title: Shift of peak torque angle after eccentric exercise.
abstract: This study aims to investigate the changes in the mechanical properties of quadriceps muscle following a sub-maximal concentric-eccentric stepping exercise protocol. Twenty-four untrained healthy subjects aged 21.9 +/- 0.55 years were asked to perform a 10-minute stepping exercise where the dominant leg worked eccentrically and the non-dominant leg worked concentrically at a rate of 15 cycles/min. The quadriceps isokinetic peak torque and the corresponding peak torque angle at angular velocity of 60 degrees /sec, and muscle soreness were determined at baseline, immediately after, day 1 and day 2 after the exercise protocol. Repeated measures of ANOVA showed no change in the peak torque after the eccentric exercise and concentric exercise (p > 0.05). There was a significant shift in the peak torque angle to longer muscle lengths in the eccentrically-exercised leg immediately (65.6 +/- 2.21 degrees ) and on the following two days after exercise (day 1: 68.3 +/- 2.71 degrees ; day 2: 67.4 +/- 2.51 degrees ) when compared with baseline (61.4 +/- 1.55 degrees , p < 0.05). These features were not observed in the concentrically-exercised leg. Eccentric exercise produced a higher level of soreness than concentric exercise at day 1 and 2 after the protocol. Submaximal eccentric exercise could bring about changes in the muscle properties resulting in a shift in the angle-torque relationship to longer muscle length without significant force deficit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Yeung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D018763:Muscle Fatigue / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D019415:Torque