AI Article Synopsis

  • Variability in musculoskeletal structure, especially in the Achilles tendon moment arm and plantarflexor muscle strength, may influence hopping height, but this study found different results than expected.
  • The research tested correlations between foot and lower leg muscle structure (like muscle mass and Achilles tendon moment arm) and hopping performance, using 18 participants who performed bilateral hopping and had their lower leg structures analyzed via MRI.
  • Surprisingly, longer Achilles tendon moment arm and greater muscle force or size did not correlate with better hopping performance, suggesting that tendon mechanics and energy utilization may be more crucial than just structural factors.

Article Abstract

Variability in musculoskeletal and lower leg structure has the potential to influence hopping height. Achilles tendon moment arm length and plantarflexor muscle strength can influence ankle joint torque development and, consequently, hopping performance. While most studies have examined the connection of the Achilles tendon moment arm with hopping performance including the resting length, in this study we attempted to explore how the changes in Achilles tendon moment arm are related to hopping performance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to test for correlations between foot and lower leg muscle structure parameters (i.e., muscle mass, volume, cross-sectional area and Achilles tendon moment arm length) and hopping height performance in relation to changes in Achilles tendon moment arm length. Eighteen participants (10 males 8 female) performed repetitive bilateral hopping on a force platform while sagittal plane kinematics of the lower leg were recorded. Additionally, maximal isometric plantarflexion was measured. To obtain structural parameters of the lower leg, the right lower leg of each participant was scanned with magnetic resonance imaging. The cross-sectional areas of the Achilles tendon, soleus, lateral and medial gastrocnemius were measured, while muscle volumes, muscle mass, and Achilles tendon moment arm length were calculated. Contrary to our initial assumption, longer Achilles tendon moment arm did not result in superior hopping performance. Interestingly, neither maximal isometric plantarflexion force nor muscle size correlated with repetitive bilateral hopping performance. We can assume that the mechanical characteristics of the tendon and the effective utilization of the stored strain energy in the tendon may play a more important role in repetitive hopping than the structural parameters of the lower leg.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10639158PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2023.1270169DOI Listing

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