Influence du sexe sur la cinétique de récupération structurale et fonctionnelle après une course d’endurance avec dénivelé

• Macchi Robin

• Sex
• Fatigue
• Recovery
• Running
• Muscle damage
• DOMS
• Stretch-shortening cycle
• Muscle synergies

After an endurance run, the pattern of functional recovery is described as biphasic, being characterized by immediate functional deficits, followed by partial recovery at 2 h, before new deficits 1 to 2 days later only gradually diminishing over several days. Because of the potential protective effect of estrogen hormones, especially at the muscle level, women may be more resistant to fatigue and recover more quickly. However, the literature has focused on the recovery of men, mainly in the acute phase. The delayed phase, however, is characterized by an inflammatory phenomenon related to the regeneration of ultrastructural muscle damage caused by running. This phase is accompanied by delayed onset muscle soreness that disappears before recovery is complete, which constitutes a potentially increased risk of injury when resuming practice. The main objective of this thesis work was to establish and compare the structural and functional recovery patterns of female and male runners after a 20-km gradient endurance race. Our results highlight the interaction between sex and the assessment test used. Women showed more muscle soreness and structural alterations (both on ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging) of the hamstring muscles than men. However, their functional deficits were less and their recovery earlier in some tests. This work highlights the weak links between structural alterations and functional deficits, as well as the richness of neuromuscular adjustments in dynamic multi-joint and muscle testing conditions. The functional differences observed between the sexes seem to be strongly influenced by the specific organization of muscle synergies specific to each sex.