Changes in Torque and Electromyography of Human Elbow Flexors fol-lowing Acute Eccentric Exercise

Document Type : Original Article (s)

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Sport Physiology, School of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Isfahan University, Isfahan, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Health, School of Human Movement Studies, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia

Abstract

Background: Acute muscular exercise generally induces the development of fatigue that has detrimental effects on performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of acute eccentric exercise (ECC) training on torque and electromyography (EMG) activity of human elbow flexors.Methods: Sixteen healthy male active subjects with no previous history of pathology of the elbow performed ten sets of 5 repetitions of maximal eccentric muscle actions training (ECC-T) with one arm using the calibrated electronically Biodex isokinetic dynamometer (System 3: Biodex) at 120° s-1 velocity of the dominant elbow flexors determined at the elbow joint of 90° (1.57 rad). Changes in maximal voluntary torque and EMG activity (root mean square (RMS)) of biceps brachii and brachialis muscles were measured after acute ECC.Findings: The acute ECC induced a significant torque reduction (P < 0.01). During the exercise session, mean maximal voluntary eccentric torque reduction reached 28.21 ± 10.20% (P < 0.001). Indeed, average maximal eccentric torque values dropped from 64.11 ± 11.28 N/m for the first three muscle actions of the first set to 46.05 ± 10.66 N/m for the final five muscle actions of the tenth set. Concurrent to the torque decrease, the RMS values of the biceps brachii and brachialis muscles at the same velocity were significantly lower after the exercise session (P < 0.05). After the acute exercise session, mean RMS values of the biceps brachii and brachialis muscles reduction reached respectively 15.16% and 13.87% (P < 0.001). Conclusion: These results showed that an acute ECC induced a significant voluntary maximal torque and EMG reduction of human elbow flexors during eccentric muscle actions.

