Residual muscular swelling after repetitive eccentric contractions

Abstract

This investigation illustrates the morphological changes that take place following eccentric exercise and correlates those changes with intramuscular pressure readings. Eight healthy male subjects were asked to exercise their right lower leg anterior compartment eccentrically and their left concentrically. Four hundred submaximal contractions were performed in each exercise regimen over a 20‐min period against a load corresponding to 15% of the individual's maximal dorsiflexion torque. Tissue fluid pressures were measured by the slit catheter technique before, during, and after exercise and 48 h later. Needle biopsies of both anterior tibialis muscles were also taken 48 h after completion of the exercise regimens. Overall morphology of the specimens revealed a greater cross‐sectional fiber area (both type 1 and type 2) in the eccentrically exercised muscle as compared with the concentrically exercised muscle. Scant evidence of infiammation (only 1 of 8 of the “eccentric” muscle samples) and no fiber necrosis was observed. Fiber type proportions were equal on both sides and type 1 fiber biased (70%). Extremely large type 2 fibers were found in 4 of 8 subjects from the eccentric specimens. This incidence correlated significantly with the length of the time to return to resting pressure after eccentric exercise (r = 0.93, p < 0.001). The percentage of water content was significantly higher in the eccentrically exercised muscle. Based on these findings, we conclude that muscle fiber swelling is a predominant feature following eccentric exercise and is directly associated with delayed muscle soreness.