Differences in landing biomechanics in the presence of delayed onset muscle soreness following or not active recovery

Abstract

Objective

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) can reduce joint range of motion and strength, cause edema, and increase joint stiffness. Here we set out to determine whether quadriceps DOMS followed by an active recovery low-intensity exercise alters jump landing biomechanics.

Methods

3D landing kinematics, kinetics, and DOMS were evaluated in 26 healthy adults (15 women) performing drop and vertical jump landings before and after a squat protocol to induce quadriceps DOMS. In the presence of DOMS, half of the participants (n = 13) performed a low-intensity exercise for active recovery (10-minute treadmill walking), while the other half (n = 13) did not. Descriptive statistics and generalized estimative equations were applied to determine the effects of DOMS and active recovery on landing kinematics and kinetics.

Results

DOMS decreased knee and ankle flexion angles and increased knee and ankle frontal plane angles during vertical jumps. DOMS elicited a longer time to reach peak ground reaction force during drop jumps. Low-intensity exercise for active recovery reduced DOMS perception but did not alter the biomechanics of landing.

Conclusion

DOMS changes landing strategy. However, including a low-intensity exercise for active recovery before landing practice did not change the kinematics and kinetics of landing.