Keywords

References

  1. Rees JD, Wolman RL, Wilson A. Eccentric exer-cises; why do they work, what are the problems and how can we improve them? Br J Sports Med 2009; 43(4): 242-6.
  2. Roig M, O'Brien K, Kirk G, Murray R, McKinnon P, Shadgan B, et al. The effects of eccentric ver-sus concentric resistance training on muscle strength and mass in healthy adults: a systemat-ic review with meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med 2009; 43(8): 556-68.
  3. LaStayo PC, Woolf JM, Lewek MD, Snyder-Mackler L, Reich T, Lindstedt SL. Eccentric muscle contractions: their contribution to injury, prevention, rehabilitation, and sport. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2003; 33(10): 557-71.
  4. Kraemer WJ, Adams K, Cafarelli E, Dudley GA, Dooly C, Feigenbaum MS, et al. American Col-lege of Sports Medicine position stand. Progres-sion models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2002; 34(2): 364-80.
  5. Kraemer WJ, Ratamess NA. Fundamentals of resistance training: progression and exercise pre-scription. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2004; 36(4): 674-88.
  6. Newham DJ, Jones DA, Ghosh G, Aurora P. Muscle fatigue and pain after eccentric contrac-tions at long and short length. Clin Sci (Lond) 1988; 74(5): 553-7.
  7. Nosaka K, Clarkson PM. Changes in indicators of inflammation after eccentric exercise of the elbow flexors. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1996; 28(8): 953-61.
  8. Saxton JM, Donnelly AE. Length-specific im-pairment of skeletal muscle contractile function after eccentric muscle actions in man. Clin Sci (Lond) 1996; 90(2): 119-25.
  9. Shellock FG, Fukunaga T, Mink JH, Edgerton VR. Exertional muscle injury: evaluation of concentric versus eccentric actions with serial MR imaging. Radiology 1991; 179(3): 659-64.
  10. Byrne C, Eston RG, Edwards RH. Characteristics of isometric and dynamic strength loss following eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2001; 11(3): 134-40.
  11. Prasartwuth O, Taylor JL, Gandevia SC. Maxi-mal force, voluntary activation and muscle soreness after eccentric damage to human elbow flexor muscles. J Physiol 2005; 567(Pt 1): 337-48.
  12. Allen DG. Eccentric muscle damage: mecha-nisms of early reduction of force. Acta Physiol Scand 2001; 171(3): 311-9.
  13. Cleak, MJ, Eston RG. Muscle soreness, swelling, stiffness and strength loss after intense eccentric exercise. Br J Sports Med 1992; 26(4): 267–72.
  14. Baltzopoulos V, Gleeson NP. Skeletal muscle function. In: Eston R, Reilly T, editors. Kinan-thropometry and Exercise Physiology Laborato-ry Manual: Tests, Procedures and Data. 3rd ed. London: Routledge; 2008. p. 3-40.
  15. Proske U, Morgan DL. Muscle damage from eccentric exercise: mechanism, mechanical signs, adaptation and clinical applications. J Physiol 2001; 537(Pt 2): 333-45.
  16. Warren GL, Ingalls CP, Lowe DA, Armstrong RB. Excitation-contraction uncoupling: major role in contraction-induced muscle injury. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 2001; 29(2): 82-7.
  17. Warren GL, Ingalls CP, Lowe DA, Armstrong RB. What mechanisms contribute to the strength loss that occurs during and in the recovery from skeletal muscle injury? J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2002; 32(2): 58-64.
  18. Clarkson PM, Nosaka K, Braun B. Muscle func-tion after exercise-induced muscle damage and rapid adaptation. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1992; 24(5): 512-20.
  19. Crenshaw AG, Karlsson S, Styf J, Backlund T, Friden J. Knee extension torque and intramuscu-lar pressure of the vastus lateralis muscle during eccentric and concentric activities. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1995; 70(1): 13-9.
  20. Komi PV, Viitasalo JT. Changes in motor unit activity and metabolism in human skeletal mus-cle during and after repeated eccentric and con-centric contractions. Acta Physiol Scand 1977; 100(2): 246-54.
  21. Michaut A, Pousson M, Ballay Y, Van HJ. Short-term changes in the series elastic component af-ter an acute eccentric exercise of the elbow flex-ors. Eur J Appl Physiol 2001; 84(6): 569-74.
  22. Morgan DL, Allen DG. Early events in stretch-induced muscle damage. J Appl Physiol 1999; 87(6): 2007-15.
  23. Linnamo V, Strojnik V, Komi PV. EMG power spectrum and features of the superimposed M-wave during voluntary eccentric and concentric actions at different activation levels. Eur J Appl Physiol 2002; 86(6): 534-40.
  24. McHugh MP, Tyler TF, Greenberg SC, Gleim GW. Differences in activation patterns between eccentric and concentric quadriceps contrac-tions. J Sports Sci 2002; 20(2): 83-91.
  25. Seger JY, Thorstensson A. Effects of eccentric versus concentric training on thigh muscle strength and EMG. Int J Sports Med 2005; 26(1): 45-52.
  26. Westing SH, Cresswell AG, Thorstensson A. Muscle activation during maximal voluntary ec-centric and concentric knee extension. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1991; 62(2): 104-8.
  27. Gibala MJ, MacDougall JD, Tarnopolsky MA, Stauber WT, Elorriaga A. Changes in human skeletal muscle ultrastructure and force produc-tion after acute resistance exercise. J Appl Phys-iol 1995; 78(2): 702-8.
  28. MacIntyre DL, Sorichter S, Mair J, Berg A, McKenzie DC. Markers of inflammation and myofibrillar proteins following eccentric exercise in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol 2001; 84(3): 180-6.
  29. Nosaka K, Sakamoto K. Effect of elbow joint angle on the magnitude of muscle damage to the elbow flexors. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2001; 33(1): 22-9.
  30. Rinard J, Clarkson PM, Smith LL, Grossman M. Response of males and females to high-force eccentric exercise. J Sports Sci 2000; 18(4): 229-36.
  31. Katz B. The relation between force and speed in muscular contraction. J Physiol 1939; 96(1): 45-64.
  32. Komi PV, Buskirk ER. Effect of eccentric and concentric muscle conditioning on tension and electrical activity of human muscle. Ergonomics 1972; 15(4): 417-34.
  33. Morgan DL, Gregory JE, Proske U. The influence of fatigue on damage from eccentric contrac-tions in the gastrocnemius muscle of the cat. J Physiol 2004; 561(Pt 3): 841-50.
  34. Friden J. Changes in human skeletal muscle in-duced by long-term eccentric exercise. Cell Tis-sue Res 1984; 236(2): 365-72.
  35. Friden J, Lieber RL. Eccentric exercise-induced injuries to contractile and cytoskeletal muscle fi-bre components. Acta Physiol Scand 2001; 171(3): 321-6.
  36. Lieber RL, Friden J. Selective damage of fast glycolytic muscle fibres with eccentric contrac-tion of the rabbit tibialis anterior. Acta Physiol Scand 1988; 133(4): 587-8.
  37. Klein CS, Marsh GD, Petrella RJ, Rice CL. Mus-cle fiber number in the biceps brachii muscle of young and old men. Muscle Nerve 2003; 28(1): 62-8.
  38. Travnik L, Pernus F, Erzen I. Histochemical and morphometric characteristics of the normal hu-man vastus medialis longus and vastus medialis obliquus muscles. J Anat 1995; 187 ( Pt 2): 403-11.
Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Volume 29, Issue 170 - Serial Number 170
November and December 2012
Pages 2662-2671

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 24 January 2012
  • Revise Date: 01 November 2024
  • Accept Date: 06 April 2022

Share

How to cite

Statistics