An investigation of the effect of exercised arm, training status, and racial background on changes in markers of muscle damage following maximal eccentric exercise of the elbow flexors

Abstract

Despite the substantial body of research accumulated on exercise-induced muscle damage, there remain several areas that warrant further investigation. Study groups comprised of individuals from differing racial background and /or training status have the potential to influence the intra-group variability in damage markers following eccentric exercise. In addition, if a contralateral arm model is employed, intra- and inter-group variation could be influenced by the formation of groups based on limb dominance and /or the order in which the arms are exercised. Currently there is a dearth of research addressing these factors, however, these types of studies are important as they can shed light on methods to increase statistical sensitivity by minimizing group variability