BEDFORD, England—Short-term creatine loading may reduce range of movement (ROM) in certain joints, according to a new study (Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2010;35(4):507-11. DOI: 10.1139/H10-036). Researchers from the University of Bedfordshire recruited 40 young, healthy men who were randomized into a control group or an intervention group (CS), which received 25 g/d-1 of creatine monohydrate for five days, followed by 5 g/d-1 for three days. All subjects underwent goniometry measurement of the shoulder, elbow, hip and ankle at baseline and after the intervention. Data indicated significant reductions in active ROM in three movements—shoulder extension, shoulder abduction and ankle dorsiflexion—in the CS group. The subjects taking creatine monohydrate also had a significant increase in body mass compared to those on placebo. The research team suggested the impact on ROM could be related to increased intracellular water levels or the asymmetrical distribution of muscle mass around those particular joints.

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