Studies show that eccentric exercise results in less oxygen consumption, greater force production, and less energy expenditure than concentric strengthening- or the active shortening of the muscle. The force produced by a concentric contraction is always less than the muscles maximum force.
Full Answer
How should eccentric exercises be performed in the rehabilitation protocol?
Eccentric exercise creates greater force during the eccentric bout, owing to the decreased rate of actin-myosin cross-bridge detachments (Herzog et al. 2008). Clients are therefore capable of working with greater weight during an eccentric exercise. 2. Eccentric contractions use less energy, even though they create more force than concentric actions.
Are eccentrics better than concentric training?
Specifically, the purpose was to determine if differences in knee extensor muscle EMG prior to voluntary maximum concentric and eccentric contractions and initiated from the same knee joint angle are evident at a time before muscle length changes could be influential. A protocol was designed using isokinetic knee extensions.
What are some examples of concentric and eccentric exercises?
Aug 22, 2016 · In addition, the protocol will induce an eccentric contraction for plantarflexors when used in-vivo. NOTE: This protocol elicits a CONCENTRIC contraction for dorsiflexors when used in-vivo.Below are the steps required to write a basic eccentric protocol: open concentric protocol from above (ex. 3mm_concentric) click on the second line of the protocol
What is the difference between eccentric and concentric muscle contraction?
Shalabi et al. ( 83) evaluated 25 patients with chronic Achilles tendinopathy before and after an eccentric exercise program using the Alfredson’s protocol. Eccentric training resulted in decreased tendon volume and decreased intratendinous signal on MRI, which correlated with improved pain and subjective performance.
What comes first eccentric or concentric?
The Benefits of Focusing on Concentric Training You almost always need the eccentric movement first (lowering down to parallel). There are a few exceptions. For example, to isolate the concentric phase of a pushup, you could lay face-down on the floor, then push yourself up.Oct 29, 2020
Why is eccentric better than concentric?
Higher muscular forces can be produced during eccentric contractions compared with concentric. Eccentric contractions produce less fatigue and are more efficient at metabolic level compared with concentric contractions. Unaccustomed eccentric contractions produce transient muscle damage, soreness and force impairments.
Why are eccentric muscle contractions used in rehab?
LaStayo et al72 have suggested eccentric contraction training was more effective than concentric training for recovery of strength deficits post-ACL reconstruction because eccentric training promotes greater changes in neural activation and muscle hypertrophy.
Why is eccentric phase important?
The eccentric phase of movement, however, is crucial as it is during this phase of movement that we store large amounts of energy in our connective tissues that we can then utilize for greater concentric power if we are strong enough to effectively decelerate and reapply this force.Sep 7, 2018
Should I focus concentric or eccentric?
Research suggests that the eccentric portion of an exercise is responsible for building more muscle mass than concentrics, so "sometimes advanced sprinters will just focus on just the concentric portion of movements like the deadlift to prevent from building thicker, bulkier muscles." The theory is that bulkier muscles ...Nov 26, 2019
What is difference between eccentric and concentric?
In a concentric contraction, the muscle tension rises to meet the resistance then remains stable as the muscle shortens. During eccentric contraction, the muscle lengthens as the resistance becomes greater than the force the muscle is producing.
What is eccentric rehabilitation?
Eccentric contraction exercises are an important and often overlooked component of strength training. By: Dr. Ashley O'Rourke PT, DPT, ATC, LAT. Eccentric strength refers to tension being applied to a muscle as it lengthens. This is also when the muscle's force-producing capacity is most optimal.Aug 31, 2018
What does eccentric contraction mean?
Introduction. An eccentric (lengthening) muscle contraction occurs when a force applied to the muscle exceeds the momentary force produced by the muscle itself, resulting in the forced lengthening of the muscle-tendon system while contracting (Lindstedt et al., 2001).May 3, 2019
Why does eccentric work in Tendinopathy?
Eccentric exercises have been designed to strengthen the tendon and non-contracting muscles. The proven effect of this is that it helps swollen tendons return to normal, thereby alleviating tendonitis.Nov 5, 2019
What is the eccentric phase?
