The Effects of Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage on Agility and Sprint Running Performance

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the effects of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) on agility and linear sprint running performance. Twelve healthy adults were randomly allocated to a treatment group (n = 7; age, 21 ± 1.2 years; height, 1.77 ± 0.11 m; body mass, 70.8 ± 8.2 kg) where they completed 100 plyo- metric jumps, or to a control group (n = 5; age, 24 ± 0.7 years; height, 1.77 ± 0.07 m; body mass, 69.2 ± 8.8 kg). Perceived muscle soreness, isokinetic peak torque of the knee extensors at 60 and 270 deg·s−1, sprint running time over 5 and 10 m, a timed agility test and ground contact time at the agility turn point were recorded at baseline and then 24, 48 and 168 hours following muscle-damaging exercise. Perceived muscle soreness was significantly increased (p 0.05). These findings indicate that agility and sprint performance is reduced following EIMD, and provides further evidence that performance of activities requiring rapid generation of force is impaired following muscle-damaging exercise.