Can Skin Temperature Be Altered After Different Magnitudes of Eccentric Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage?

• Published in: Research quarterly for exercise and sport 2022-10, Vol.93 (4), p.702-709
• Main Authors: Barboza, Jean Artur Mendonça, Ferreira, José Jamacy de Almeida, Cerqueira, Mikhail Santos, Maciel, Daniel Germano, de Barros, Alef Cavalcanti Matias, Leite, Emmanoel Claudio, Matias, Monayane Grazielly, Lemos, Telma Maria, Nonato, Rúsia Dayanny, de Brito Vieira, Wouber Hérickson
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Creatine; Creatine kinase; Elbow; exercise; Muscle contraction; muscle strength; Muscles; Thermography; Vitamin E
• ISSN: 0270-1367; 2168-3824
• DOI: 10.1080/02701367.2021.1909693

Purpose: This study aimed to assess skin temperature (Tsk) changes after different magnitudes of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) of the elbow flexor muscles and investigate whether Tsk is related to indirect markers of EIMD. Methods: Thirty healthy active men were randomly allocated to the mild (MiDG) (n = 15) or moderate (MoDG) (n = 15) muscle damage group. Muscle damage in elbow flexor muscles was induced by 10 (for MiDG) or 30 (for MoDG) maximal eccentric isokinetic contractions at 60 degrees/s. Tsk, maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity, range of motion (ROM), and pressure pain threshold (PPT) were measured before and up to 72 hr after EIMD. Results: Tsk increased only immediately after EIMD (p  .05) at any of the times analyzed, or correlation between Tsk and most indirect markers of EIMD. Conclusions: In conclusion, Tsk should not be considered an indirect marker of mild or moderate muscle damage in active men, since alterations in this variable last less than 30 min after damaging exercise and showed no correlation with most indirect markers of EIMD.