EFFECT OF ISCHEMIC PRECONDITIONING ON CONTRACTION-INDUCED SKELETAL MUSCLE INJURY

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of ischemic-preconditioning (IP) on markers of skeletal muscle injury following eccentric exercise. Prior to performing 25 one-arm eccentric contractions, sedentary males (n = 10) completed either an IP protocol or a control condition. The IP protocol consisted of three 5 min cycles of inflating (180 mmHg) and deflating an upper arm blood pressure (BP) cuff. The control condition consisted of applying a deflated BP cuff for 30 min. The treatments were separated by at least 3 weeks and were performed on opposite arms. Measurements were made before the treatment, after treatment, 5 min, 3 h, 6 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h post-exercise. Blood neutrophil concentrations were not significantly different between the treatments at any of the post-exercise time points but were elevated at 3 and 6 h post-exercise for both treatments. Statistical analysis by two-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant (p < 0.05) changes in isometric strength, arm angles, muscle soreness and blood creatine kinase activity; however, no significant differences were noted between the treatments. In conclusion, IP does not influence markers of skeletal muscle injury following eccentric arm exercise.