Conclusion Overall , our findings do not support the presence of a secondary loss of strength following an acute muscle injury , and strongly suggest that strength , on average , recovers steadily over the first 3 days post-injury
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 .
Repeated Eccentric Exercise Bouts Do Not Exacerbate Muscle Damage and Repair
This study examined whether performing repeated bouts of eccentric exercise 2 and 4 days after an initial damaging bout would exacerbate muscle damage . One arm performed 3 sets of 10 eccentric actions of the elbow flexors ( ECC1 ) using a dumbbell set at 50 % of the maximal isometric force at 90 ° ( SINGLE ) . Two weeks later the same exercise was performed by the opposite arm with the exception that subsequent bouts were performed 2 ( ECC2 ) and 4 ( ECC3 ) days after ECC1 ( REPEATED ) . In the REPEATED condition , maximal isometric force ( MIF ) decreased to the same level immediately after ECC1–3 , and the decreases in range of motion ( ROM ) and increases in upper arm circumference immediately postexercise were similar among the bouts . However , no significant differences in changes in MIF , ROM , muscle soreness , and plasma creatine kinase activity were evident between the SINGLE and REPEATED conditions when excluding the changes immediately after ECC2 and ECC3 . These results suggest that ECC2 and ECC3  did not exacerbate muscle damage or affect the recovery process
Conclusion Overall , our findings do not support the presence of a secondary loss of strength following an acute muscle injury , and strongly suggest that strength , on average , recovers steadily over the first 3 days post-injury
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 .