Indeed, those studies showing no change in submaximal VO2 typically used cycling rather than running exercise. Therefore,it might be that alterations in limb kinematics [stride length (SL) and stride frequency (SF)] after EIMD have a greater impact on running than on cycling. Several studies have shown that EIMD provokes changes to these parameters during run and have associated these changes with increases in VO2
The inference from such research is that muscle damage causes changes in a person’s stride pattern in order to limit the level of discomfort, and consequently an increase in oxygen cost occurs. Given that SL is unlikely to deviate during cycling, it is unlikely that oxygen cost will increase due to such changes