The eccentric phase is when you lengthen the muscle. And if you hold a contraction (e.g., pause halfway through each rep in the biceps curl), you add an isometric phase to the exercise.Sep 21, 2020
When does eccentric contraction occur?
Eccentric contraction occurs when the total length of the muscle increases as tension is produced. For example, the lowering phase of a biceps curl constitutes an eccentric contraction. Muscles are capable of generating greater forces under eccentric conditions than under either isometric or concentric contractions.
What is the major biomechanical objective of the eccentric phase?
Skeletal muscles contract eccentrically to support the weight of the body against gravity and to absorb shock or to store elastic recoil energy in preparation for concentric (or accelerating) contractions (LaStayo et al., 2003b).May 3, 2019
What is a tendon?
Tendon is a mechanically passive structure that lengthens when load increases and shortens when load is reduced ( FIGURE 1 ).
Is tendinopathy a common ailment?
Tend inopathies are a common ailment among athletes, and there is currently an incomplete picture of the etiology. Although there are several suggested treatment options, loading regimes appear to have good clinical results. Early works have shown an exercise program with isolated eccentric contraction to have good clinical outcomes, which promoted the paradigm of eccentric loading for tendinopathy. However, as outlined in this review, there is little evidence for isolating the eccentric component of a loading-based regime. The basic mechanisms that are likely to influence tendon adaptations appear to be related mainly to tendon load/strain magnitude and duration, and there is no theoretical basis for greater tendon loads in eccentric exercises at a given force (body weight or external load).
Does exercise affect tendon?
Response of Healthy Tendon to Load. It is well established that exercise in general can affect both skeletal muscle 38 and tendon. 48 In tendon, there is an acute increase in blood flow and collagen synthesis, 54. ,
Why is eccentric exercise important?
Eccentric exercise is showing promise as an effective intervention for a host of common conditions managed by the sports rehabilitation specialist. This approach is so promising because it is based on muscle and tendon physiology. Although positive evidence for eccentric exercise continues to surface, it is but one component of a successful rehabilitation plan. Soft tissue mobilization, pain modulation, activity modification, patient education, biomechanical assessment, risk factor modification, and regional interdependence are all integral parts of the process.
When was eccentric exercise first used?
However, the concept of eccentric exercise is not new. To the author’s knowledge, the earliest investigation of eccentric versus concentric exercise was in 1938. 1 Eccentric exercise in the rehabilitation literature has been advocated primarily for management of tendinopathies, but evidence is mounting to support its use in the treatment ...
Is eccentric exercise good for tendinopathy?
Many studies have recently substantiated eccentric exercise as an effective treatment for tendinopathies. In 1998, Alfredson 16 performed, to the author’s knowledge, the first study investigating eccentric exercise on diseased tendons.
Does eccentric exercise help with hamstring injury?
Eccentric exercise has been shown to reduce hamstring injury rates by 60% to 70% in various sports. Small et al 31 investigated the effect of eccentric hamstring strengthening during soccer training. The objective was to evaluate if there was a difference in eccentric strength with fatigability and to see if eccentric training would attenuate the effects of fatigue.
What are the most common knee injuries?
Injury to the ACL is the most common and significant of all knee injuries, potentially resulting in range-of-motion limitations, degenerative changes in the knee joint, and muscle atrophy. 48 Muscle atrophy greater than 20% and strength loss exceeding 30% have been demonstrated during the first three months after surgery, 49-54 with 10% to 20% deficits in quadriceps size and strength persisting for several years after surgery. 50,51,55-65 Hamstring and gracilis muscle volume deficits of 10% and 30% were found post-ACL reconstruction with autologous semitendinosus-gracilis graft. 65,66 Amelioration of these deficits continues to be a clinical challenge requiring systematically progressed strengthening protocols that encompass all components of lower extremity kinetic function.
Does Nordic hamstring strengthening help with tendinopathy?
