The week after running a marathon: Effects of running vs elliptical training vs resting on neuromuscular performance and muscle damage recovery

Abstract

Our aim was to compare the effects of two exercise modalities vs resting on the time course of neuromuscular performance and muscle damage recovery during the week after running a marathon. Sixty-four finishers from a road marathon completed the study (54 men and 10 women; 39 ± 4 years; 3 h 35 min ± 21 min). The day before the race, within 15 min after finishing the marathon and at 24, 48, 96, 144 and 192 h postrace, lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase were analysed. Participants also performed a squat jump (SJ) test before and after the marathon and at 48, 96 and 144 h postrace. On their arrival to the finish line, participants were randomized into one of the three intervention groups: running (RUN), elliptical training (ELIP) and resting recovery (REST). RUN and ELIP groups exercised continuously for 40 min at a moderate intensity (95–105% of the HR corresponding to the first ventilatory threshold) at 48, 96 and 144 h after the marathon. Neither ‘Intervention’ factor nor ‘Intervention x Time’ interaction effects were revealed for muscle damage blood markers (p > 0.05). On the other hand, RUN group evidenced an enhancement in SJ performance 96 h post-marathon as compared with REST group (108.29 ± 10.64 vs 100.58 ± 9.16%, p = 0.020, d = 0.80). Consequently, return to running at 48 h post-marathon does not seem to have a negative impact on muscle damage recovery up to eight days post-race and it could be recommended in order to speed up neuromuscular recovery.

Keywords:

• Fatigue
• musculoskeletal
• performance

Acknowledgements

Current research could be carried out thanks to the collaboration of Fundacion Trinidad Alfonso, Vithas-Nisa Hospitals group and Sociedad Deportiva Correcaminos. Authors are also grateful to all the staff involved in the organization of the Valencia Fundacion Trinidad Alfonso EDP 2016 Marathon and all marathoners and volunteers participating in this study. The funders had no involvement in the study design, data collection, analysis and interpretation, writing of the manuscript and decision to submit the paper for publication.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by FUNDACIÓN HOSPITALES VITHAS: [Grant Number NO GRANT NUMBER]; FUNDACIÓN TRINIDAD ALFONSO: [Grant Number NO GRANT NUMBER].