Abstract

Eccentric exercise, especially when it causes a marked degree of stretching, is associated with delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Pain appear on the areas submitted to exercise some hours after the end of exercise, peaking, in general, between 24 and 72 hours latter. Usually, pain is accompanied by a small swelling, lower ranged of articular displacement, stiffness and loss of strength. One of the most prominent characteristics of DOMS is hypersensitivity, which is manifested by a reduction in pain threshold to mechanical stimulation, such that stimuli usually innocuous (just a mild pressure in the affected area) trigger painful sensations. This phenomenon is called mechanical allodynia. During the last years eccentric-induced muscle injuries have earned growing interest in the scientific community likely due to the fact that DOMS are associated with reduced sport performance. This review focus on the main variables that have been studied to assess the functional and structural impairment caused by eccentric muscle actions.