Discipline-specific adaptation patterns in respiratory and lower limb musculotendinous structures: cyclists vs. basketball players.

Background: This study aimed at assessing how chronic exposure to specific exercise training (high-intensity intervals vs. endurance), comparing experienced basketball-players (BP, N.=16), cyclists (CY, N.

Impact of Leg Strength on the Force Produced During a Cross-Punch in Highly Trained Amateur Boxers.

Satkunskiene, D, Bruzas, V, Mantas, M, Snieckus, A, and Kamandulis, S. Impact of leg strength on the force produced during a cross-punch in highly trained amateur boxers leg strength impact on cross-punch force. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of leg strength on force generation during the execution of a cross-punch by highly trained amateur boxers.

Discipline-specific Torque-Velocity Profiles and Musculotendinous Morphology in Athletes.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare torque-velocity profiles, muscle architecture, tendon dimensions, and bilateral-symmetry between competitive cyclists (CY), competitive runners (RN), ice-hockey players (IH), basketball players (BP), and physically-active individuals (CN) (n=10 for each group).

Methods: Vastus lateralis (VL) muscle and patellar tendon (PT) structures were determined with B-mode ultrasonography, and maximal knee extensor isokinetic torque was assessed at three different velocities.

Results: Optimal torque and velocity were lower in runners than CY, BP and IH (p<0.

Obesity-related reduced spirometry and altered breathing pattern are associated with mechanical disadvantage of the diaphragm.

The aim of this study was to characterize the breathing patterns of individuals with obesity during routine activities such as sitting and standing, and to identify potential contributors to alterations in these patterns. Measurements performed in 20 male subjects with obesity (BMI, 31.8±1.

Hamstring stiffness and injury risk factors during the handball season in female players.

Monitoring the muscle mechanical properties and functions of female athletes throughout their training season is relevant to understand the relationships between these factors and to predict noncontact injuries, which are prevalent among female athletes. The first aim of this study was to determine whether female handball players' passive stiffness of the hamstring muscles is associated with hamstring extensibility, strength of knee flexors and extensors, and lower limb stiffness. Additionally, the study monitored fluctuations in these factors over 25 weeks.

The effects of high-velocity hamstring muscle training on injury prevention in football players.

Explosive and fast body movements, sprints, jumps and quick changes of direction, which are characteristic of the football training, place considerable strain on the hamstring muscles. Due to the high occurrence of hamstring injuries, new preventive strategies are required that focus on high-velocity training. The purpose was to assess the effectiveness of high-velocity elastic-band training in reducing the occurrence of hamstring injuries in football players.

Riding a Mechanical Scooter from the Inconvenient Side Promotes Muscular Balance Development in Children.

Mechanical scooter riding is a popular physical activity among children, but little is known about the differences in muscle loading between the dominant and non-dominant sides during this activity. The objective of this study was to identify the muscle activation patterns in children's dominant and non-dominant legs as they rode scooters on the convenient and inconvenient sides. The study included nine healthy children aged 6-8.

Associations between Muscle-Tendon Morphology and Functional Movements Capacity, Flexibility, and Balance in Older Women.

Loss of functional movement capacity in older adults is related to adverse changes in musculotendinous morphology, but this relationship is poorly understood. This study examined the associations between musculotendinous morphology and functional movements, flexibility, and balance ability. Ninety-nine older women (66.

Differences in Knee Extensors' Muscle-Tendon Unit Passive Stiffness, Architecture, and Force Production in Competitive Cyclists Versus Runners.

To describe the possible effects of chronic specific exercise training, the present study compared the anthropometric variables, muscle-tendon unit (MTU) architecture, passive stiffness, and force production capacity between a group of competitive cyclists and runners. Twenty-seven competitive male cyclists (n = 16) and runners (n = 11) participated. B-mode ultrasound evaluation of the vastus lateralis muscle and patellar tendon as well as passive stiffness of the knee extensors MTU were assessed.

