Effect of aqua exercise on recovery of lower limb muscles after downhill running

• Published in: Journal of sports sciences 2006-08, Vol.24 (8), p.835-842
• Main Authors: Takahashi, Junichiro, Ishihara, Keiji, Aoki, Junichiro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Creatine Kinase - blood; delayed-onset muscle soreness; eccentric contraction; Exercise - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Lower Extremity - physiology; Male; Muscle Contraction - physiology; muscle soreness; muscle stiffness; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Reaction Time - physiology; Recovery; Recovery of Function - physiology; Running - physiology; Vertebrates: body movement. Posture. Locomotion. Flight. Swimming. Physical exercise. Rest. Sports; Water
• ISSN: 0264-0414; 1466-447X
• DOI: 10.1080/02640410500141737

The aim of the present study was to examine how the recovery of physiological functioning of the leg muscles after high-intensity eccentric exercise such as downhill running could be promoted by aqua exercise for a period until the damaged muscle had recovered almost completely. Ten male long-distance runners were divided equally into an aqua exercise group and a control group. From the first day (Day 0) to the fourth day (Day 3), the participants completed a questionnaire on muscle soreness, and serum creatine kinase activity, muscle power, flexibility, whole-body reaction time and muscle stiffness were measured. After measurements on Day 0, the participants performed downhill running (three 5 min runs with a 5 min rest interval at −10%, 335.7 ± 6.1 m · min −1 ). The aqua exercise group performed walking, jogging and jumping in water on three successive days following the downhill running on Day 0 for 30 min each day. Muscle power was reduced on Day 1 in the control group (P