Influence of a prostaglandin-inhibiting drug on muscle soreness after eccentric work

Since the time sequence of exercise-induced muscle soreness corresponds well with the time sequence of exercise-induced morphological changes in animal skeletal muscle, it has been suggested that muscle soreness is related to an inflammatory response. Prostaglandins are assumed to play a role in the inflammatory process. The influence of a cyclo-oxygenase-inhibiting drug (flurbiprofen) on the subjective symptoms of soreness and eventual structural changes was investigated in six male subjects. The subjects performed one concentric and two eccentric work bouts of 30 min at 80% of the individual maximal work load on the bicycle ergometer. Muscle biopsies taken before, immediately after, and 24 h after work were used to examine structural, ultrastructural changes as well as for assessment of glycogen content. Plasma levels of muscle enzymes and subjective soreness were determined at regular intervals. Eccentric work elicited muscle soreness in all subjects: however, the soreness was consistently less in the second eccentric trial. No significant enzyme release was noticed in any of the subjects, whereas ultrastructural changes were restricted to the mitochondria. No influence of flurbiprofen on subjective soreness was noticed. After both eccentric trials muscle glycogen was lower 24 h after work compared to the content immediately after work. The results suggest that eccentric exercise interferes with glycogen synthesis and that prostaglandins do not play a major role in exercise-induced muscle soreness.