Effects of repeated isometric and eccentric contractions on active muscle stiffness.

Background: Joint stiffness endurance is considered essential in many sports events. We previously reported that reduced joint stiffness due to repetitive hopping was associated with reduced active muscle stiffness. However, the determinants of active muscle stiffness endurance were unknown. This study aimed to compare the effects of repeated isometric contractions (ISO), which induced metabolic muscle fatigue, and repeated eccentric contractions (ECC), which induced muscle damage, on active muscle stiffness endurance.

Methods: Fourteen males performed two kinds of fatigue tasks (ISO and ECC) using only ankle joint. Before and after the fatigue tasks, changes in estimated muscle force and fascicle length during fast stretching were used to calculate the active muscle stiffness of the medial gastrocnemius muscle. In addition, the thickness of the plantar flexor muscles was measured before and after fatigue tasks.

Results: After fatigue tasks, no difference in the relative increase of muscle thickness was found between ISO and ECC. The increase in torque during fast stretching did not change after both ISO and ECC. The increase in fascicle length during fast stretching significantly increased after ECC but not ISO. Active muscle stiffness significantly decreased after ECC but not ISO.

Conclusions: Active muscle stiffness decreased after repeated eccentric contractions damaging fascicles and did not change with repeated isometric contractions causing metabolic fatigue. These results implied that the joint stiffness reduction due to repetitive stretch-shortening cycle exercises shown in previous studies involved a reduction in active muscle stiffness due to repeated eccentric contractions.