Abstract
Purpose
The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of muscle length on the maximal voluntary activation level (VA) of the plantar-flexors between children and adults.
Methods
Fourteen boys (10.0 ± 1.0 years) and fifteen men (24.6 ± 4.2 years) performed 5-s maximal isometric voluntary contractions (MVC) of the plantar-flexor muscles at seven ankle angles [from 10° in dorsi-flexion (DF) to 20° in plantar-flexion (PF); 0° = reference position; the angle between the plantar surface and leg is a right angle]. Single magnetic stimulations were delivered to the posterior tibial nerve during MVCs to determine VA.
Results
Results showed a higher absolute torque of the plantar-flexor muscles at long (10° DF) than at short muscle length (20° PF) in men (89.4 ± 19.4 vs. 46.8 ± 17.0 N m, P < 0.001) and boys (44.9 ± 18.5 vs. 26.6 ± 12.8 N m, P < 0.001). On average, VA was significantly higher in men than in boys (92.4 ± 1.7 vs. 87.6 ± 1.6 %, P < 0.05). However, no significant main effect of the ankle angle was observed on VA.
Conclusions
The VA partly accounts for the plantar-flexors MVC torque difference between children and adults but is not affected by the muscle length changes in both groups. Therefore, VA cannot account for the shape of the torque–angle relationship on the plantar-flexor muscles.
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Abbreviations
- APHV:
-
Age from peak height velocity
- DF:
-
Dorsi-flexion
- DXA:
-
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
- EMG:
-
Electromyography
- GL:
-
Gastrocnemius lateralis
- GM:
-
Gastrocnemius medialis
- MVC:
-
Maximal voluntary contraction
- M-wave:
-
Compound action potential amplitude
- PF:
-
Plantar-flexion
- SOL:
-
Soleus
- TA:
-
Tibialis anterior
- VA:
-
Voluntary activation
- %CoActTA :
-
Antagonist co-activation of the TA muscle
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Acknowledgments
Virginie Kluka was supported by a grant of the French National Agency of Technological Research (ANRT), No2012/0284. The authors thank Dr. Nils Guéguen for his support along this study.
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The authors report no conflict of interest. A funding from the French National Agency of Technological Research (ANRT: No2012/0284; Virginie Kluka) was received for this project. This work is known to and agreed by the co-authors identified on the manuscript’s title page. This work required more than six people, because of clinical examination (physician or pediatrician), recruitment of volunteers, experimental procedures, statistical analysis and data analysis.
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Communicated by Guido Ferretti.
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Kluka, V., Martin, V., Vicencio, S.G. et al. Effect of muscle length on voluntary activation of the plantar flexors in boys and men. Eur J Appl Physiol 116, 1043–1051 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3362-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3362-6