Abstract
We wanted to test if pre-exercise muscle irradiation with 904 nm laser affects the development of fatigue, blood lactate levels and creatine kinase (CK) activity in a rat model with tetanic contractions. Thirty male Wistar rats were divided into five groups receiving either one of four different laser doses (0.1, 0.3, 1.0 and 3.0 J) or a no-treatment control group. Laser irradiation was performed immediately before the first contraction for treated groups. Electrical stimulation was used to induce six tetanic tibial anterior muscle contractions with 10 min intervals between them. Contractions were stopped when the muscle force fell to 50% of the peak value for each contraction; blood samples were taken before the first and immediately after the sixth contraction. The relative peak forces for the sixth contraction were significantly better (P < 0.05) in the two laser groups irradiated with highest doses [151.27% (SD ± 18.82) for 1.0 J, 144.84% (SD ± 34.47) for 3.0 J and 82.25% (SD ± 11.69) for the control group]. Similar significant (P < 0.05) increases in mean performed work during the sixth contraction for the 1.0 and 3.0 J groups were also observed. Blood lactate levels were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than the control group in all irradiated groups. All irradiated groups except the 3.0 J group had significantly lower post-exercise CK activity than the control group. We conclude that pre-exercise irradiation with a laser dose of 1.0 J and 904 nm wavelength significantly delays muscle fatigue and decreases post-exercise blood lactate and CK in this rat model.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Albertini R, Villaverde AB, Aimbire F, Salgado MA, Bjordal JM, Alves LP, Munin E, Costa MS (2007) Anti-inflammatory effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) with two different red wavelengths (660 nm and 684 nm) in carrageenan-induced rat paw edema. J Photochem Photobiol B 89:50–55
Allen DG, Lamb GD, Westerblad H (2008) Skeletal muscle fatigue: cellular mechanisms. Physiol Rev 88:287–332
Avni D, Levkovitz S, Maltz L, Oron U (2005) Protection of skeletal muscles from ischemic injury: low-level laser therapy increases antioxidant activity. Photomed Laser Surg 23:273–277
Barnett A (2006) Using recovery modalities between training sessions in elite athletes: does it help? Sports Med 36:781–796
Bjordal JM, Lopes-Martins RA, Iversen VV (2006a) A randomised, placebo controlled trial of low level laser therapy for activated Achilles tendinitis with microdialysis measurement of peritendinous prostaglandin E2 concentrations. Br J Sports Med 40:76–80
Bjordal JM, Johnson MI, Iversen V, Aimbire F, Lopes-Martins RA (2006b) Photoradiation in acute pain: a systematic review of possible mechanisms of action and clinical effects in randomized placebo-controlled trials. Photomed Laser Surg 24:158–168
Bjordal JM, Lopes-Martins RA, Joensen J, Couppe C, Ljunggren AE, Stergioulas A, Johnson MI (2008) A systematic review with procedural assessments and meta-analysis of low level laser therapy in lateral elbow tendinopathy (tennis elbow). BMC Musculoskelet Disord 9:75
Cheung K, Hume P, Maxwell L (2003) Delayed onset muscle soreness: treatment strategies and performance factors. Sports Med 33:145–164
Chin ER, Allen DG (1998) The contribution of ph-dependent mechanisms to fatigue at different intensities in mammalian single muscle fibers. J Physiol 512:831–840
Dotan R, Falk B, Raz A (2000) Intensity effect of active recovery from glycolytic exercise on decreasing blood lactate concentration in prepubertal children. Med Sci Sports Exerc 32:564–570
Enwemeka CS (2009) Intricacies of dose in laser phototherapy for tissue repair and pain relief. Photomed Laser Surg 27:387–393
Foss ML, Keteyian SJ (1998) FOX’s physiological basis for exercise and sport, 6th edn. McGraw-Hill, Boston
