle thickness, and echo intensity, delayed onset muscle soreness, and peak torque at baseline (PRE), and at 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. Muscle thickness at PRE was significantly lower than all time points in both experimental and control arms. Echo intensity at PRE was significantly lower than 24, 48, and 72 h in the experimental arm, and significantly lower than all time points in the control arm. Muscle soreness assessed by flexion–extension, and by self-palpation of both the experimental and the control arms significantly increased compared to the PRE value at 24, 48, and 72 h. Peak Torque of both experimental and control arm was significantly lower than all time points after EIMD. None of the muscle damage indirect markers showed any significant difference between arms at any moment (p > 0.05). The results demonstrated that the protocol of cryotherapy utilized in the present study was not effective in enhancing the recovery from EIMD in untrained women.

Muscle damage and inflammation during recovery from exercise.

Unaccustomed exercise consisting of eccentric (i.e., lengthening) muscle contractions often results in muscle damage characterized by ultrastructural alterations in muscle tissue, clinical signs, and symptoms (e.g., reduced muscle strength and range of motion, increased muscle soreness and swelling, efflux of myocellular proteins). The time course of recovery following exercise-induced muscle damage depends on the extent of initial muscle damage, which in turn is influenced by the intensity and duration of exercise, joint angle/muscle length, and muscle groups used during exercise. The effects of these factors on muscle strength, soreness, and swelling are well characterized. By contrast, much less is known about how they affect intramuscular inflammation and molecular aspects of muscle adaptation/remodeling. Although inflammation has historically been viewed as detrimental for recovery from exercise, it is now generally accepted that inflammatory responses, if tightly regulated, are integral to muscle repair and regeneration. Animal studies have revealed that various cell types, including neutrophils, macrophages, mast cells, eosinophils, CD8 and T-regulatory lymphocytes, fibro-adipogenic progenitors, and pericytes help to facilitate muscle tissue regeneration. However, more research is required to determine whether these cells respond to exercise-induced muscle damage. A large body of research has investigated the efficacy of physicotherapeutic, pharmacological, and nutritional interventions for reducing the signs and symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage, with mixed results. More research is needed to examine if/how these treatments influence inflammation and muscle remodeling during recovery from exercise.

The effects of tart cherry juice with whey protein on the signs and symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage following plyometric exercise

Exercise induced muscle damage can increase perceived pain which may decrease adherence to an exercise program. Purpose: To determine the effects of tart cherry juice with whey protein (TCW) on recovery from plyometric exercise. Methods: Sixteen participants (10 male, 6 female, Age: 23±5years, Height: 171±13cm, Weight: 79±16kg) ingested two 240mL bottles of TCW or placebo beverage (PLA) twice daily for 10days. Participants completed 5×20 drop jumps on day 6. Results: Both groups experienced muscle soreness (TCW: 21mmvs. PLA: 33mm), elevated CK (305±176 UL) and LDH (196±19 UL) 24h post exercise. ORAC was significantly higher in TWC post supplementation (126±48μMvs. PLA: 58±46μM) and 48h post exercise (641±114μMvs. PLA: 314±113μM). Conclusion: TCW can increase ORAC and may attenuate perceived soreness.

FOAM ROLLING INCREASES SKELETAL MUSCULAR EFFICIENCY WITHOUT AFFECTING RANGE OF MOTION

Foam rolling (FR) has been shown to alleviate some symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage, and has been suggested to increase range of movement (ROM) without negatively impacting strength. However, the...

Type of Ground Surface during Plyometric Training Affects the Severity of Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage.

