Key result
Higher baseline HRV moderately linked to lower perceived soreness during late hamstring DOMS recovery.
Why the study?
This study evaluated the relationship between baseline heart rate variability and bioelectrical phase angle and hamstring recovery at 72 and 96 h after induced DOMS in physically active men.
Do baseline heart rate variability and bioelectrical phase angle predict recovery from hamstring delayed-onset muscle soreness in physically active men?
Observational (n=46)
No
Do baseline heart rate variability and bioelectrical phase angle predict recovery from hamstring delayed-onset muscle soreness in physically active men?
Baseline autonomic modulation, particularly HRV indices like SDNN and RMSSD, is associated with interindividual variability in perceived soreness recovery following exercise-induced muscle damage.
Baseline HRV associates with perceived soreness after DOMS; hypothesis-generating and should not yet change practice.
The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between baseline heart rate variability (HRV) and bioelectrical phase angle and hamstring recovery at 72 and 96 h after a DOMS-inducing protocol in physically active men. Following experimentally induced hamstring DOMS in 46 physically active male participants aged 20.78 ± 2.19 years, recovery outcomes including maximal isometric strength, active knee extension range of motion (AROM), pressure pain threshold, and perceived soreness were evaluated at baseline and at 48, 72, and 96 h. Associations between baseline physiological markers and changes in recovery outcomes were subsequently examined using correlation analyses. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Changes in perceived soreness at 72 h showed moderate positive correlations with baseline HRV ( r = 0.45), DFA-alpha 1 ( r = 0.41), and stress index ( r = 0.35), and moderate negative correlations with SDNN ( r = -0.33) and RMSSD ( r = -0.37). At 96 h, correlations with HRV ( r = 0.33), DFA-alpha 1 ( r = 0.38), SDNN ( r = -0.29), and RMSSD ( r = -0.34) remained significant (all p < 0.05). In addition, at 72 h post DOMS left limb ROM demonstrated a moderate positive correlation with DFA-alpha 1 ( r = 0.32), while changes in right limb ROM were moderately positively correlated with phase angle ( r = 0.31). Additionally, changes in left limb peak torque exhibited a moderate negative correlation with HRV ( r = -0.32). Baseline HRV-derived indices, particularly SDNN and RMSSD, were associated with perceived soreness in the later stages of recovery from hamstring DOMS. On the other hand, relationships with objective recovery outcomes were less consistent. Phase angle showed limited and outcome-specific associations, suggesting it may be less sensitive for monitoring acute recovery after eccentric exercise. These results suggest that autonomic status may be involved in interindividual variability in the perceptual response to muscle damage.
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Quiblier et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) (n=46). Baseline heart rate variability and bioelectrical phase angle was evaluated on Correlation between baseline HRV and changes in perceived soreness at 72 hours (r = 0.45, p=<0.05). Higher baseline heart rate variability indices, particularly SDNN and RMSSD, were moderately associated with lower perceived soreness during the later stages of recovery from hamstring delayed-onset muscle soreness.
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