Sex differences in delayed onset muscle soreness.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Non-randomized comparative experimental cohort study comparing outcomes between sexes.
What was done
Sixty-seven participants (52% female) completed a two-session protocol in which delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) was induced in the non-dominant elbow flexors using eccentric resistance exercise set relative to concentric strength. Sensation was measured 48 hours later via pressure threshold using a dolorimeter and active range of motion pain intensity using a visual analog scale.
What was found
DOMS induction was confirmed by reduced pressure thresholds and higher pain intensity in the exercised arm versus the non-exercised arm. Females reported significantly lower pain intensity during active movement (mean 3.41, SD 2.13) compared to males (mean 5.12, SD 2.05). No significant sex difference was observed in pressure pain threshold, though numerical values for pressure thresholds were not reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
The findings challenge the generalization that females consistently report greater pain across all experimental modalities, showing that eccentric-induced muscle soreness may elicit lower movement-evoked pain in females depending on the measurement method.
Limits
The study only assessed pain at a single time point (48 hours post-exercise) in one upper-extremity muscle group, and numerical data for pressure pain thresholds were omitted from the abstract.
Cited by
- partial Women generally experience less exercise-induced muscle soreness than men, which may be related to estrogen.