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Influence of training background on the relationships between plantarflexor intrinsic stiffness and overall musculoskeletal stiffness during hopping

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to characterize the influence of intrinsic musculotendinous and musculoarticular stiffness of plantarflexor muscles on (1) the overall musculoskeletal stiffness and (2) the performance during stretch-shortening cycles-type exercise. The influence of plyometric training background on these relationships was also analyzed. Musculotendinous (SIMT), passive (K P ) and active (SIMA) musculoarticular stiffnesses were quantified, using quick-release and sinusoidal perturbation tests, on nine French elite long or triple jumpers (athlete group, AG) and nine control subjects (CG). These ergometric parameters were related with the lower-limb stiffness (K leg) and the maximal performance (H max) measured from a force platform during vertical hopping. AG showed a significantly higher SIMT (2.76 rad−1), K P (55.6 N m rad−1), K leg (30.3 kN m−1) and H max (0.48 m) compared to CG (1.83 rad−1, 37.8 N m rad−1, 19.6 kN m−1 and 0.38 m, respectively). K leg was not significantly correlated with any of the intrinsic stiffness parameters (SIMT, SIMA or K P ). For AG, a strong and negative correlation was observed between H max and K leg. These data indicate that, while elite jumpers presented higher stiffness of both musculotendinous and passive musculoarticular structures, a high compliance of musculoskeletal system was beneficial to optimize the performance in vertical hopping for these athletes. We suggested that neuromuscular strategies were designed to counterbalance this higher intrinsic stiffness to solve the problem of the conflicting requirement of the musculotendinous elements: increase in compliance to enhance the elastic recoil and increase in stiffness for a better force transmission to the periphery.

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Acknowledgments

This study was part of a major work supported by the French Minister of Health, Sports and Associative Life. We thank Professor Francis Goubel and Professor Chantal Pérot for their implication in the collaboration between the Technological University of Compiègne (UTC) and the French National Institute of Sports (INSEP).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Biomécanique et de Physiologie, INSEP, 11, Avenue du Tremblay, 75012, Paris, France

    Giuseppe Rabita & Antoine Couturier

  2. UMR CNRS 6600, Biomécanique et Génie Biomédical, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, Compiègne, France

    Daniel Lambertz

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  1. Giuseppe Rabita
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  2. Antoine Couturier
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  3. Daniel Lambertz
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Correspondence to Giuseppe Rabita.

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Rabita, G., Couturier, A. & Lambertz, D. Influence of training background on the relationships between plantarflexor intrinsic stiffness and overall musculoskeletal stiffness during hopping. Eur J Appl Physiol 103, 163–171 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-008-0679-9

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