Exercise-induced signs of muscle overuse in children

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 1999

Authors

duarte, ja (Author) FADEUP; magalhaes, jf (Author) FADEUP; monteiro, l (Author) Other; almeida-dias, a (Author) Other; soares, jmc (Author) Other; appell, hj (Author) Other

Journal

Title: International Journal of Sports Medicine

Vol. 20

Pages: 103-108

ISSN: 0172-4622

Publisher: Thieme

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 22 Citations

Scopus - 24 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Health sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-001-568

DOI: 10.1055/s-1999-970273

Abstract (EN): Signs of overuse after intense muscular exertion are well described in adults, while little research has been conducted in children. The aim of the study was to investigate some indirect markers of muscle damage in 13 years old boys following two different protocols of one-leg stepping exercise to exhaustion. This stepping exercise was performed by two experimental groups with different contributions of concentric and eccentric contractions in a 1 :1 vs 1 :2 ratio of timing. Subjective soreness perception and maximum voluntary isometric force of the knee extensor muscles were measured immediately prior to and immediately following the exercise, and at 1, 3, 24, 48, 72, 96 hours post exercise. Metabolic markers of exercise stress were taken at similar time intervals and included plasma glutathione concentrations as a marker for oxidative stress, circulating leukocyte numbers, and plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity. All parameters studied demonstrated a higher level of muscular exertion, with more evident signs of overuse in the group with the more eccentric contribution. Complete recovery was achieved between 72 and 96 hours after exertion. However, in this group of boys, the CK activity did not show the typical adult-lilte increase. Therefore the wide use of CK as an indicator of intense muscle exertion was not supported in this group of children. It can be concluded that children, like adults, experience similar degrees of muscle disturbances following intense exercise and that they may recover more quickly from such exercise.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 6