Short-term immobilization after eccentric exercise. Part I: contractile properties.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the compound muscle action potential (M-wave) and evoked contractile properties of immobilized muscle after high-force eccentric exercise. We believed that changes in these variables would contribute to the enhanced recovery of maximal voluntary force observed after short-term immobilization of damaged muscle. We hypothesized that immobilization after eccentric exercise would result in an enhanced M-wave and a change in contractile properties toward characteristics of faster muscle fibers.

METHODS: Twenty-five college-age males were matched according to force loss after 50 maximal eccentric contractions of the elbow flexors and placed into an immobilization (IMM, N = 12) or control (CON, N = 13) group. IMM had their arm immobilized at 90 degrees and secured in a sling during a 4-d treatment. Maximal isometric torque (MVC) was assessed at baseline and for 8 d after treatment. M-wave and evoked contractile properties of the muscle (twitch torque [TT], maximal rate of torque development [MRTD], time to peak torque [TPT], and one-half relaxation time [HRT]) were assessed at baseline and for the first 5 d after treatment.

RESULTS: Immediately postexercise, MVC was reduced 43% and 42% in IMM and CON, respectively. Recovery of MVC was significantly greater in IMM during recovery (P < 0.05), 95% of baseline MVC compared with 83% in CON. M-wave was reduced 32%, and all contractile properties were altered immediately postexercise. M-wave, MRTD, TPT, and HRT were not significantly different between groups during recovery (P > 0.05). TT demonstrated enhanced recovery in IMM (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Short-term immobilization after eccentric exercise resulted in enhanced recovery of maximal voluntary force. However, enhanced force recovery cannot be explained by muscle activation and evoked contractile properties of the muscle.