Effect of different muscle contraction interventions using an isokinetic dynamometer on muscle recovery following muscle injury

The objective of the present study was to examine the effects of different muscle contraction interventions using isokinetic dynamometers on the muscle recovery after muscle injury caused by eccentric exercise. A total of 28 healthy male adults participated in the present study and each subject was randomly assigned to eccentric muscle contraction (EC, n=7), concentric muscle contraction (CC, n=7), both eccentric and concentric muscle contraction (BEC, n=7), and control (CON, n=7) groups after performing eccentric exercise. In all groups, except the control group, a different type of muscle contraction intervention was applied repeatedly for 24–96 hr after eccentric exercise, and maximum strength, muscle soreness, and creatine kinase (CK) levels were measured. The results showed a significant association between time and group, with respect to maximum strength (P<0.05), muscle soreness (P<0.001), and CK (P<0.001) after eccentric exercise. Moreover, BEC group showed faster muscle recovery than other groups. In conclusion, implementing active strategies such as performing BEC using an isokinetic dynamometer after eccentric exercise may be effective in facilitating muscle recovery.