Leal Junior EC, Lopes-Martins RA, Dalan F, Ferrari M, Sbabo FM, Generosi RA, Baroni BM, Penna SC, Iversen VV, Bjordal JM (2008) Effect of 655-nm low level laser therapy on exercise-induced skeletal muscle fatigue in humans. Photomed Laser Surg 26:419–424
Leal Junior EC, Lopes-Martins RA, Vanin AA, Baroni BM, Grosselli D, De Marchi T, Iversen VV, Bjordal JM (2009a) Effect of 830 nm low-level laser therapy in exercise-induced skeletal muscle fatigue in humans. Lasers Med Sci 24:425–431
Leal Junior EC, Lopes-Martins RA, Rossi RP, De Marchi T, Baroni BM, de Godoi V, Marcos RL, Ramos L, Bjordal JM (2009b) Effect of cluster multi-diode light emitting diode therapy (LEDT) on exercise-induced skeletal muscle fatigue and skeletal muscle recovery in humans. Lasers Surg Med 41:572–577
Leal Junior EC, Lopes-Martins RA, Baroni BM, De Marchi T, Taufer D, Manfro DS, Rech M, Danna V, Grosselli D, Generosi RA, Marcos RL, Ramos L, Bjordal JM (2009c) Effect of 830 nm low-level laser therapy applied before high-intensity exercises on skeletal muscle recovery in athletes. Lasers Med Sci 24:857–863
Lopes-Martins RA, Marcos RL, Leonardo PS, Prianti AC Jr, Muscará MN, Aimbire F, Frigo L, Iversen VV, Bjordal JM (2006) Effect of low-level laser (Ga-Al-As 655 nm) on skeletal muscle fatigue induced by electrical stimulation in rats. J Appl Physiol 101:283–288
Martin NA, Zoeller RF, Robertson RJ, Lephart SM (1998) The comparative effects of sports massage, active recovery, and rest in promoting blood lactate clearance after supramaximal leg exercise. J Athl Train 33:30–35
Pyne DB, Lee H, Swanwick KM (2001) Monitoring the lactate threshold in world-ranked swimmers. Med Sci Sports Exerc 33:291–297
Rizzi CF, Mauriz JL, Freitas Correa DS, Moreira AJ, Zettler CG, Filippin LI, Marroni NP, González-Gallego J (2006) Effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on the nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB signaling pathway in traumatized muscle. Lasers Surg Med 38:704–713
Robergs RA, Ghiasvand F, Parker D (2004) Biochemistry of exercise-induced metabolic acidosis. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 287:502–516
Silveira PC, Silva LA, Fraga DB, Freitas TP, Streck EL, Pinho R (2009) Evaluation of mitochondrial respiratory chain activity in muscle healing by low-level laser therapy. J Photochem Photobiol B 95:89–92
Spierer DK, Goldsmith R, Baran DA, Hryniewicz K, Katz SD (2004) Effects of active vs. passive recovery on work performed during serial supramaximal exercise tests. Int J Sports Med 25:109–114
Tullberg M, Alstergren PJ, Ernberg MM (2003) Effects of low-power laser exposure on masseter muscle pain and microcirculation. Pain 105:89–96
Weir JP, Beck TW, Cramer JT, Housh TJ (2006) Is fatigue all in your head? A critical review of the central governor model. Br J Sports Med 40:573–586
Westerblad H, Allen DG, Lannergren J (2002) Muscle fatigue: lactic acid or inorganic phosphate the major cause? News Physiol Sci 17:17–21
Xu X, Zhao X, Liu TC, Pan H (2008) Low-intensity laser irradiation improves the mitochondrial dysfunction of C2C12 induced by electrical stimulation. Photomed Laser Surg 26:197–202
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thanks Rafael Paolo Rossi and Vanessa de Godoi for the technical assistance with the blood samples and biochemical analysis.
Conflict of interest statement
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Communicated by Roberto Bottinelli.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Leal Junior, E.C.P., Lopes-Martins, R.Á.B., de Almeida, P. et al. Effect of low-level laser therapy (GaAs 904 nm) in skeletal muscle fatigue and biochemical markers of muscle damage in rats. Eur J Appl Physiol 108, 1083–1088 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1321-1
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1321-1