Tensiomyography parameters and serum biomarkers after eccentric exercise of the elbow flexors

Purpose The tensiomyography (TMG) technique is increasingly used to determine muscle contractile properties in exercise and injury management. The present study investigated the informative value of TMG parameters in correlation with commonly used (creatine kinase, CK; myoglobin, Mb) and novel candidate biomarkers of muscle damage (heart-type fatty acid-binding protein, h-FABP; high-mobility group box 1, HMGB1). Methods Ten untrained men performed 6 × 10 eccentric contractions of the elbow flexors at 110% of the concentric one repetition maximum. CK, Mb, h-FABP, HMGB1, arm circumference, pain and TMG data, including maximal displacement ( D m ) and temporal outcomes as the contraction time ( T c ), sustained time ( T s ), delay time ( T d ), and relaxation time ( T r ), were assessed pre-exercise, post-exercise, 20 min, 2 h and on the consecutive 3 days post-exercise. Results CK and h-FABP significantly increased beginning at 24 h, Mb already increased at 2 h ( p