Background: An immediate loss of strength follows virtually all types of muscle injury but there is debate whether the initial strength loss is maximal or if a secondary loss of strength occurs during the first 3 days post-injury.
Objective: The objective of this analysis was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the research literature to determine if a secondary loss of strength occurs after an injurious initiating event.
Methods: Literature searches were performed using eight electronic databases (e.