Recent interest has focused on the use of Nordic hamstring strengthening exercises to prevent hamstring injuries in athletes, but eviÂdence also supports eccentric exercise for managing tend inopathy and for preÂvenÂtion and rehabilitation of anterÂior cruciate ligament injury.
Concentric
In contrast to an isometric contraction which results in force development (tetanus) in the absence of a change in muscle length, a concentric contraction develops force while the muscle shortens. This type of contraction is used numerous times a day, whether simply getting out of bed or lifting a mug for a sip of your morning coffee.
Eccentric
As opposed to a concentric contraction where the muscle shortens in response to stimulation, an eccentric contraction results in the muscle lengthening or stretching while contracting. A real life example of this would be running downhill or lowering a heavy object to the floor by bending your legs.
Injury
Utilizing the eccentric protocol, researchers can write an eccentric injury sequence to perform numerous and rapid muscle lengthening contractions in order to induce sufficient muscle damage.
Fatigue
The overwhelming majority of protocols used in the literature employ numerous isometric contractions to induce muscle fatigue. However, this type of muscle fatigue does not correspond to the real life fatigue seen when we exercise, which results from a combination of concentric and eccentric contractions.
Published Examples
Interested in how these concentric and isometric protocols are being employed by muscle physiologists? Here are a few published examples:
What are eccentric exercises?
Eccentric exercises have been shown to be effective in the treatment of tendinopathies at various locations of the body. The area studied earliest was the Achilles, although benefits have been seen using eccentric exercises on other body regions including the patellar tendon, lateral elbow, and rotator cuff.
How to treat tendinopathy?
The current most common therapeutic exercise regimen for treatment of tendinopathy involves mechanically loading the painful or abnormal tissue with the use of eccentric exercises. Eccentric exercises involve lengthening of the musculotendinous unit while a load is applied to it. While eccentric muscle strengthening has been used for some time, until recently, little was known about how eccentric exercises result in decreased pain and normalization of the tendon in those with tendinopathy. Many of the studies included patients diagnosed with tendinopathy by history and physical examination alone, but some studies used imaging to confirm the diagnosis and/or rule out other causes of pain.
What is tendinopathy pain?
Tendinopathy is a term used commonly to describe any painful condition occurring within or around a tendon. It can result from overuse and is experienced as pain with activity, focal tenderness to palpation, and decreased ability to tolerate tension, which results in decreased functional strength ( 88 ). While some define tendinopathy and tendinosis differently, for simplicity, tendinopathy will be used in this article for both entities, and the treatment of symptomatic tendinopathy will focus on those with our macroscopic tendon tears, partial or complete. We will review the evidence for treating tendinopathy using an eccentric exercise program, address possible mechanisms by which eccentric exercises positively affect the tendon in the treatment of tendinopathies, and provide a framework for the implementation of an eccentric training program.
What are the risk factors for tendinopathy?
Risk factors for tendinopathy include intrinsic or extrinsic factors. Systemic intrinsic risk factors include older age ( 91,97 ), obesity ( 15,23,103 ), increased waist circumference ( 52 ), diabetes ( 14 ), hypertension ( 23 ), dyslipidemia ( 20 ), and genetic predisposition ( 48 ). The aging process may result in histologic findings similar or identical to those seen in tendinopathy, predisposing patients to partial tears and the development of pain ( 23 ). Obesity, increased waist circumference, diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia all affect microvascularity, and this may play a key role in the development of tendinopathy. The lipid profile of some with Achilles tendinopathy is very similar to the lipid profile that is associated with increased insulin resistance ( 19 ). Furthermore lipid accumulation has been found in biopsies from tendinopathy subjects ( 19,102 ). In fact, one study gives dimensions of the Achilles tendon that can be used as a screening tool to diagnose those with familial hypercholesterolemia ( 10 ). Genetic risk factors for tendinopathy also have been described in several studies ( 31,32,43,48,58,59,68,71,82 ). An interaction between other risk factors and one’s genetic make-up may further increase the likelihood of developing tendinopathy ( 48 ). Nonsystemic intrinsic risk factors include abnormal biomechanics ( 3,37,62,104 ), muscle inflexibility ( 105 ), decreased muscle strength ( 20,49,50,51,76 ), malalignment ( 76 ), and joint laxity ( 76 ).
