Females and males do not differ for fatigability, muscle damage and magnitude of the repeated bout effect following maximal eccentric contractions.

Unaccustomed eccentric (ECC) exercise induces muscle fatigue as well as damage and initiates a protective response to minimize impairments from a subsequent bout (i.e., repeated bout effect; RBE). It is uncertain if the sexes differ for neuromuscular responses to ECC exercise and the ensuing RBE. Twenty-six young adults (13 females) performed two bouts (four weeks apart) of 200 ECC maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) of the dorsiflexors. Isometric (ISO) MVC torque and the ratio of ISO torque in response to low- vs. high-frequency stimulation (10:100Hz) were compared before and after (2-10min and 2, 4, and 7d) exercise. The decline in ECC and ISO MVC torque, and the 10:100Hz ratio following bout one did not differ between sexes (P > 0.05), with reductions from baseline of 31.5 ± 12.3, 24.1 ± 15.4, and 51.3 ± 12.2%, respectively. After bout two, the 10:100Hz ratio declined less (45.0 ± 12.4% from baseline) and ISO MVC torque recovered sooner compared to bout one but no differences between sexes were evident for the magnitude of the RBE (P > 0.05). These data suggest that fatigability with ECC exercise does not differ for the sexes and adaptations that mitigate impairments to calcium handling are independent of sex. NOVELTY BULLETS: • One bout of 200 maximal eccentric dorsiflexor contractions caused equivalent muscle fatigue and damage for females and males • The repeated bout effect observed after a second bout four weeks later also had no sex-related differences • Prolonged low-frequency force depression is promoted as an indirect measure of muscle damage in humans.