ArticleJournal of sport and health science2018
Why are muscles strong, and why do they require little energy in eccentric action?
Article in Journal of sport and health science, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 38 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
38 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Eccentric-Only Versus Concentric-Only Isokinetic Strength Training Effects on Maximal Voluntary Eccentric, Concentric and Isometric Contraction Strength: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Sports medicine - open · 2025Pooled it
- The Effect of Carbohydrate Intake on Strength and Resistance Training Performance: A Systematic Review.Nutrients · 2022Pooled it
- Residual force enhancement in human skeletal muscles: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of sport and health science · 2022Pooled it
- Effects of grip variation on biceps brachii and brachioradialis electromyographic activity during concentric and eccentric phases of the barbell curl exercise.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Effects of eccentric versus concentric cycling exercise on lipid and glucose metabolism in overweight and obese men.European journal of applied physiology · 2026Article
- Stretch-shortening cycles mitigate single muscle fibre power deficits following a two-week immobilization of the rat hindlimb.Journal of muscle research and cell motility · 2026Article
- Eccentric exercise: Muscle damage to the new normal.Journal of sport and health science · 2026Article
- Do Flywheel Exercises Provide Eccentric-Overload Training?Sports medicine - open · 2026Article
- Maximal eccentric-concentric strength determines stretch-shortening cycle leg power across biological sexes.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Does Performing Partial Repetitions Beyond Momentary Failure Enhance Muscle Hypertrophy in Volume-Load-Equated Calf-Raise Resistance Training?International journal of exercise science · 2026Article
- Impact of post-match fatigue on peak force in elite youth soccer players: Analysis of 48 to 72 hours post-match using the isometric mid-thigh pull exercise.Biology of sport · 2025Article
- Hamstring Injury Mechanisms and Eccentric Training-Induced Muscle Adaptations: Current Insights and Future Directions.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2025Review
- A comparison of three post-activation potentiation enhancement warm up strategies on bench press performance.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2025Article
- Eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage and inflammation in conjunction with high-altitude decompression in adults.Physiological reports · 2024Article
- Maximum Isokinetic Eccentric Elbow Flexor Muscle Force Can Be Estimated Using Maximum Isometric Contraction Force.Cureus · 2024Article
- Eccentric exercise-induced delayed onset trunk muscle soreness alters high-density surface EMG-torque relationships and lumbar kinematics.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Effect of high-fat diet on isometric, concentric and eccentric contractile performance of skeletal muscle isolated from female CD-1 mice.Experimental physiology · 2024Article
- Levosimendan's Effects on Length-Dependent Activation in Murine Fast-Twitch Skeletal Muscle.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Article
- Less fatiguability in eccentric than concentric repetitive maximal muscle contractions.European journal of applied physiology · 2023Article
- Lower Fatigue in the Eccentric than the Concentric Phase of a Bench Press Set Executed with Maximum Velocity to Failure Against Both Heavy and Light Loads.Journal of human kinetics · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
1 author.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
It is well acknowledged that muscles that are elongated while activated (i.e., eccentric muscle action) are stronger and require less energy (per unit of force) than muscles that are shortening (i.e., concentric contraction) or that remain at a constant length (i.e., isometric contraction). Although the cross-bridge theory of muscle contraction provides a good explanation for the increase in force in active muscle lengthening, it does not explain the residual increase in force following active lengthening (residual force enhancement), or except with additional assumptions, the reduced metabolic requirement of muscle during and following active stretch. Aside from the cross-bridge theory, 2 other primary explanations for the mechanical properties of actively stretched muscles have emerged: (1) the so-called sarcomere length nonuniformity theory and (2) the engagement of a passive structural element theory. In this article, these theories are discussed, and it is shown that the last of these-the engagement of a passive structural element in eccentric muscle action-offers a simple and complete explanation for many hitherto unexplained observations in actively lengthening muscle. Although by no means fully proven, the theory has great appeal for its simplicity and beauty, and even if over time it is shown to be wrong, it nevertheless forms a useful framework for direct hypothesis testing.
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