Can eccentric exercises help with tendinopathy?
Research has shown that an eccentric exercise program can be effective in the treatment of tendinopathies. The earliest studied was the Achilles tendon, and subsequent studies have shown benefits using eccentric exercises on other body regions including the patellar tendon, proximal lateral elbow, and rotator cuff.
What is eccentric exercise?
Unlike a muscle contraction, eccentric exercises involve increasing muscle length. During the eccentric phase of an exercise, you work with the force of gravity (like lowering your arms back toward your sides in a bicep curl).
What is the difference between eccentric and concentric movements?
A concentric movement happens when your muscles contract, while an eccentric movement occurs when the muscle lengthens. The best example of both concentric and eccentric movements is the biceps curl. When you curl your arm up toward your shoulder, your arm muscles contract (a concentric movement).
What is isometric movement?
Unlike eccentric and concentric muscle movements, an isometric movement involves a muscle contraction without movement. In simplest terms, an isometric movement is a static hold. While isometric exercises can help build strength, they won't increase mass or power (since the exercise is done without movement).
What is the hardest exercise to do?
Once you reach the floor, you can use your hands and knees to return to a plank position. Eccentric pullup: A full pullup (without momentum) is one of the hardest bodyweight exercises. To start, use a step stool or resistance band to pull yourself above the pullup bar.
What is the best exercise to build muscle?
There may be times where you want to strictly focus on concentric vs. eccentric training. Eccentric activation exercises — called negative training — can help build muscle strength.
How to do a parallel squat?
Lowering into a parallel squat position in a squat. Lowering into the bottom of a pushup. Bringing a barbell back to the ground at the end of a deadlift. Lowering your torso back to the ground in a situp. Slowly lowering down from the top of a pullup.
What is the concentric portion of a movement?
The concentric portion of a movement works against the force of gravity (again, think of your arm raising away from the ground in a bicep curl), and are known as "positive" movements. Benefits of concentric exercises include increased power and speed. Examples of concentric movements include:
What is eccentric training?
Typically, "eccentric training" refers to training that emphasizes that portion of the movement. Think: Slowly bringing the barbell back down to the floor during a deadlift on a count of three. Lowering yourself from a pull-up bar as slowly as possible. Slowly rolling back during a Pilates roll-up.
What is the concentric portion of a lift?
"The concentric portion of a movement lends itself to increased power, speed, and strength ," says Wickham. However, this portion doesn't strengthen the muscles as much as the eccentric portion of a lift does.
How to do isometric exercises?
That might look like sitting in the bottom of a squat, holding your weights with arms outstretched for 10 seconds during the arm moves in spin class, or holding chair pose in yoga. There are also some exercises that are isometric by nature. Think: 1 Handstand hold 2 High plank 3 Wall sit 4 Hollow hold 5 Hanging from the pull-up bar 6 Front rack kettlebell hold
Is eccentric training worth it?
"Eccentric training places a greater demand on your muscles and central nervous system, so it's going to take you longer to recover from doing eccentric movements," says Wickham—but it's worth it. Remember: Eccentrics damage your muscle more than concentric movements do.
Is isometrics good for you?
The Benefits of Isometric Training. If you've ever done a wall sit or sat in the bottom of a squat, you won't be surprised to hear that even though you're not actually moving, "Isometrics still force you to engage your muscles, and therefore can help make you stronger," says McKinney.
Can you use eccentrics to build strength?
Yes! "If you use concentrics to build strength through the entire range of motion, eccentrics to build stronger and more resilient muscle tissue, and isometrics to increase strength at your end range of motion, you'll be a force to be reckoned with," says McKinney.
Can you work your muscles in a fresh way?
While, sure, complex exercises can spice things up, you can actually work your muscles in a fresh way if you just pay attention to training an exercise in its various parts.