Masters Theses

David M. High

Date of Award

6-1986

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major Professor

Edward T. Howley

Committee Members

Bill Morgan, B. Don Franks

Abstract

It has been suggested in the lay literature that static stretching and/or warm-up will prevent the occurrence of Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to systematically determine to what extent static stretching and/or warm-up affects the level of pain associated with DOMS. Sixty-two healthy male and female volunteers were divided randomly into four groups. The four groups were (1) Ss who static stretched the quadricep muscle group before a step test, (2) Ss who only performed a stepping warm-up, (3) Ss who both stretched and performed a stepping warm-up prior to a step test, and (4) Ss who only performed a step test. The step test required subjects to do positive work with their right leg and negative work with their left leg. The step test followed procedures used by Asmussen (1956). Ss rated their muscle soreness on a ratio scale from 0 to 6 at 24 hour intervals for five days following the step test. An 4x2x2 ANOVA and Duncan's new multiple range post hoc test found no difference in peak muscle soreness among the stepping groups, or for gender (alpha > 0.05). There was a significant difference in peak muscle soreness between eccentrically and concentrically worked legs, with the eccentrically worked leg having more muscle soreness. The conclusion of this study is that static stretching and/or warm-up does not prevent DOMS resulting from heavy exercise.

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