Premium
Response to high‐intensity eccentric muscle contractions in persons with myopathic disease
Author(s) -
Kilmer David D.,
Aitkens Susan G.,
Wright Nancy C.,
McCrory Megan A.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.1130
Subject(s) - medicine , eccentric , creatine kinase , muscular dystrophy , delayed onset muscle soreness , physical therapy , elbow , facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy , physical medicine and rehabilitation , cardiology , anatomy , muscle damage , physics , quantum mechanics
Although the response to intense eccentric muscle contractions is well described in normal subjects, concern exists about possible untoward effects in persons with myopathic diseases. We investigated 14 subjects with slowly progressive muscular dystrophies including myotonic muscular dystrophy ( n = 9), facioscapulohumeral dystrophy ( n = 2), limb‐girdle syndrome ( n = 2), and Becker muscular dystrophy ( n = 1). Control subjects consisted of 18 able‐bodied persons. Subjects performed two sets of eight maximal‐effort eccentric repetitions of the elbow flexors, with measurement of maximal concentric strength, serum creatine kinase, resting and flexed arm angle, arm circumference, and soreness at days 0, 3, and 7. Although the myopathic group had less initial strength, both groups demonstrated a similar response to the protocol over 7 days. Both groups had a significant rise in serum creatine kinase, which was still elevated at 7 days ( P < 0.05). The control group demonstrated a slightly greater injury response in terms of soreness, resting and flexed arm angles, and arm swelling. Both groups of subjects appeared to respond similarly to an acute bout of eccentric contractions. However, the potential long‐term effects of this type of exercise in persons with myopathic diseases remains unknown. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 24: 1181–1187, 2001