Resumen de Effect of Low-Volume High-Intensity Interval Exercise and Continuous Exercise on Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness in Untrained Healthy Males

Luiz Fernando Farias Junior, Rodrigo Alberto Vieira Browne, Danniel T. Frazão, Teresa Cristina Batista Dantas, Paulo H.M. Silva, Rodrigo P.A Freitas, Marcelo Saldanha Aoki, Eduardo Caldas Costa

• The aim of this study was to compare the effect of a single session of a low-volume high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) and a continuous exercise (CE) on the magnitude of delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) in untrained healthy males. Fifteen participants (25.1 +/- 4.4 years) completed 2 experimental sessions in a randomized order: (a) low-volume HIIE: 10 x 60 seconds at 90% of maximal velocity (MV) interspersed with 60 seconds of active recovery at 30% of MV and (b) CE: 20 minutes at 60% of MV. Pressure-pain threshold (PPT), pressure-pain tolerance (PPTol), and perceived pain intensity (PPI) were assessed in the rectus femoris, biceps femoris, and gastrocnemius before and 24 hours after exercise. There was a decrease of PPT in the rectus femoris (-0.5 kg[middle dot]cm-2) and PPTol in the gastrocnemius (-1.4 kg[middle dot]cm-2) and an increase of PPI in the rectus femoris (14.4 mm) and in the biceps femoris (11.7 mm) 24 hours after the low-volume HIIE session (p <= 0.05). There was a decrease of PPT (rectus femoris: -0.8 kg[middle dot]cm-2; biceps femoris: -0.5 kg[middle dot]cm-2; gastrocnemius: -0.9 kg[middle dot]cm-2) and PPTol (rectus femoris: -1.9 kg[middle dot]cm-2; biceps femoris: -2.7 kg[middle dot]cm-2; gastrocnemius: -1.6 kg[middle dot]cm-2) and an increase of PPI (rectus femoris: 8.1 mm; biceps femoris: 10.3 mm; gastrocnemius: 17.5 mm) in all muscles 24 hours after the CE session (p <= 0.05). No difference was observed between HIIE and CE sessions in any DOMS-related parameter (p > 0.05). In conclusion, a single session of low-volume HIIE and CE elicited a similar mild DOMS 24 hours after exercise in untrained healthy males.