Knee position sense and knee flexor neuromuscular function are similarly altered after two submaximal eccentric bouts

This study examined eccentric-induced fatigue effects on knee flexor (KF) neuromuscular function and on knee position sense. This design was repeated across two experimental sessions performed 1 week apart to investigate potential repeated bout effects.

Sixteen participants performed two submaximal bouts of KF unilateral eccentric contractions until reaching a 20% decrease in maximal voluntary isometric contraction force. Knee position sense was evaluated with position-matching tasks in seated and prone positions at 40° and 70° of knee flexion so that KF were either antagonistic or agonistic during the positioning movement. The twitch interpolation technique was used to assess KF neuromuscular fatigue. Perceived muscle soreness was also assessed. Measurements were performed before, immediately (POST) and 24 h after (POST24) each eccentric bout.

No repeated bout effect on neuromuscular function and proprioceptive parameters was observed. At POST, central and peripheral factors contributed to the force decrement as shown by significant decreases in voluntary activation level (- 3.8 ± 4.8%, p < 0.01) and potentiated doublet torque at 100 Hz (- 10 ± 15.8%, p < 0.01). At this time point, position-matching errors significantly increased by 1.7 ± 1.9° in seated position at 40° (p < 0.01). At POST24, in presence of muscle soreness (p < 0.05), although KF neuromuscular function had recovered, position-matching errors increased by 0.6 ± 2.6° in prone position at 40° (p < 0.01).

These results provide evidence that eccentric-induced position sense alterations may arise from central and/or peripheral mechanisms depending on the testing position.