Relationships between muscle quality, subcutaneous adipose tissue, and sprint performance markers of competitive cyclists.

Background: Many variables are considered to be determinants of cycling sprint performance. Among them, the importance of skeletal muscle properties in relation to cycling performance has been consistently underlined. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the vastus lateralis (VL), rectus femoris (RF) and vastus medialis (VM), echo intensity (EI) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) content in a group of competitive cyclists and to identify whether these are related to sprint performance.

The role of age on neuromuscular performance decay induced by a maximal intensity sprint session in a group of competitive endurance athletes.

Age-related changes in the neuromuscular system functions may affect profoundly high-level athletes' performance across their careers. The present study aimed to analyse the fatiguing effect of a maximal intensity sprint session (MISS) on competitive athletes of different ages. Thirty-one competitive endurance athletes completed a knee extensors and flexors' maximal-voluntary-isometric-contraction (MVC) test before and after a maximal-intensity-sprint-session (MISS) consisting of 4x15s Wingate-tests.

Warm-Up and Hamstrings Stiffness, Stress Relaxation, Flexibility, and Knee Proprioception in Young Soccer Players.

Context: Nerves or fascia may limit motion in young soccer players, thereby contributing to frequent hamstrings injuries. Nerve-gliding exercises and self-myofascial release techniques may enhance range of motion (ROM).

Objective: To compare the immediate effect of foam rolling (FR) and neurodynamic nerve gliding (NDNG) on hamstrings passive stiffness, viscoelasticity, flexibility, and proprioception during the warm-up of soccer players.

Response of Knee Extensor Muscle-Tendon Unit Stiffness to Unaccustomed and Repeated High-Volume Eccentric Exercise.

The purposes of this study were to investigate the muscle-tendon unit stiffness response and to compare the stiffness with those of other indirect markers induced by two bouts of unaccustomed eccentric exercise. Eleven untrained men performed two bouts of 200 maximal eccentric contractions of the right quadriceps 4 weeks apart. Changes in stiffness, pain evoked by stretching and pressure, plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity, and muscle thickness were followed for 7 days after each bout.

Effect of Training and Match Loads on Hamstring Passive Stiffness in Professional Soccer Players.

Objective: the purpose of this study was to identify differences in hamstring passive stiffness between the pre-season and in-season periods.

Methods: Hamstring strength and passive stiffness were measured in professional male soccer players before and after the pre-season (4 weeks), and after the in-season (6 weeks) periods using an isokinetic dynamometer. Muscle passive stiffness was determined from the slope of the passive torque-angle relationship.

Immediate effects of neurodynamic nerve gliding versus static stretching on hamstring neuromechanical properties.

Purpose: We investigated the immediate effects of neurodynamic nerve gliding (ND) on hamstring flexibility, viscoelasticity, and mechanosensitivity, compared with traditional static stretching (ST).

Methods: Twenty-two physically active men aged 21.9 ± 1.

Low frequency fatigue and changes in muscle fascicle length following eccentric exercise of the knee extensors.

New Finding: What is the central question of this study? Does low frequency muscle fatigue indicate a failure of excitation-contraction coupling after eccentric exercise, or is it simply due to a change in muscle length? What is the main finding and its importance? The low to high frequency muscle fatigue ratio was relatively insensitive to changes in muscle length, and any changes in length following eccentric exercise were far too small to account for the high degree of low frequency fatigue. The results strengthen the suggestion that the early loss of force following eccentric exercise is due to a deficit of excitation-contraction coupling.

Abstract: Development of long lasting fatigue (low frequency fatigue; LFF), assessed as the ratio of forces at 20 and 100 Hz stimulation, suggests the early phase of muscle damage caused by eccentric exercise is due to a deficit of excitation-contraction coupling.

High-velocity elastic-band training improves hamstring muscle activation and strength in basketball players.

Background: The aim of this study was use surface EMG activity to assess changes in co-activation of knee flexors and extensors muscle groups during elastic-band exercise after 5 weeks of high-velocity elastic-band training in basketball players.

