Extracellular Matrix Remodeling in Response to Resistance and Endurance Training: Implications for Athletic Performance

Abstract

Skeletal muscle adaptation to exercise extends beyond contractile proteins to include extensive remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM). This review synthesizes findings from studies published between 2015 and 2025 that investigated how resistance and endurance training influence ECM composition and how these changes relate to performance outcomes. Evidence indicates that acute exercise bouts transiently increase matrix metalloproteinases such as MMP-9, proteoglycans including serglycin, and glycoproteins such as tenascin-C, while suppressing tissue inhibitors like TIMP-1 [1,2,7]. Chronic training interventions of 10–14 weeks consistently report upregulation of collagens (types I, III, IV), proteoglycans, and glycoproteins, alongside reductions in MMP-14 [2,3,7]. These structural adaptations are associated with improvements in muscle cross-sectional area, strength, tendon stiffness, and aerobic capacity [3–6]. Importantly, individual variability in baseline MMP-14 levels appears to predict hypertrophic responsiveness [3]. Collectively, the evidence supports a mechanistic link between ECM remodeling and enhanced functional performance in athletes, underscoring ECM as a critical mediator of exercise adaptation.