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Int J Sports Med 2005; 26(10): 827-831
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-837461
Physiology & Biochemistry

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

The Effects of Muscle Damage on Running Economy in Healthy Males

V. Paschalis1 , Y. Koutedakis1 , 2 , V. Baltzopoulos3 , V. Mougios 4 , A. Z. Jamurtas1 , V. Theoharis1
  • 1Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Thessaly University, Karies, Trikala, Greece
  • 2School of Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure, Wolverhampton University, Walshall, UK
  • 3Center of Biophysical and Clinical Research into Human Movement, Manchester Metropolitan University, Alsager, UK
  • 4Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece
Further Information

Publication History

Accepted after revision: November 10, 2004

Publication Date:
15 March 2005 (online)

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Abstract

Published information on aspects related to muscle damage and running economy is both limited and contradictory. To contribute to the current debate, we investigated the effects of an eccentric exercise session on selected muscle damage indices in relation to running economy using 10 (mean age 23 ± 1 years) healthy male volunteers. The eccentric exercise session consisted of 120 (12 × 10) maximal voluntary repetitions by each randomly selected leg at the angular velocity of 1.05 rad · s-1. Muscle damage (creatine kinase, delayed onset muscle soreness, range of movement, and eccentric, concentric and isometric [at 60° and 110° knee flexion] peak torque) and running economy (oxygen consumption, pulmonary ventilation, respiratory exchange ratio and breaths per minute during treadmill running at 133 and 200 m · min-1) indicators, were assessed pre-, 24-, 48-, 72- as well as 96-h after exercise. All muscle damage indicators revealed significant changes at almost all time-points of assessment compared to pre-exercise data (p < 0.05). However, none of the running economy parameters disclosed any significant change throughout the study (p > 0.05). It was concluded that changes in muscle damage and muscle performance as measured in this study are not reflected by concomitant alterations in running economy at submaximal intensities.

Key words

Oxygen consumption - delayed onset muscle soreness - range of movement - isokinetic peak torque

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V. Paschalis

University of Thessaly, Dept. of P. E. & Sports Science

Karies, 42100

Trikala

Greece

Phone: + 302431047055

Fax: + 30 24 31 04 70 56

Email: vpasxal@pe.uth.gr