Effect of Contraction Velocity on Selected Muscle Damage Indices Following Acute Eccentric Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage: A Review

Background & Objective: Eccentric muscle action is mechanically more efficient but employs a unique activation strategy which predisposes the muscle to damage. Type II muscle fibers are more susceptible than type I fibers to muscle damage; hence, velocity probably interferes with mechanical stress and thus may modulate muscle damage. The purpose of this review study was to investigate the effect of contraction velocity on selected muscle damage indices following acute eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage. Material & Method: Looking up related articles published in valid scientific databases such as PubMed, Springer, Elsevier, Science Direct, and SID with standard keywords and according to the research criteria, 16 studies (1980 to 2015) were selected. Results: Ten studies showed that high velocity eccentric exercise induced greater muscle damage. Five studies showed no differences between velocities, and a single study indicated a greater magnitude of muscle damage following slow eccentric exercise. Conclusion: Thus, greater magnitude of damage is induced by contractions performed at a higher velocity. However, considering differences during tension in the majority of studies, focusing on elbow flexor muscles and muscle damage profile variety in various muscle groups, and more animal and human studies in other muscular groups are necessary to confirm how the velocity of acute eccentric exercise would affect the muscle damage.