Knee extensor muscle damage protective effect by maximal isometric contractions of the knee flexors

The present study investigated whether performing 10 knee flexor maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVICs) would attenuate muscle damage induced by maximal eccentric contractions of the same leg. Twenty-four young men performed 100 knee extensor eccentric contractions using the right leg, and 12 of them performed 10 knee flexor MVICs by the right leg at 1 day prior to the eccentric exercise (KF group), but other 12 participants did not perform the 10 knee flexor MVICs (non-KF group). No significant group differences were found for changes in knee extensor MVIC torque and muscle soreness for 3 days after the eccentric exercise. However, evoked doublet torque recovery was faster for the non-KF than KF group. These results suggest that performing 10 knee flexor MVICs did not attenuate eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage of the ipsilateral knee extensors.