A morphological study of delayed muscle soreness.

Biopsies, taken up to 1 week postexercise, from the soleus muscles of 5 healthy males (20--34 years old) suffering from pronounced exercise-induced delayed muscle soreness were analyzed morphologically. There was no evidence for ischemic tissue injury or mechanical fibre disruption. However, at the subcellular level frequent myofibrillar disturbances, especially with regard to the Z-bands, were noted. Thus, the contractile machinery of overloaded muscle fibres seemed to be partially distorted several days following exercise.