[Behavior of serum creatine kinase in muscle soreness]

Muscle soreness in arms and thighs was induced on eight test persons by standardized dynamic work. The course of muscle soreness was controlled daily on the basis of the following parameters: intensity of muscle pain, isometric maximum strength, and creatine kinase concentration in the serum. The mean reaction of muscle pain, isometric maximum strength, and creatine kinase correlated closely with each other, whereby the creatine kinase showed a phase lag of 1-2 days. The maximum rise of the creatine kinase reached in particular cases a multiple of the rates characteristic for physical training without subsequent muscle soreness.