Methods: College male basketball players (N.=18) were randomly divided into one of two groups: 1) the elastic-band training group performed low-load and high-velocity - lying prone - hamstring curls training three times per week; 2) the control group did not do any training.

Slow torque recovery after eccentric exercise and the repeated bout effect; the role of primary and secondary muscle damage.

Objectives: To determine the role of primary and secondary damage in the variation between people of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) torque recovery following eccentric exercise and the faster recovery following a repeated bout of exercise.

Methods: Twenty-one healthy, active but untrained young female subjects undertook eccentric exercise of the elbow flexors and 11 repeated the exercise 28 days later. Changes of MVC torque and creatine kinase (CK) were followed for 7 days after each bout of exercise.

Effect of high volume stretch-shortening cycle exercise on vertical leg stiffness and jump performance.

The study aims were to investigate the effects of muscle damage induced by high-volume stretch-shortening cycle exercise on countermovement jump (CMJ) performance and vertical leg stiffness during squat and landing phases. Changes in the peak torque of knee extensor muscles, soreness, plasma CK activity, vertical leg stiffness, and CMJ characteristics were measured in recreationally active men after 50, 100, 150 and 200 drop jumps (DJs) and again 24 h later. The isometric voluntary peak torque after 50 DJs decreased by 22 ± 12% ( < 0.

Effects of myostatin on the mechanical properties of muscles during repeated active lengthening in the mouse.

The aim of the present study was to investigate how myostatin dysfunction affects fast and slow muscle stiffness and viscosity during severe repeated loading. Isolated extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus muscles of young adult female mice of the BEH (dysfunctional myostatin) and BEH+/+ (functional myostatin) strains were subjected to 100 contraction-stretching loading cycles during which contractile and mechanical properties were assessed. BEH mice exhibited greater exercise-induced muscle damage, although the effect was muscle- and age-dependent and limited to the early phases of simulated exercise.

Early anterior knee pain in male adolescent basketball players is related to body height and abnormal knee morphology.

Objectives: To compare knee torque, range of motion, quality of movement, and morphology in dominant and nondominant legs of male adolescent basketball players with and without anterior knee pain and untrained peers.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Sports performance laboratory.

Intratendinous Air Phenomenon: A New Ultrasound Marker of Tendon Damage?

To explore the presence of intratendinous air in physically active males after different types of strenuous physical exercise. To detect foci (air bubbles) in the quadriceps femoris tendon (QFT) and the proximal and distal parts of the patellar tendon, ultrasound examination was performed under two conditions: (1) after high-intensity cycling on a cycle ergometer (metabolic); (2) after 200 drop jumps (exercise-induced muscle damage). Based on the results of these two interventions, the presence of air in the tendons after 100 drop jumps was examined further with frequently repeated ultrasound measurements.

The effects of 4 weeks stretching training to the point of pain on flexibility and muscle tendon unit properties.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the benefits and possible problems of 4 weeks stretching when taken to the point of pain (POP) and to the point of discomfort (POD).

Methods: Twenty-six physically active women (20 ± 1.1 years) took part in group-based stretching classes of the hamstring muscles, 4 times per week for 4 weeks, one group one stretching to POD, the other to POP.

Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and interleukin-6 response to high-volume mechanically demanding exercise.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to follow circulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in response to severe muscle-damaging exercise.

Methods: Young healthy men (N = 10) performed a bout of mechanically demanding stretch-shortening cycle exercise consisting of 200 drop jumps. Voluntary and electrically induced knee extension torque, serum BDNF levels, and IL-6 levels were measured before and for up to 7 days after exercise.

The acute benefits and risks of passive stretching to the point of pain.

Purpose: This study evaluated the acute effects of two different stretch intensities on muscle damage and extensibility.

Methods: Twenty-two physically active women (age 20 ± 1.0 years) were divided into two matched groups and undertook eight sets of 30-s passive hamstring stretching.