Eccentric exercise may elicit damage to the contractile elements. This primary damage is followed by secondary changes, consisting of histological changes and changes in glycogen and energy metabolism. The mechanism underlying changes in glycogen homeostasis and energy metabolism is not well established. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible relationship between changes in adenine and guanine nucleotides, inosine monophosphate (IMP), creatine phosphate, glycogen content and histology in the rat tibialis anterior (TA) muscle after forced lengthening or isometric exercise. The right muscles were either forcibly lengthened or isometrically exercised, while the contralateral muscles served as non-exercised controls. The exercised muscles were dissected 0, 6 and 24 h post-exercise and the contents of adenine and guanine nucleotides, IMP, creatine phosphate, and glycogen determined. In addition, histological changes were assessed. Immediately after both types of exercise increases in tissue IMP levels were found. Irrespective of the type of exercise, glycogen content was decreased immediately post-exercise, but restored 6 h post-exercise. Twenty-four hours later a second decline in glycogen content was found after both types of exercise. In forcibly lengthened muscles ATP content was decreased 24 h post-exercise. In isometrically exercised muscles ATP was not decreased at any time. Gross structural changes were found in all forcibly lengthened muscles (9-12% of TA muscle volume). In isometrically exercised muscles structural changes were minor (up to 0.1% of muscle volume), were found only immediately post-exercise and in only 4 out of 18 muscles. It is concluded that forced lengthening results in decreased ATP levels. Changes in glycogen homeostasis were found after both isometric exercise and forced lengthening, demonstrating that these changes are not strictly related to degenerative changes.
