• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.1-9
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• 2008

Purpose: This study examined the effects of pre-eccentric exercise to the quadriceps for the prevention of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and recovery of muscular function, depending on the training intensities. Methods: Subjects were divided into one of three groups that control group, a low intensity eccentric exercise group (LIEE group) and a high intensity eccentric exercise group (HIEE group). Subjects who underwent pre-eccentric exercise undertook exercise at an intensity of 25% and 75% of maximal voluntary contractions, respectively. After undertaking pre-eccentric exercise for eight weeks, eccentric exercise was applied again to induce DOMS. Measurements were conducted to examine pain and muscular function changes before, immediately after, after the induction of DOMS, and at the first, third, fifth and seventh days after the induction of DOMS. Results: Subjects who underwent pre-eccentric exercise showed a significant difference from the control group for the changes in the visual analogue scale (VAS) pain threshold, pressure pain threshold and muscle thickness by isometric contraction from measuring DOMS, and in particular, pain threshold by isometric contraction had remarkable effect in the LIEE group of subjects. For the change of the root mean square values using mechanomyography (MMG) as the measurement of muscular function recovery, subjects who had undertaken pre-eccentric exercise group showed a significant difference as compared to the control group. Conclusion: Pre-eccentric exercise was very effective in preventing and recovering delayed onset muscle soreness and was helpful to prevent and recover from decreased muscular function. The difference based on the intensity of exercise was not great, but it was more effective in the low intensity eccentric exercise group of subjects. Therefore, it can be considered that pre-eccentric exercise has a high application value as a physical therapy intervention for prevention and rehabilitation of sports injuries.