The effects of exercise-induced muscle damage on varying intensities of endurance running performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the effects of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) on sub-maximal and maximal effort running performance. News: Physiological responses during sub-maximal running across two exercise stages (low intensity < 75% (V)over dotO(2max) and high intensity > 75% (V)over dotO(2max)) were meta-analytically examined 24- and 48-hours after EIMD. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), intramuscular enzymes (creatine kinase [CK] and myoglobin [Mb]) and muscle function at the same time points were examined to confirm EIMD. Alterations to maximal-effort running performance 24- and 48-hours after EIMD were qualitatively analysed. Prospects and projects: Significant increases in DOMS, intramuscular enzymes, and decreases in muscle function were found 24 and 48 h after EIMD (P < 0.05). During low intensity running (< 75% (V)over dotO(2max)), running economy (RE) and ventilation ((V)over dot(E)) were unchanged 24 h after EIMD (P > 0.05), however, were significantly increased at 48 h (P < 0.05). Physiological responses during high intensity running (> 75% (V)over dotO(2max)) were all significantly increased 24 and 48 h after EIMD (P < 0.05). There was insufficient number of studies for maximal-effort running performance (time-to-exhaustion and time-trial performance) to be meta-analysed, however, 3 studies reported that outcome measures were impaired for up to 48 h post-EIMD. Conclusion: Endurance runners contemplating eccentric exercise to improve performance should consider the effects that EIMD has on running performance and periodise training accordingly. (c) 2022 L'Auteur(s).Publie par Elsevier Masson SAS. Cet article est publie en Open Access sous licence CC BY-NC-ND (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).