CHANGES IN POWER ASSESSED BY THE WINGATE ANAEROBIC TEST FOLLOWING DOWNHILL RUNNING

• Published in: Journal of strength and conditioning research Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 145 - 150
• Main Authors: NOTTLE, CARMEL, NOSAKA, KAZUNORI
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Strength and Conditioning Association 01.02.2007; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Anaerobic Threshold; Analysis of Variance; Biomechanical Phenomena; Creatine Kinase - blood; Exercise; Humans; Male; Muscle pain; Muscle, Skeletal - injuries; Muscle, Skeletal - physiopathology; Muscular system; Running; Running - physiology; Space life sciences; Sports training; Studies
• ISSN: 1064-8011; 1533-4287
• DOI: 10.1519/00124278-200702000-00026

Few studies have examined the effects of eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage on power despite power being a key performance variable in a number of sporting events. The aim of this study was to examine changes in anaerobic power (30-second Wingate Test), isometric strength of the knee extensors and flexors, muscle soreness, and plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity following downhill running. Eight men performed a 40-minute downhill (−7%) run on a treadmill, and measurements were taken on 6 occasions (2 baseline and 0.5, 24, 72, and 120 hours postrun). A second group of men (n = 5) had the measurements taken on 6 occasions without downhill running and served as a control group. A repeated measures analysis of variance revealed no significant changes in any measures across time for the control group. Following downhill running, significant (p < 0.05) decreases in strength (0.5–24 hours), and significant increases in muscle soreness (0.5–72 hours) and plasma CK activity (0.5–120 hours) were observed. A significant decrease in peak and average power (∼5%) was evident only 0.5 hours postrun, and the decrease was smaller in magnitude than that of strength (∼15%). These results suggest that power is less affected than strength after eccentric exercise, and the effect of reduced power on sport performance seems negligible.