Acute effects of dietary ginger on muscle pain induced by eccentric exercise

Zingiber officinale, commonly known as ginger, has analgesic and antiinflammatory properties. The acute effects of ginger on muscle pain, inflammation and dysfunction induced by eccentric exercise were examined. Twenty-seven participants performed 24 eccentric actions of the non-dominant elbow flexors. In a double-blind, cross-over design, participants ingested a 2 g dose of ginger or placebo 24 h and 48 h after exercise. Pain intensity (0-100 mm), arm volume (water displacement), range-of-motion (goniometry) and metabolic rate were assessed before and 45 min after ingestion of ginger or placebo. Eccentric exercise induced moderate arm pain (39 ± 20 mm; mean ± SD) and dysfunction (14% decrease in ROM) and an increase in volume (1.8%). Overall, ginger consumption demonstrated no effect on muscle pain, dysfunction, or metabolic rate compared with placebo. In the sub-set of participants who consumed ginger 24 h after exercise, arm pain was reduced (13%, -5.9 ± 8.8 mm) the following day, 48 h after exercise. Participants who ingested placebo 24 h post-exercise exhibited no change in pain the following day (0.0 ± 14.7 mm). In conclusion, a single 2 g dose of ginger does not attenuate eccentric exercise-induced muscle pain, inflammation or dysfunction 45 min after ingestion. However, ginger may attenuate the day-to-day progression of muscle pain.