Theory to practice - Training with muscle soreness
Issue: Volume 27 Number 1
Background
Coaches and athletes are always faced with the issue of managing recovery between quality training sessions, in particular weight training. Such training sessions generally lead to residual muscle soreness, particularly in the pre-season when muscles are re-adapting to the rigours of training after possibly having laid fallow for a few months. It is very typical to turn up to training with some soreness during this training phase or at any time after a game or quality training. So what effect does this soreness have on training the next day?
Research
A group of Californian sport scientists examined the effects of delayed-onset muscle soreness on oxygen uptake, heart rate, respiratory exchange ratio (an indirect measure of fat versus carbohydrate metabolism), rating of perceived exertion, and blood lactate that were measured every six minutes during two separate 30-minute moderate runs in seven male and four female physically active subjects aged 21 to 37 years. Following the first run, they performed a series of moderate lower-body weights exercises designed to induce delayed-onset muscle soreness. Subjects were then retested 24 to 30 hours later by doing the second run during which they all experienced delayed-onset muscle soreness.
Findings
The researchers observed a lower heart rate during the earlier stages of the second ‘sore’ run but no change in heart rate towards the end of the run. However, the subjects rating of perceived exertion were significantly higher during all recording periods in the ‘sore’ run. The researchers concluded that delayed-onset muscle soreness does not affect submaximal oxygen uptake but that delayed-onset muscle soreness does appear to affect a person’s perception of effort.
Coach’s takeout
The results suggest that while an athlete may feel they are working harder when sore, they may not be cardiovascularly stressed. However, as any astute coach or athlete knows, such training too often or too long may lead to increased risk of injury or possible overtraining. Thus, the old hard–easy principle needs to be at the forefront of the coach’s mind. If the coach uses rate of perceived exertion, they need to be aware that soreness may explain the athlete’s perceptions of how hard they are training. If they are using heart rates, be aware that soreness may be masked by no change in heart rate. Thus, the old story — communicate with the athlete!
Reference
Scott, KE, Rozenek, R, Russo, AC, Crussemeyer, JA and Lacourse MG (2003). Effects of delayed onset muscle soreness on selected physiological responses to submaximal running, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 17(4):652–8.
