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Purpose: This study examined the impact of eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage on the rate of adjustment in muscle deoxygenation and pulmonary O2 uptake (VO(2p)) kinetics during moderate exercise.Methods: Fourteen males (25 ± 3 year; mean ± SD) completed three step transitions to 90 % θL before (Pre), 24 h (Post24) and 48 h after (Post48) eccentric exercise (100 eccentric leg-press repetitions with a load corresponding to 110 % of the participant's concentric 1RM). Participants were separated into two groups: phase II VO(2p) time constant (τVO(2p)) ≤ 25 s (fast group; n = 7) or τVO(2p) > 25 s (slow group; n = 7). VO(2p) and [HHb] responses were modeled as a mono-exponential.Results: In both groups, isometric peak torque (0°/s) at Post24 was decreased compared to Pre (p < 0.05) and remained depressed at Post48 (p < 0.05). τVO(2p) was designed to be different (p < 0.05) at Pre between the Fast (τVO(2p); 19 ± 4 s) and Slow (32 ± 6 s) groups. There were no differences among time points (τVO(2p): Pre, 19 ± 4 s; Post24, 22 ± 3 s; Post48, 20 ± 4 s) in the Fast group. In Slow, there was a speeding (p < 0.05) from the Pre (32 ± 6 s) to the Post24 (25 ± 6) but not Post48 (31 ± 6), resulting in no difference (p > 0.05) between groups at Post24. This reduction of τVO(2p) was concomitant with the abolishment (p < 0.05) of an overshoot in the [HHb]/VO(2p) ratio.Conclusion: We propose that the sped VO(2p) kinetics observed in the Slow group coupled with an improved [HHb]/VO(2p) ratio suggest a better matching of local muscle O2 delivery to O2 utilization following eccentric contractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]