The purpose of this study was to compare the changes in the symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage from a bout of plyometric exercise (PE; 10 × 10 vertical jumps) performed in aquatic, sand and firm conditions. Twenty-four healthy college-aged men were randomly assigned to one of three groups: Aquatic (AG, n = 8), Sand (SG, n = 8) and Firm (FG, n = 8). The AG performed PE in an aquatic setting with a depth of ~130 cm. The SG performed PE on a dry sand surface at a depth of 20 cm, and the FG performed PE on a 10-cm-thick wooden surface. Plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), knee range of motion (KROM), maximal isometric voluntary contraction (MIVC) of the knee extensors, vertical jump (VJ) and 10-m sprint were measured before and 24, 48 and 72 h after the PE. Compared to baseline values, FG showed significantly (p < 0.05) greater changes in CK, DOMS, and VJ at 24 until 48 h. The MIVC decreased significantly for the SG and FG at 24 until 48 h post-exercise in comparison to the pre-exercise values. There were no significant (p > 0.05) time or group by time interactions in KROM. In the 10-m sprint, all the treatment groups showed significant (p < 0.05) changes compared to pre-exercise values at 24 h, and there were no significant (p > 0.05) differences between groups. The results indicate that PE in an aquatic setting and on a sand surface induces less muscle damage than on a firm surface. Therefore, training in aquatic conditions and on sand may be beneficial for the improvement of performance, with a concurrently lower risk of muscle damage and soreness.

Effects of Daily Astaxanthin and L-Carnitine Supplementation for Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Training Thoroughbred Horses

The effects of dietary supplementation with astaxanthin and L-carnitine on serum markers and clinical incidence rate of exercise-induced muscle damage were studied in training horses. Sixty-three healthy Thoroughbred horses were randomly assigned to two groups and received the same base diet and exercise training throughout this study. The supplement (supp.) group (n = 31) received daily supplementation with astaxanthin (75 mg) and L-carnitine (3,000 mg) for 8 weeks, and the control (cont.) group (n = 32) received no supplementation. Blood samples were collected after high-intensity exercise training at 5 weeks before supplementation, 3 days (3d), and 8 weeks (8w) after the start of the supplementation. The blood samples were analyzed for creatine kinase (CK) activity and lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme-5 (LDH-5), and a retrospective study was carried out by analyzing medical records for symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage in both groups. Five horses (two of supp. group and three of cont. group) were excluded from this study for other disease. In the cont. group, CK activity at 8w was significantly increased compared with 3d, whereas the supp. group showed no significant change. After 8w, the CK activity of the supp. group was significantly lower than that of the cont. group. Additionally, the LDH-5 concentration of the supp. group also tended to be lower as compared with that of the cont. group. The incidence rate of exercise-induced muscle damage was significantly lower in the supp. group compared with the cont. group. These results suggest that continuous dietary administration of astaxanthin and L-carnitine attenuates exercise-induced muscle damage in horses.

Effects of Massage on Muscular Strength and Proprioception After Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage

Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD), which is commonly associated with eccentric exercise, unaccustomed exercise, and resistance training, may lead to delayed onset muscle soreness, swelling, decreased muscle strength, and range of motion. Many researchers have evaluated various interventions to treat the signs and symptoms of EIMD. However, the effects of massage after EIMD are unclear. Here, we investigated the effect of massage on muscle strength and proprioception after EIMD. All subjects randomly were divided into an EIMD-treated control group (n = 10) and a massage-treated after EIMD experimental group (n = 11). Exercise-induced muscle damage was induced by repeated exercise. Massage treatment was provided by physiotherapist for 15 minutes. It consists of light stroking, milking, friction, and skin rolling. Lactate was evaluated by Lactate Pro analyzer in pre- and postexercise. Surface electromyography (muscle activity) and sonography (muscle thickness) were used to confirm the muscular characteristics. Proprioception was investigated by dual inclinometer. As a result, massage treatment on the gastrocnemius after EIMD increased activation of the medial gastrocnemius during contraction (p ≤ 0.05). In the lateral and medial gastrocnemius, the θs, which is the angle between muscle fibers and superficial aponeurosis, showed a significant change (p ≤ 0.05). However, there are no differences in the θd, which is the angle between muscle fibers and deep aponeurosis. We also found that proprioceptive acuity in the ankle joint was significantly greater in the massage-treated experimental group compared with that in the control group (p ≤ 0.05). These findings suggest that massage of the gastrocnemius after EIMD can improve muscle strength and proprioception by influencing the superficial layer of the gastrocnemius.