Title: Muscle function after exercise-induced muscle damage: Considerations for athletic performance in children and adults
Abstract: Exercise-induced muscle damage is a welldocumented phenomenon which usually results after a bout of unaccustomed exercise or a series of movements involving eccentric muscle actions. In this form of muscle action, the muscle lengthens whilst it simultaneously attempts to contract. Important features of eccentric muscle action, which largely account for the extent of damage experienced in this form of contraction, are the higher forces exerted in comparison to concentric/isometric contractions and the lower motor unit activation for a given force ratio when compared to concentric/isometric muscle contractions. Such a profile of eccentric exercise places considerable stress on fewer motor units and often results in an immediate and prolonged reduction in the forceand power-generating capacity of the muscle. The consequences of damage on dynamic, multi-joint, sport-specific movements are most pertinent to athletic performance, but this aspect of muscle function has been studied less often. In addition, prior eccentric exercise has been observed to increase the physiological demand of endurance exercise and increase the thermal strain during exercise in the heat. The damage resulting from eccentric exercise also compromises the awareness of joint position and subjective estimation of muscle force output. The extent and severity of these effects appears to be moderated by gender, age, individual Roger ESTON ( ), Craig TWIST School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences University of Wales, Bangor George Building Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2PX United Kingdom e-mail: [email protected] Tel: (01248) 38 2824 Christopher BYRNE Centre for Human Performance, Defence Medical and Environmental Research Institute, DSO National Laboratories, Republic of Singapore Craig TWIST Department of Sport & Exercise Sciences, North East Wales Institute of Higher Education, Wrexham, UK differences in the elastic characteristics of muscle and prior eccentric and concentric exercise and training. This review takes account of some of these factors, summarizes the functional decrements in performance associated with exercise-induced muscle damage and relates these decrements to theoretical views regarding underlying mechanisms.
Publication Year: 2004
Publication Date: 2004-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 64
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