Eccentric muscle actions, if not performed carefully, can
be associated with muscle damage [33]. However, exercise
training, particularly training that includes eccentric
actions, attenuates this damage and the associated inflammatory
response. In the rehabilitation of patients with
cardio-pulmonary disease, these types of muscle action are
very useful because, at a given level of force, eccentric
actions are associated with a lower level of muscle activation
(as determined by electromyography), energy consumption,
and oxygen consumption.