Abstract
The ability to produce muscle power during sprint acceleration is a major determinant of physical performance. The comparison of the force–velocity (F–v: theoretical maximal force, F0; velocity, v0 and maximal power output, Pmax) profile between men and women has attracted little attention. Most studies of sex differences have failed to apply a scaling ratio when reporting data. The present study investigated the sex effect on the F–v profile using an allometric model applied with body mass (BM), fat-free mass (FFM), fat-free mass of the lower limb (FFMLL), cross-sectional area (CSA) and leg length (LL) to mechanical parameters. Thirty students (15 men, 15 women) participated. Raw velocity–time data for three maximal 35 m sprints were measured with a radar. Mechanical parameters of the F–v relationship were calculated from the modelling of the velocity–time curve. When F0 and Pmax were allometrically scaled with BM (p = 0.538; ES = 0.23) and FFM (p = 0.176; ES = 0.51), there were no significant differences between men and women. However, when the allometric model was applied to Pmax with FFMLL (p = 0.015; ES = 0.52), F0 with CSA (p = 0.016; ES = 0.93) and v0 with LL (p ≤ 0.001; ES = 1.98) differences between men and women persisted. FFM explained 83% of the sex differences in the F–v profile (p ≤ 0.001). After applying an allometric model, sex differences in the F–v profile are explained by other factors than body dimensions (i.e., physiological qualitative differences).
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Data Availability
Data are available.
Abbreviations
- BM (kg):
-
Body mass
- CSA:
-
Cross-sectional area
- D RF (%.s/m):
-
Rate of decrease in ratio of force
- F 0 (N):
-
Theoretical maximal force
- FFM (kg):
-
Fat-free mass
- FFMLL (kg):
-
Fat-free mass of the lower limb
- F–v:
-
Force–velocity
- LL:
-
Leg length
- P max (W):
-
Maximal power output
- RF max (%):
-
Maximal value of the ratio of force
- S FV (N.s/m):
-
Slope of the force–velocity profile
- v 0 (m/s):
-
Theoretical maximal velocity
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The authors are grateful to the subjects for their participation, all the researchers who helped in the experiments and Giovanna Del Sordo for the statistics.
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PG, AS, NP, FB, CB, GD, and PD conceived and designed the research, performed experiments, analysed data, and interpreted the results of experiments. PG prepared figures and drafted the manuscript. AS, NP, FB, CB, GD, and PD edited and revised the manuscript and approved the final version of it.
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Communicated by Jean - Rene Lacour.
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Galantine, P., Sudlow, A., Peyrot, N. et al. Force–velocity profile in sprinting: sex effect. Eur J Appl Physiol 123, 911–921 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-022-05121-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-022-05121-z