Moderate intensity cycling is better than running on recovery of eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage

To compare the effects of moderate intensity running and cycling on markers of exercise-induced muscle damage in men. Randomized controlled trial. Laboratory. Thirty volunteers were randomized in three groups [running (RG; n = 10), cycling (CG; n = 10) and control (CON; n = 10)] and were evaluated at baseline, post 24, 48 and 72 h of knee extensors’ muscle damage protocol. CON performed passive recovery, while RG and CG performed active recovery immediately after the protocol, as well as 24 h and 48 h afterwards. (i) maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC); (ii) delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS); (iii) plasma creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels. No group-by-time interaction was found in any outcome evaluated (p > 0.05). All groups presented decreases in MVIC and increases in DOMS (p