Muscle Damage, Soreness, and Stress During Preseason Training in Collegiate Swimmers.
Clin J Sport Med 2021;
31:237-243. [PMID:
30870201 DOI:
10.1097/jsm.0000000000000736]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
In 2014, 6 collegiate swimmers were hospitalized for symptomatic exertional rhabdomyolysis.
OBJECTIVE
To serially monitor and assess relationships between skeletal muscle membrane disruption, upper body soreness (UBS) and lower body soreness (LBS), and stress during the first 6 weeks (timepoints) of preseason training in collegiate male and female swimmers.
DESIGN
Prospective observational study.
SETTING
College/university.
PARTICIPANTS
Forty swimmers.
INDEPENDENT VARIABLES
Upper and lower body soreness rating (0-10); testosterone (T), cortisol (C), and T/C ratio.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Creatine kinase (CK) and myoglobin (over time) versus independent variables.
RESULTS
Weekly training load consisted of ∼87% swimming, ∼5% running, and ∼8% weight training, which increased from 15.8 hours to 20.5 total training hours per week over the first 6 weeks of training. Muscle damage in collegiate swimmers was modest and peaked after the first week of training (week 2) for men (CK = 438 ± 259 U/L; P < 0.0001; r2 = 0.28; myoglobin = 47 ± 18 ng/mL; P = 0.001; r2 = 0.22) and women (CK = 446 ± 723 U/L; P < 0.01; r2 = 0.13; myoglobin = 63 ± 140 ng/mL, not significant) with high variability. Data were presented as peak mean ± SD, significant P value, and r2 from repeated-measures analysis of variance. A temporal disconnect was noted between muscle damage and UBS, which peaked at week 5 in both men (5 ± 2; P < 0.0001; r2 = 0.44) and women (6 ± 2; P < 0.0001; r2 = 0.57). The serum cortisol level decreased over time, which peaked at week 1 (baseline) in men (15 ± 6 μg/dL; P = 0.0004; r2 = 0.38) and women (19 ± 10 μg/dL; P < 0.0001; r2 = 0.49). The testosterone level remained unchanged, which promoted an anabolic hormonal environment that peaked at week 6 (increasing T/C ratio) in men (58 ± 32; P = 0.0003; r2 = 0.31) and women (4 ± 3; P = 0.04; r2 = 0.18) despite gradual increases in training and soreness.
CONCLUSIONS
Muscle soreness does not parallel muscle membrane disruption. A 1-week "transition" period is required for muscles to adapt to intense/novel training.
Collapse