Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the validity of measuring creatine kinase (CK) using the skin blotting (SB) for the local assessment of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD). Nine healthy, physically active adult males performed high-intensity isokinetic eccentric exercises with the elbow flexors of the non-dominant arm. Maximal voluntary contraction, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), serum CK activity, and CK levels measured by SB were assessed before and on days 1 to 3 post-exercise. CK levels measured by SB significantly increased in the exercised arm and peaked earlier than those levels measured by serum assay. No significant correlation was observed between CK levels by SB and serum CK; however, a significant positive correlation was found between CK by SB and DOMS on the day after exercise. These findings suggest that the SB method reflects physiological responses from those observed in serum-based assessments and may serve as a useful non-invasive technique for the early and localized evaluation of EIMD.
